There are many theories about the link between education and disability, ranging from childhood conditions that affect education and disability, occupational differences in the working years, differential health. Three factors have particularly strong influences on the education gradient in disability. The first is health behaviors. Better, educated people are significantly less likely to smoke than are less educated people; they are also less obese. About one-third of the education gradient in disability is found to be associated with differential health behaviors. Another third is explained...

There are many theories about the link between education and disability, ranging from childhood conditions that affect education and disability, occupational differences in the working years, differential health. Three factors have particularly strong influences on the education gradient in disability. The first is health behaviors. Better, educated people are significantly less likely to smoke than are less educated people; they are also less obese. About one-third of the education gradient in disability is found to be associated with differential health behaviors. Another third is explained by differences in lifetime occupation. People are broken down by hard work. Finally, differential rates of medical conditions explain another fifth of the education gradient in disability. Stroke, heart disease, and chronic conditions such as diabetes and arthritis are highly related to disability. Less educated people are more likely to have suffered from these conditions, partly as a result of their greater propensity to smoke and to be obese.