Dropping out of school and chronic disease in the United States.

AIM: Despite links between education and health, it is unclear to what extent dropping out of school is associated with major chronic health conditions.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data from the 2006-2010 United States National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) was employed and examined associations between dropping out of school and major chronic health conditions among individuals 18 years or older (N=189,896).

RESULTS: Analyses show that dropout status is associated with increased odds of reporting a major chronic health condition; however, the effect is stronger for Whites and African-Americans than Hispanics.

CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that one important strategy to prevent and reduce health disparities is increased education in general including high school completion. Policies and practices that reduce dropout may in turn impact the prevalence of chronic disease.