Learning to Be Healthy - The Wider Benefits of Learning Papers

Lifelong learning contributes to psychological, mental and physical health. This is because learning can develop resilience amongst individuals and social cohesion in communities, both of which lead to better health. What matters about learning is that it generates immediate psychosocial outcomes (such as well-being, efficacy, communication skills, a sense of social responsibility) that have lasting effects upon mental health, and cumulative effects upon physical health. Whether this happens or not depends upon the nature of the learning experience and its context. If lifelong learning is to improve health at national levels, it will be more effective if it is targeted so as to reduce inequalities in education. Learning to be Healthy looks at the mechanisms through which learning affects health. Drawing upon research from the fields of education, economics of education, economics of health, medical sociology, health promotion, health psychology, health inequalities and medicine, it discusses the processes through which learning throughout the life course impacts upon psychological, mental and physical health.