The study, led by Alan Monheit and Irina Grafova, at Rutgers School of Public Health, examined the association between parental education and family health care spending in single mother and two-parent families. 

 

They found that parental education beyond 12 years is associated with increases in family health care spending and decreases in specific health conditions and poor health status, including diabetes, hypertension, and asthma.

 

The study also found that families headed by single mothers who had higher levels of education spent more for prescription drugs and dental care while two-parent families with more education spent more for dental care and mental health services.