The Impacts Education has on Healthcare Disparities

Despite the well-known link between education and healthcare, this fact cannot be stressed enough. People who obtain fewer years of schooling tend to live shorter, less healthy lives compared to those with more years of education. Limited education also increases the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and emphysema, a lung condition that impairs breathing. Mental health can also be affected, with higher rates of anxiety and depression found among the less educated.

According to the Fundamental Cause Theory (FCT), education is considered "fundamental" among social factors that can cause disease due to its relationship with both material and non-material resources. Furthermore, less education correlates with fewer healthcare resources and limited knowledge about healthy behaviors. Educated patients are better equipped to understand and articulate their needs to healthcare providers. In contrast, patients with less education may struggle to communicate their needs clearly or follow given instructions.

Low income also plays a significant role. In many cases, fewer years of schooling result in lower income, which, in turn, leads to inadequate living conditions that cannot support a healthy lifestyle. Examples of these resource limitations include reduced access to healthy, organic foods, fewer green spaces such as sidewalks, and a shortage of doctors or physicians. Low income can also make these resources unaffordable and inconvenient to access.

However, there are many methods to address healthcare inequities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “health education is a tool to improve a population’s general health and wellness by promoting knowledge and healthy practices.” It is suggested that community health educators collaborate with nonprofits, schools, or government offices to assess and address a region’s healthcare needs. As noted by Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), “A community health worker seeks to abolish or ameliorate health inequity from a social lens, whereas other healthcare workers approach it from an individual perspective. Both are critical for healthcare advancement.”

Building a united community can strengthen the resources needed to improve health programs in low-income areas. For this improvement to occur, many believe that the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services should collaborate to form needs-based resource centers involving local schools, governments, and nonprofits. The goal would be to educate individuals in poverty about healthcare and improve access to quality healthcare. Health education also has the potential to influence policy and legislation development at the local, state, and national levels, informing and influencing key decisions that impact community health.

References:

Connect with America’s Top Researchers | Scholars Strategy Network [Internet]. scholars.org. Available from: https://scholars.org 

Gagnon D. The Importance of Health Education [Internet]. www.snhu.edu. 2021. Available from: https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/health/importance-of-health-education 

Zajacova A, Lawrence EM. The Relationship between Education and Health: Reducing Disparities through a Contextual Approach. Annual Review of Public Health [Internet]. 2018 Jan 12;39(1):273–89. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5880718/ 

The Effects of Education on Health [Internet]. NBER. 2024. Available from: https://www.nber.org/digest/effects-education-health 

Center on Society and Health [Internet]. societyhealth.vcu.edu. 2015. Available from: https://societyhealth.vcu.edu/work/the-projects/why-education-matters-to-health-exploring-the-causes.html#:~:text=Health%20Behaviors&text=Education%20can%20also%20lead%20to