Education and Mental Health in Europe

Poor mental health is a major burden of disease in Europe. The cost to society is substantial and is estimated to increase as the population ages. A high level of education is associated with better health and greater longevity both in developed and developing countries, but little research has been done on mental health and depression. An instrumental variable framework is used in conjuction with data collected through the third edition of the European Social Survey to estimate the impact of school attainment on depression in 23 countries across Europe. The results indicate a significant relationship between higher education level and better mental health. The magnitude of this relationship is small but not negligible. Increasing the overall education among new generations is not likely to substantially prevent the occurrence of mental disorders in a country but can mitigate it. The results of the analysis suggest that other factors, such as employment and living with a partner, might help reduce the risk of depression.