Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/73623
Year of Publication: 
2011
Series/Report no.: 
Working Paper No. 1106
Publisher: 
Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Department of Economics, Linz
Abstract: 
We study the contribution of health-related behaviors to the health-education gradient by distinguishing between short-run and long-run mediating effects: while in the former only current or lagged behaviors are taken into account, in the latter we consider the entire history of behaviors. We use an empirical approach that addresses the endogeneity of education and behaviors in the health production function. Focusing on self-reported poor health as our health outcome, we find that education has a protective effect for European males and females aged 50+. We also find that the mediating effects of health behaviors - measured by smoking, drinking, exercising and the body mass index - account in the short run for 17% to 31% and in the long run for 23% to 45% of the entire effect of education on health, depending on gender.
Subjects: 
Health
education
health behaviors
Europe.
JEL: 
I1
I12
I21
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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