Measuring the Distribution of Education: Global Trends, Forecasts, and Inequality Metrics

Abstract

As perhaps the single most important social determinant of health, the measurement of educational attainment is of paramount importance for health research. There is substantial reason to believe that estimates of the distribution of educational, and measures of educational inequality, could be useful tools for population health research. In this study, we compile a large database detailing the distribution of educational attainment, and provide the first set of comprehensive estimates of the distribution of education by age, sex, geography, and time, that will allow further studies to explore the importance of the distribution of education for health. We provide the first description of the global course of educational inequality and a basic comparison of the implications of the choice of inequality metric. We also provide projections to 2040, by leveraging cohort information and the extrapolation of current trends.