The better educated a person is, the more likely that person is to report being in “excellent” or “very good” health, regardless of income.

Education and health are positively related. In the National Health Interview Survey, the National Center for Health Statistics annually surveys people concerning their health. One question asks respondents to rate their own health. In 2001, the better educated a person was, the more likely that person was to report being in “excellent” or “very good” health. Among adults age 25 and above, 78 percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher reported being in excellent or very good health, compared with 66 percent of those with some education beyond high school, 56 percent of high school completers, and 39 percent of those with less than a high school education (see table 12-1).

Family income, age, and poverty status are also related to health. The more family income a person has and the farther above the poverty level, the more likely that person is to report being in excellent or very good health. In 2001, 40 percent of people living below the poverty threshold reported being in excellent or very good health, compared with 46 percent of near-poor (100–199 percent of poverty level) and 69 percent of nonpoor (twice the poverty level) people. Age is inversely related to health: as age increases, the likelihood of reporting being in excellent or very good health decreases.

Education remains positively related to health, independent of the relationship between health and either family income, age, or poverty status. For example, within each income range, people with a bachelor’s degree or higher reported being in better health than people with some education beyond high school, who, in turn, reported being in better health than high school completers. Those with less than a high school education reported being less healthy than their peers with more education. In 2001, among all adults age 25 and above with a family income between $20,000 and $34,999, 72 percent with a bachelor’s degree or higher reported being in excellent or very good health, compared with 58 percent of those with some education beyond high school, 50 percent of high school completers, and 39 percent of those with less than a high school education.