The Association Between Educational Attainment and Mortality: Examining Absolute and Relative Effects by Race/Ethnicity.

Abstract

To determine whether the association between educational attainment and mortality varies by race/ethnicity on the absolute and relative scales, including among understudied races/ethnicities. Data were obtained from the US National Longitudinal Mortality Study (1983-1984). Hazard models for adults aged ≥25 years (n=725,756) with race/ethnicity by educational interaction terms were used to test relative interaction; linear binomial models were used to test for absolute interaction. For the most part, educational gradients in mortality did not differ across race/ethnicity on the multiplicative scale. Conversely, additive interactions appear to be significant. Blacks gained more in terms of reduced mortality rates for each additional year of schooling. The educational gradient in Whites is also notable as the lowest educated Whites have similar absolute numbers of expected deaths as Blacks similarly educated. At higher levels of education, Whites gain substantially in terms of longer longevity. The educational gradient in Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans is narrower compared to both Whites and Blacks. The association between educational attainment and mortality does not function uniformly across race/ethnicity.