title: A Public Health Perspective on School Dropout and Adult Outcomes: A Prospective Study of Risk and Protective Factors From Age 5 to 27 Years.
abstract: This study aimed to advance a public health perspective on links between education and health by examining risk and protective factors that might alter the relation between dropping out of high school and subsequent negative outcomes.
  
  
  
  A community sample (N = 585) was followed from age 5 to 27 years. Data included self and parent reports, peer sociometric nominations, and observed mother-teen interactions.
  
  
  
  High school dropouts were up to four times more likely to experience individual negative outcomes (being arrested, fired, or on government assistance, using illicit substances, having poor health) by age 27 years and 24 times more likely compared to graduates to experience as many as four or more negative outcomes. Links between dropout and negative outcomes were more pronounced for individuals who were in low socioeconomic status families at age 5 years, rejected by elementary school peers, and became parents at a younger age; the dropout effect was decreased for individuals who had been treated for a behavioral, emotional, or drug problem by age 24 years.
  
  
  
  Addressing school dropout as a public health problem has the potential to improve the lives of dropouts and reduce societal costs of dropping out.
authors.affiliation: Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. Electronic address: lansford@duke.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lansford
authors.affiliation: Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Dodge
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Pettit
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bates
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004493:Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D065840:Protective Factors; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013332:Student Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Behavioral, emotional, and drug problems; Risk and protective factors; School dropout