Childhood intelligence predicts premature mortality: Results from a 40-year population-based longitudinal study |
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Affiliation: | 1. Centre for Educational Measurement and Applied Cognitive Science (EMACS), University of Luxembourg, L-7220 Walferdange, Luxembourg;2. Columbia University, Psychology Department, New York, NY 10027, USA;3. Free University of Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany;4. Berlin-Brandenburg Institute for School Quality, 14195 Berlin, Germany |
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Abstract: | Childhood intelligence has been shown to predict mortality risk in adulthood. This relation has never been investigated in a Central European country with universal health care. The present study investigated whether childhood intelligence predicts mortality risk across 40 years in Luxembourg. 2543 participants completed an intelligence test at age 12 in 1968, and the mortality rate in this sample until 2008 was recorded. Our results showed that higher childhood intelligence predicted a lower risk for mortality, even when childhood socioeconomic status was controlled for. This effect was strongest in men belonging to the group of the lowest 20% in intelligence. These results indicate that even universal access to health care cannot fully offset the cumulative effects of intelligence on mortality. |
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Keywords: | Childhood intelligence Premature mortality Socioeconomic status Universal health care |
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