SYDNEY, June 24 (Xinhua) -- New research has revealed significant gaps in life expectancy and quality of life among Australians based on educational attainment.
The Monash University study found that, at age 25, Australian men with a university degree have a life expectancy 7.3 years longer than those who completed only Year 11 or less, while the gap for women is 3.9 years, according to a release from the Melbourne-based university on Tuesday.
The study also found that at age 25, men with higher education can expect 11.1 more years of quality-adjusted life, and women 7.6 more years, compared to those with lower education.
The researchers analyzed data from the Household, Labor and Income in Australia Survey and national mortality records to assess health outcomes by education level among Australians aged 25 and older, the release said.
"In this study we've honed in on education status to gain a deeper understanding, at the individual level, of how education attainment impacts both the quantity (mortality) and the quality of life gained in Australia," said Zanfina Ademi, the study's senior author and head of the Health Economics and Policy Evaluation Research group at Monash University.
The findings underscored the need for targeted policies to address health inequalities at the individual level, rather than relying solely on broader socioeconomic indicators like area of residence, according to Ademi.
The research, conducted with the Australian National University, advanced equity-focused health assessment and underscored the need to monitor education-related health inequalities to guide policy, said the study published in the journal PharmacoEconomics. ■
