Code for: Does Reducing Early School Tracking Affect Health Behaviors?

This paper studies instead the impacts of a change in the quality of education at an early age on long-term health behaviors. Specifically, I examine the impacts of a French reform which essentially delayed the age at which middle school students are tracked into academic versus vocational education. Using a regression discontinuity design based on date of birth, I find that the reform significantly increases on-time preventive screening for chronic illnesses at age 47. Both men and women are more likely to get cholesterol and glycemic index tests at the frequency recommended for their age. On the other hand, it does not affect women’s use of gynaecological preventive screenings such as mammograms and pap smears. The reform also does not impact health behaviors that are associated with higher level of mortality such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, exercise and obesity.