Snowdon D A, Ostwald S K, Kane R L
Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
Am J Epidemiol. 1989 Nov;130(5):999-1012. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a115433.
Mortality among 306 Roman Catholic sisters (nuns) from Mankato, Minnesota, was assessed during the period 1936-1988; daily use of nursing services by survivors was determined in 1986; and the ability of survivors to eat, dress, and perform other self-care activities was evaluated in 1987. The median age at death was 89.4 years for sisters with educational attainment of a bachelor's degree or higher, 82.2 years for sisters with some high school or college education, and 82.0 years for sisters with only a grade school education. Odds ratios were calculated for "survival and independence" (i.e., sisters survived to 1986 (ages 75-94 years) and did not use daily nursing services at that time). These odds ratios were 2.67 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16-6.16) for sisters with a bachelor's degree or higher, 1.00 for the reference group with some high school or college, and 0.94 (95% CI 0.32-2.73) for sisters with only grade school. Sisters with a bachelor's degree or higher were also more likely than others to survive to old age while maintaining their ability to perform self-care activities. These findings suggest that college graduates lived longer and maintained their ability to care for themselves longer than other persons.
对来自明尼苏达州曼卡托的306名罗马天主教修女在1936年至1988年期间的死亡率进行了评估；1986年确定了幸存者日常使用护理服务的情况；1987年评估了幸存者进食、穿衣及进行其他自我护理活动的能力。学士学位或更高学历的修女死亡年龄中位数为89.4岁，有高中或大学部分教育经历的修女为82.2岁，只有小学学历的修女为82.0岁。计算了“生存与独立”（即修女存活至1986年（75 - 94岁）且当时未使用日常护理服务）的比值比。学士学位或更高学历的修女的这些比值比为2.67（95%置信区间（CI）1.16 - 6.16），有高中或大学部分教育经历的参照组为1.00，只有小学学历的修女为0.94（95% CI 0.32 - 2.73）。学士学位或更高学历的修女在存活至老年的同时保持自我护理活动能力的可能性也高于其他人。这些发现表明，大学毕业生比其他人寿命更长，且能更长时间地保持自我照顾能力。
