Abstract
This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of education on an individual's self-reported work hours lost due to illness with data from the Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics. It is argued that education can influence health directly through greater knowledge of health problems, and indirectly by allowing access to a high-status job. Although the measure of ill-health used in the study may not be entirely accurate, and the model only allows for causation running from education, earnings, and occupational status to illness rather than vice-versa, the results suggest that education has only significant indirect effects and no direct effects on ill-health. If education affects health only through allowing the individual access to a higher status job and if the proportion of higher status jobs is relatively constant, then increased education will not enhance public health.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 441-456 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Work and Occupations |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1982 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
- Sociology and Political Science
Cite this
Education, Occupational Status, and Illness. / Leigh, J Paul.
In: Work and Occupations, Vol. 9, No. 4, 1982, p. 441-456.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Education, Occupational Status, and Illness
AU - Leigh, J Paul
PY - 1982
Y1 - 1982
N2 - This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of education on an individual's self-reported work hours lost due to illness with data from the Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics. It is argued that education can influence health directly through greater knowledge of health problems, and indirectly by allowing access to a high-status job. Although the measure of ill-health used in the study may not be entirely accurate, and the model only allows for causation running from education, earnings, and occupational status to illness rather than vice-versa, the results suggest that education has only significant indirect effects and no direct effects on ill-health. If education affects health only through allowing the individual access to a higher status job and if the proportion of higher status jobs is relatively constant, then increased education will not enhance public health.
AB - This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of education on an individual's self-reported work hours lost due to illness with data from the Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics. It is argued that education can influence health directly through greater knowledge of health problems, and indirectly by allowing access to a high-status job. Although the measure of ill-health used in the study may not be entirely accurate, and the model only allows for causation running from education, earnings, and occupational status to illness rather than vice-versa, the results suggest that education has only significant indirect effects and no direct effects on ill-health. If education affects health only through allowing the individual access to a higher status job and if the proportion of higher status jobs is relatively constant, then increased education will not enhance public health.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84965729003&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84965729003&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0730888482009004002
DO - 10.1177/0730888482009004002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84965729003
VL - 9
SP - 441
EP - 456
JO - Work and Occupations
JF - Work and Occupations
SN - 0730-8884
IS - 4
ER -