Table 1.

Summary of Previous U.K. Studies

Author(s)	Dataset(s)	Outcomes	Reform used as instrument	Sample and Estimation	Results
Oreopoulos (2006)	1984 to 1998 GHS and CHS	binary variables for self-reported good and poor health	1947	Individuals born between 1921 and 1951. Regressions control for survey year fixed effects, birth year fixed effects, county fixed effects, a quartic in age and gender	OLS estimates are highly significant. IV estimates are insignificant
Silles (2009)	1980 to 2003/4 GHS	binary variables for self-reported good, no longer term illness, no activity-limiting illness, no work-limiting illness	1947, 1972	Individuals born 1920–1979. Regressions control for survey year fixed effects, a quadratic in age and gender	IV estimates are significant and larger than OLS. When estimation is done separately for those born 1938–1957 and 1920–1960 no causal effect of schooling on self reported health for the 1938–1957 cohorts who are only affected by 1972 reform
powdthavee (2010)	HSE 1991–2007	blood pressure and hypertension	1947, 1972 separately	Regressions control for survey year fixed effects, and a cubic in both year of birth and age. For individuals born between 1926–1939, the 1947 reform is used as the instrument and the 1972 reform is used as an instrument for those born between 1952–1965.	IV estimates for men in both cohort samples are significant and larger than OLS. IV estimates for women are insignificant.
Clarke and Royer (2010)	ONS data to investigate mortality. HSE 1991–2004 to Look at health outcomes and behaviors	mortality, self-reported health, BMI, overweight, blood pressure, hypertension, smoking, alcohol consumption	1947, 1972 separately	Regressions control for gender, month and year of survey fixed effects, month of birth fixed effects and an interaction between month of birth and the relevant reform. 1947 reform is used as an instrument for those born between 1920–1940. 1972 reform is used as an instrument for those born between 1950–1965	Apart from a few exceptions, IV estimates are insignificant
Jürges et al. (2012)	HSE 1993, 1994, 1998–2000 2003–2006. ELSA 2006	biomarkers: blood fibrinogen levels and blood C-reactive protein Levels. Self-reported health	1947, 1972 separately	Regressions control for year and month of birth. survey year and height 1947 reform is used as an instrument for 1929–1937 birth cohorts 1972 reform is used as an instrument for 1953–1961	No evidence of a causal effect of schooling on the biomarkers. Some evidence of a causal effect on self reported health for women