Longevity and education: a macroeconomic perspective
Date
2007-12Pages
1-30Google Scholar check
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This paper investigates the determinants of longevity at a macroeconomic level, emphasizing the important role played by education. To analyze the determinants of longevity, we build
a model where households intentionally invest in health and education, and where education
exerts external effects on longevity. Performing an empirical analysis using data across 71
countries, we find that society’s tertiary education attainment rate is important for longevity,
in addition to any role that basic education plays for life expectancy at the individual level.
This finding uncovers a key externality of education, consistent with the theoretical hypothesis
advanced in our macroeconomic model.