The remarkable impact of secondary education on women’s health

Friday, August 8, 2014

For the first time, there is strong evidence to support the claim that girls education is a great investment. But it goes further than that. Secondary education might be the best way to improve the health of both mothers and their children.

These conclusions are supported by two recent studies, one from Zimbabwe and another from Los Angeles. In the case of Zimbabwe, the sudden access to secondary education in 1980 decreased the probability of a child dying by roughly 20% for each additional year of schooling. Allowing girls to stay in school saved lives.

The second study on charter and public schools in Los Angeles found students from low-income neighborhoods who attend high-performing charter schools experienced some important health gains. The students in the charter schools were less likely to engage in unprotected sex and engage in risky health behaviors, as compared to the students in district schools. However, there was no significant difference in tobacco, drug and alcohol use between the schools.

Source: Humanosphere (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Education, Health Care, Impact Assessment
Tags
public health, research