Arts students ‘die younger’
Researchers from Belfast, Glasgow and Bristol in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine have noted the potential link between university courses and life expectancy.
The study examined death rates among 8,367 male students of Glasgow University between 1948 and 1968.
Tracing the graduates later in life through the NHS register, the researchers found arts and law students were more likely to die earlier compared to those on medicine, science or engineering courses.
Arts and social science students were most likely to smoke at university and die from lung cancer or other forms of respiratory disease later.
The study found future doctors were third on the list, behind divinity and law students, as a group most likely to commit suicide or experience violent deaths.
Medics were most likely to die from alcohol-related illnesses.
Peter McCarron, co-author of the report, said the socio-economic background of students had an important influence on life expectancy.
“Earlier life socio-economics may be a factor. Art students were from a relatively more deprived background but so are science students,” he said.
“The other thing is health behaviour. It’s known medical students are more likely to give up smoking, although they are more likely to smoke at university. Engineering alumni are also more likely to give up than the arts, law and divinity students.”
