University of Wisconsin–Madison

Category: Pre-1900: Foundations

How early school laws boost lifespans across generations

This study finds that the first wave of compulsory schooling laws in the late 19th century not only increased parents’ education but also led to longer lives for their children decades later.

The proof of life: how birth registration boosts longevity

This study is the first to link childhood exposure to birth registration laws with longer life in old age, estimating an intent-to-treat effect of 0.08 years (about 1 month) increase in lifespan.