Study: Less education associated with faster aging, health inequality – McKnight’s Long-Term Care News

Report on Educational Disparities and Their Impact on Biological Aging in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent study published in Demography by researchers from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology reveals a significant and widening gap in the biological aging process between American adults with varying levels of education. This trend directly undermines progress toward several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning health, education, and inequality. The findings indicate that individuals with lower educational attainment are not only aging faster but are also disproportionately excluded from overall improvements in population health.

Key Findings and Disparities

The research analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, focusing on adults aged 50-79. The primary conclusion is the accelerated biological aging among less-educated individuals, a disparity that has grown over time.

• Initial Period (1988-1994): The difference in biological age between adults with less than a high school education and those with a college degree was approximately one year.
• Recent Period (2015-2018): This gap nearly doubled to two years, demonstrating a significant increase in health inequality.
• Underlying Factors: The study links educational attainment to critical life factors such as employment opportunities, income levels, residential environment, and access to healthcare, all of which influence health outcomes.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

The study’s findings present a direct challenge to the core objective of SDG 3, which is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The unequal distribution of health benefits signifies a failure to achieve universal well-being.

• Health Inequity: The accelerated aging of less-educated populations demonstrates a profound inequity in health outcomes, contradicting the goal of universal health coverage and well-being.
• Increased System Strain: As people with less education spend more years in poor health, it places a greater burden on families, communities, and public health systems, hindering the development of resilient and sustainable healthcare infrastructure.
• Preventable Health Gaps: The correlation between education and healthier personal habits (e.g., non-smoking, exercise) suggests that these health gaps are preventable through interventions aligned with SDG 3 targets.

The Central Role of Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education

This report highlights that education is a fundamental determinant of health. The widening health gap underscores the critical importance of achieving SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

1. Education as a Foundation: Lower educational attainment is the starting point for a cascade of disadvantages.
2. Socioeconomic Consequences: It leads to limited access to decent work (SDG 8) and lower income, perpetuating cycles of poverty (SDG 1).
3. Health Outcomes: These socioeconomic factors directly restrict access to quality healthcare and healthier living conditions, culminating in accelerated biological aging.

Challenges to Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

The research provides clear evidence of increasing inequality within a population, directly opposing the aims of SDG 10. The fact that health improvements are not being shared equally indicates a deepening societal divide.

• Socioeconomic Divide Manifests Biologically: The study shows how socioeconomic inequality, rooted in educational disparities, translates into tangible biological differences among citizens.
• Exclusion from Progress: As stated by the study’s first author, Mateo Farina, “The improvements we see in population health are not being shared equally,” which is the very definition of the inequality SDG 10 seeks to eliminate.
• Intergenerational Impact: This growing health divide places an increased strain on families and communities, potentially perpetuating inequality across generations.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article’s central theme is health, specifically focusing on “biological aging,” how “people with less education may not only die younger but spend more years in poor health,” and the “increased strain on… health systems.”
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The entire study is based on the premise that education level is a primary determinant of health outcomes. The article contrasts individuals with “less than a high school education” and those with “a college degree,” directly linking educational attainment to life quality and health.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article explicitly discusses the widening gap in health outcomes based on educational status. It states, “The improvements we see in population health are not being shared equally,” and highlights the “increasing inequality in health based on education.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
  • Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being. The article’s focus on “biological aging” and people dying younger or spending more years in “poor health” due to factors like lifestyle and healthcare access directly relates to preventing premature mortality from NCDs.
  • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services… The article mentions that education level affects “the healthcare one can access,” linking educational inequality to disparities in health coverage and services.
• Under SDG 4 (Quality Education):
  • Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills… for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The article supports this by stating that education affects “the kinds of jobs one can get” and “how much money one makes,” which are key determinants of health and well-being.
  • Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable… The article highlights the vulnerability of those with less education, making the case for ensuring equal access to and completion of education to mitigate negative life outcomes like poor health.
• Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities):
  • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… economic or other status. The article’s findings show a growing exclusion of less-educated individuals from the benefits of population-level health improvements, directly addressing this target.
  • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome… The core finding of the study—that the gap in biological aging (an inequality of outcome) between education groups has nearly doubled—is a clear example of what this target aims to address.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Biological Aging Rate: The study’s primary metric is “biological aging,” which serves as a direct indicator of health status and well-being. It is used to measure the health gap between different population groups.
• Difference in Biological Age by Education Level: The article provides a specific measurement: the difference in biological age between those with less than a high school education and college graduates. This difference increased from “about one year” in 1988-1994 to “nearly doubled to two years” in 2015-2018, serving as a precise indicator of rising health inequality.
• Educational Attainment Levels: The article uses “less than a high school education” versus “a college degree” as the key variable. The proportion of the population at different educational attainment levels is a fundamental indicator for tracking progress in education and its impact on other sectors.
• Access to Healthcare: The article implies that “the healthcare one can access” is a factor. The proportion of the population with access to essential health services, disaggregated by education level, would be a relevant indicator.
• Health-related Behaviors: The article mentions that a higher level of education correlates with “healthier personal habits such as being a nonsmoker or exercising more.” The prevalence of these behaviors, broken down by educational attainment, can serve as an implied indicator.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: mcknights.com