The Percentage of Adults Age 25 or Over With No High School Diploma by Year, New Mexico and U.S., 2006 to 2017

Why Is This Important?

A good education leads to good health in several ways. First, the more schooling people have, the more money they earn which enables them to purchase better housing in safer neighborhoods, healthier food, better medical care and health insurance, and more education. Each of these factors is associated with improved health. Each one allows individuals to move up the occupational and income ladder, giving them more prestige and power, both of which are associated with better health. High school completion is also the gateway into college, which offers even greater benefits than high school alone. Second, education facilitates healthier behavior choices by offering learners access to health information and tools to acquire help and resources, such as smoking cessation programs. Third, education helps people to acquire social support, strengthen social networks, and mitigate social stressors. The more education people have the more social support they have. Education helps people to gain a sense of control over their lives, an outcome associated with better health.

Definition

The percentage of adults age 25 years and older with no high school diploma (including equivalency).

Data Notes

Data Source

How the Measure is Calculated

Health Topic Pages Related to: Population Demographic Characteristics - Education, No High School Diploma

• Education