Dimensions of the Social Environment: Education

Overview

Researchers studying educational context and health have generally used the percent of the adult population not completing high school as an indicator, finding positive associations with all–cause mortality (Guest and Almgren and Hussey 1998; Bosma et al. 2001), homicide (Cubbin and LeClere and Smith 2000), motor vehicle deaths (Cubbin and LeClere and Smith 2000), coronary heart disease prevalence (Diez Roux et al. 1997), neural tube defects (Wasserman et al. 1998), smoking (Diez Roux et al. 1997), severe pediatric injury (Durkin et al. 1994), and elevated serum cholesterol (Diez Roux et al. 1997). High school non–completion rate and median educational level have also been used with other areal economic and employment measures to form aggregate socioeconomic scores that are correlated with adverse health outcomes (Diez Roux et al. 2001; Roberts 1997).

In these studies the contextual educational variable tends to be treated as a marker for a more generalized concept of community socioeconomic status and resources, rather than being considered in its own right. Our consultants suggested that a focused assessment of education aspects are likely to vary among communities is warranted. Multiple measures of the population’s educational attainment and functioning are included in the recommended indicators. Moreover, the levels of funding, characteristics of school systems and curricula, and learning–related aspects of community life such as prevalence of television viewing and numbers of library books per capita, can provide insights into the priority placed on education and corresponding investment within an area, which itself may be related to health outcome.

Specific aspects of the curriculum also have implications for school–aged children's health and throughout their lives. For instance, bullying and violence is a serious problem among children and adolescents (Nansel et al. 2001), and the presence of violence prevention programs has been found to be effective in decreasing physically aggressive behavior (Twemlow et al. 2001; Grossman et al. 1997). Similarly, obesity in children is approaching epidemic proportions and is related to adult obesity; levels of lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, and blood pressure; and risk of coronary heart disease (Styne 2001). Incorporating nutrition modification programs and optimal physical education curricula in schools can be effective in modifying these risks (Stone et al. 1998; Snyder et al. 1999).

This table describes the components and indicators of the education dimension.  Five educational components are identified:

1. Educational Attainment
2. Funding
3. Private Schools
4. School Characteristics
5. Community Climate

Within each component, several indicators are identified, and for each indicator at least one data set is listed.

 
*Links to non–Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.
 

Page last reviewed: January 7, 2008
Page last modified: January 7, 2008

Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion