Degrees of health disparities: health status disparities between young adults with high school diplomas, sub-baccalaureate degrees, and baccalaureate degrees

Abstract

Community colleges have increased post-secondary educational access for disadvantaged youth, but it is unknown how community college degrees fit into the educational gradient of health status disparities. Using data from high school graduates in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we compared young adults ages 26–31 whose highest degrees were high school diplomas (n=5584), sub-baccalaureate credentials (sub-BAs include community college certificates and associate’s degrees) (n=2415), and baccalaureate degrees (BAs) (n=3303) on measures of hypertension, obesity, smoking, sleep problems, dyslipidemia, and depression. Comparisons used multivariate Poisson regression with robust standard errors after exact and nearest-neighbor Mahalanobis matching within propensity score calipers on 23 baseline factors measured in 1995. High school graduates and sub-BAs differed significantly on 3 of 23 baseline factors. After matching, sub-BAs were 16% less likely to smoke daily than if they had only a high school diploma but did not differ in other health status measures. Sub-BAs and BAs differed significantly on 14 of 23 baseline factors. After matching, BAs were 60% less likely to smoke daily, 14% less likely to be obese, and 38% less likely to have been diagnosed with depression. Sub-BA degrees are accessible to high school graduates irrespective of academic backgrounds and predict lower smoking prevalence. BAs are less accessible to high school graduates and predict lower chances of smoking, depression, and obesity.

Holistic Health, Disadvantage, Higher Education Access and Success: A Reflection

“…This is similar to other middle-income and southern hemisphere countries, as well as minority groups within developed countries, in respect of both demographics of the population that experience the disadvantage and the nature of the disadvantage itself (Friel et al, 2011;Guimaraes et al, 2014). Education has the potential to mediate this problem and a better education has been linked to better health outcomes (Baker et al, 2011;Cohen et al, 2013;Rosenbaum, 2012). International research has demonstrated that the educational aspirations of adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds, if accommodated, could compensate over the longer term for the socioeconomic disadvantage (Madarasova Geckova, Tavel, van Dijk, Abel & Reijneveld, 2010;Noble & Henderson, 2011).…”

“…In the U.S. it was also found that those who had a better education and higher socioeconomic status had higher expectations of life in general and health in particular (Delpierre et al, 2012). In short, education has been positively linked to health outcomes in developed countries (Baker, Leon, Greenaway, Collins & Movit, 2011;Cohen et al, 2013;Rosenbaum, 2012). The vast majority of research findings on the link between health and education have indicated that education itself is a strong and enduring mediator of health (Baker et al, 2011).…”

“…The vast majority of research findings on the link between health and education have indicated that education itself is a strong and enduring mediator of health (Baker et al, 2011). With the institution of community colleges, further education colleges and other intermediary educational opportunities, for those who would not normally enter higher education, health disparities may be mitigated by the opportunity to obtain a higher qualification, thus changing the socioeconomic perception and identification of those taking part (Rosenbaum, 2012).…”

Beyond Earnings and Social Reproduction: Can College Lead to Good Jobs Without Reproducing Social Inequalities?

“…Little research has examined the characteristics of jobs, however. In a study on job desirability, Janet Rosenbaum (2012) finds that associate's degrees are associated with health payoffs such as lower risks of smoking and obesity when compared with statistically matched high school graduates with similar high school backgrounds but no postsecondary degree. Other research suggests that job conditions may mediate health payoffs (Presser 2005;Grandner et al 2010).…”

“…However, those who complete certificates and AAs often combine credentials in a process referred to by reformers as stacking, in which they build on prior credentials (Ganzglass 2014). In the AddHealth sample of young adults, about 47 percent of BA graduates also have an AA (Rosenbaum 2012). Moreover, 19 percent of adult certificate holders also have AAs and an additional 12 percent have BAs (Carnevale, Rose, and Hanson 2012).…”