Table 3.

Ranking of the Functional Forms of the Association between Educational Attainment and U.S. Adult Mortality, Non-Hispanic Whites ages 45–84, Including Controls for Income and Employment Status.

	2000–2011 NHIS. NH White Americans 45–84.
	National		Midwest		Northeast		South		West
	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women
1. Semi-Parametric	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
2. Continuous (ed)	9	9	2	2	2	1	2	2	2	1
Step changes with zero slopes
3. lths +hs, sc +co	12	12	7	7	3	3	12	7	6	2
4. lths, hs, sc +co	11	5	10	6	6	4	11	1	10	4
5. lths, hs + sc, co	1	1	1	1	1	2	1	3	1	3
6. lths, hs, sc, co	2	3	3	5	5	6	5	5	4	6
Step changes with constant, nonzero slopes
7. ed, lths +hs, sc +co	5	6	8	8	9	10	7	9	8	10
8. ed, lths, hs, sc +co	10	10	11	10	11	9	9	6	11	9
9. ed, lths, hs + sc, co	3	4	4	4	7	5	4	8	3	7
10. ed, lths, hs, sc, co	6	7	9	9	10	11	8	10	9	11
Step changes with varying slopes
11. ed, lths +hs, sc +co, ed x (lths +hs), ed x (sc +co)	8	11	6	11	8	8	6	11	5	8
12. ed, lths, hs +co, ed x lths, ed x (hs +sc), ed x co	7	8	12	12	12	12	10	12	12	12
13. ed, lths, ed x lths	4	2	5	3	4	7	3	4	7	5

Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2000–2009. Linked Mortality File through end of 2011.

Notes: Data are not weighted. All models account for age, employment status, and income. Top Three Specifications are highlighted.

Notes: ed = continuous educational attainment. lths = less than high school. hs = high school. sc = some college. co = college. X denotes an interaction.