Anomaly in the education–health gradient: Biomarker profiles among adults with subbaccalaureate attainment levels

Zajacova, Anna; Johnson-Lawrence, Vicki

doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2016.05.001

Cited by 19 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…We also find reduced risk for Unhealthy behavior clustering among men with “some college,” but not among women. This finding is consistent with previous research that documents an anomaly in the education-health gradient, given that individuals with “some college” gain little in terms of health as compared to their high school graduates (Zajacova and Johnson-Lawrence 2016). Future research, therefore, should consider gender differences in these patterns.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Gender and Health Behavior Clustering among U.S. Young Adults

Olson

Hummer

Harris

2017

Biodemography and Social Biology

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U.S. trends in population health suggest alarming disparities among young adults who are less healthy across most measureable domains than their counterparts in other high-income countries; these international comparisons are particularly troubling for women. To deepen our understanding of gender disparities in health and underlying behavioral contributions, we document gender-specific clusters of health behavior among U.S. young adults using nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. We find high levels of poor health behavior, but especially among men; 40 percent of men clustered into a group characterized by unhealthy behavior (e.g., poor diet, no exercise, substance use), compared to only 22 percent of women. Additionally, women tend to age out of unhealthy behaviors in young adulthood more than men. Further, we uncover gender differences in the extent to which sociodemographic position and adolescent contexts inform health behavior clustering. For example, college education was more protective for men, whereas marital status was equally protective across gender. Parental drinking mattered for health behavior clustering among men, whereas peer drinking mattered for clustering among women. We discuss these results in the context of declining female advantage in U.S. health and changing young adult social and health contexts.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Gender and Health Behavior Clustering among U.S. Young Adults

Olson

Hummer

Harris

2017

Biodemography and Social Biology

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“…Previous research has shown that health disparities remain at all SES levels suggesting that education is not a real equalizer. 36,37 For example, as shown by the work by Zajacova et al 36,37 and others, [38][39][40] education does not similarly improve the health of Blacks and Whites. We have shown that this is always the case for almost all outcomes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Combined Effects of Race and Educational Attainment on Physician Visits Over 24 Years in a National Sample of Middle-Aged and Older Americans

Assari

2020

Hosp Pract Res

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Background: The literature on Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) have shown worse than expected health of the members of racial and ethnic minority groups particularly Blacks. Theoretically, this effect can be in part due to weaker effects of educational attainment on preventive care and disease management in highly educated racial and ethnic minorities. Objectives: The current study explored the racial and ethnic differences in the effect of baseline educational attainment on % adherance to the routine physician visits among middle-aged and older adults in the US. Methods: This is a prospective study with 24 years of follow up. The Health and Retirement Study (HRS: 1992-2016) included 10880 middle-aged and older adults who were Hispanic, non-Hispanic, Black or White. The independent variable was educational attainment. The dependent variable was adherance to the routine physician visits (%). Age, gender, marital status, income, health behaviors (smoking and drinking) and health (depression, self-rated health, and chronic diseases) were the covariates. Race and ethnicity were the focal moderators. Linear regression was used for data analysis. Results: Overall, higher educational attainment was associated with higher % of adherance to the routine physician visits over the course of follow-up, net of all confounders. Race showed a significant statistical interaction with educational attainment suggesting of a smaller effect of high education attainment on % adherance to the routine physician visits for Black than White middle-aged and older adults. A similar interaction could not be found for the comparison of Hispanic and non-Hispanic middle-aged and older adults. Conclusion: Educational attainment is associated with a larger increase in preventive and disease management doctor visits for White than Black middle-aged and older adults. This is a missed opportunity to improve the health of highly educated middle-aged and older adults. It is not race/ethnicity or class that shapes health behaviors but race/ethnicity and class that shape people’s prohealth behaviors. At least some of the racial health disparities is not due to low SES but diminished returns of SES.

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“…This study documented MDRs of educational attainment on Black women’s exercise frequency, which is in support of the MDRs theory (1, 2). In the US, education is not “the great equalizer” (27, 28). As shown by Zajacova, education better promotes the health of Whites than Blacks (27, 28).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the US, education is not “the great equalizer” (27, 28). As shown by Zajacova, education better promotes the health of Whites than Blacks (27, 28).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Educational Attainment and Exercise Frequency in American Women; Blacks’ Diminished Returns

Assari¹

2019

Women Health Bull

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Background: Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) refer to smaller protects health effects of socioeconomic status (SES) indicators for Blacks and other minority groups than Whites. Objectives: The current study aimed to explore Black- White differences in the association between educational attainment and exercise frequency among women in the US. Methods: For the current study, we used the National Survey of American Life’s (NSAL) data which included 3,175 women who were either White (n = 876) or Black (n = 2,299). The independent variable was educational attainment. The dependent variable was exercise frequency. Age, region, household income, financial distress, marital status, unemployment, and depression were the covariates. Race was the focal moderator. Linear regression was applied for data analysis. Results: In the overall sample of women, high educational attainment was associated with higher exercise frequency (b = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.02−0.12). Race and educational attainment showed a significant interaction (b = −0.09, 95% CI = −0.19−0.00), suggestive of a smaller effect of education attainment on exercise frequency for Black women than White women. In race specific models, high educational attainment was associated with higher exercise frequency for White (b = 0.12, 95% CI =0.04−0.20) but not Black (b = 0.03, 95% CI = −0.03−0.08) women. Conclusion: In line with the past research on MDRs, White women gain more health from their educational attainment than Black women. It is not race or class but race and class that shape the health behaviors of American women.

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Anomaly in the education–health gradient: Biomarker profiles among adults with subbaccalaureate attainment levels

Cited by 19 publications

References 20 publications

Gender and Health Behavior Clustering among U.S. Young Adults

Gender and Health Behavior Clustering among U.S. Young Adults

Combined Effects of Race and Educational Attainment on Physician Visits Over 24 Years in a National Sample of Middle-Aged and Older Americans

Educational Attainment and Exercise Frequency in American Women; Blacks’ Diminished Returns

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