A study published online in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reveals that adolescents are nearly three times more likely to be on benefits in the future if they drop out of school than those who complete their education.

The researchers examined the self-rated health of nearly 9,000 Norwegian adolescents between the ages of 13 to 19, who were already participating in the Young-HUNT study between 1995 and 1997.

This data was connected to national databases, providing information on schooling and any subsequent need for disability/unemployment/sickness benefit between 1998 and 2007.

According to the data 17% of all the study participant’s had not finished their secondary/high school education by the age of 24.

The researchers found that almost 1 in 10 (9%) of the 6,451 participant’s for whom data were available, were receiving benefits by the age of 26, and half of the benefits were for sickness or disability.

Nearly 1 in 4 (23%) of teenagers who had dropped out of school were receiving long term benefits, of which more than half were for sickness or disability.

Among the 7% of participant’s who finished their secondary/high school education, sickness and disability benefits accounted for just 4% of benefits.

After taking into account influential factors, such as educational attainment of the mother, and age, the researchers discovered that adolescents who dropped out of school were nearly three times more likely (44%) to receive any type of benefit over the next five years than participant’s who completed their secondary/high school education (16%).

Results from the study showed that rating personal health and dropping out of school was strongly associated. Participant’s who reported poor health during adolescence had a higher drop-out rate (26.5%) than participant’s who reported good health (16%).

1 in 3 adolescents who reported poor health was on benefits between the ages of 24 and 28, compared 1 in 5 of participant’s who reported good health.

The researchers warn against drawing definitive conclusions about cause and effect, but indicate that their findings “may be an indication that ill health increases vulnerability to social exclusion in the transition from adolescence to adulthood.”

They continue:

“Research related to the association between health, high school drop-out and work integration of young adults is scarce, while publicity on the topic is often dramatic and moralistic and could be a contributor to further stigmatization.”

Written by Grace Rattue