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Ye Y, Tao Q, Wei H. Public health impacts of air pollution from the spatiotemporal heterogeneity perspective: 31 provinces and municipalities in China from 2013 to 2020. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1422505. [PMID: 39157526 PMCID: PMC11327077 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1422505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Air pollution has long been a significant environmental health issue. Previous studies have employed diverse methodologies to investigate the impacts of air pollution on public health, yet few have thoroughly examined its spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Based on this, this study investigated the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the impacts of air pollution on public health in 31 provinces in China from 2013 to 2020 based on the theoretical framework of multifactorial health decision-making and combined with the spatial durbin model and the geographically and temporally weighted regression model. The findings indicate that: (1) Air pollution and public health as measured by the incidence of respiratory diseases (IRD) in China exhibit significant spatial positive correlation and local spatial aggregation. (2) Air pollution demonstrates noteworthy spatial spillover effects. After controlling for economic development and living environment factors, including disposable income, population density, and urbanization rate, the direct and indirect spatial impacts of air pollution on IRD are measured at 3.552 and 2.848, correspondingly. (3) China's IRD is primarily influenced by various factors such as air pollution, economic development, living conditions, and healthcare, and the degree of its influence demonstrates an uneven spatiotemporal distribution trend. The findings of this study hold considerable practical significance for mitigating air pollution and safeguarding public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhong Ye
- School of Hospital Economics and Management, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Data Science and Innovative Development of Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province Philosophy and Social, Hefei, China
| | - Qunshan Tao
- School of Hospital Economics and Management, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Data Science and Innovative Development of Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province Philosophy and Social, Hefei, China
| | - Hua Wei
- School of Hospital Economics and Management, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Key Laboratory of Data Science and Innovative Development of Chinese Medicine in Anhui Province Philosophy and Social, Hefei, China
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2
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Zheng B, Lu X, Kung CC, Zeng L, Yu P. Does air pollution fuel irrational behaviors in stock investments? PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304553. [PMID: 38843209 PMCID: PMC11156395 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper investigates the influence of air pollution on irrational behaviors in stock trading through behavioral experiments in laboratory, simulating air pollution by burning straw and mosquito coils. The results of this study show that air pollution significantly improves disposition effect and repurchase effect in an asymmetric way, which are thought as irrational behaviors in stock investments, making subjects prefer selling winning stocks (part of disposition effect) and repurchasing stocks that have fallen in price since the sale (part of repurchase effect). Furthermore, regret, a negative emotion, is the psychological mechanism by which air pollution influences the irrational behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbo Zheng
- School of Economics, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang, China
- School of Public Finance and Taxtion, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics Dongfang College, Jiaxing, China
| | - Xinbo Lu
- School of Economics and Center for Economic Behavior & Decision-Making (CEBD), Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chih-Chun Kung
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, Shandong University, Weihai, China
| | - Lulu Zeng
- School of Economics and Center for Economic Behavior & Decision-Making (CEBD), Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping Yu
- School of Economics and Center for Economic Behavior & Decision-Making (CEBD), Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, China
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3
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Dardati E, de Elejalde R, Giolito E. On the short-term impact of pollution: The effect of PM 2.5 on emergency room visits. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2024; 33:482-508. [PMID: 38010262 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we study the short-term effect of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) exposure on respiratory emergency room (ER) visits in Chile, a middle-income country with high levels of air pollution. To instrument for PM 2.5, we use wind speed at different altitudes (pressure levels). Unlike previous papers, our data allow us to study the impact of high pollution levels across all age groups. We find that a 1 μg per cubic meter (μg/m3 ) increase in PM 2.5 exposure for 1 day increases ER visits for respiratory illness by 0.36%. The effect is positive and significant for all age groups. Furthermore, the coefficients on government environmental alerts suggest that avoidance behavior becomes increasingly significant across all age groups as restrictions become more severe.
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4
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Liu Y, Liu K, Zhang X, Guo Q. Does digital infrastructure improve public Health? A quasi-natural experiment based on China's Broadband policy. Soc Sci Med 2024; 344:116624. [PMID: 38290184 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
This study proposed a scheme for improving people's health from the perspective of digital infrastructure construction. We used the China Family Panel Studies conducted between 2010 and 2020 and the digital infrastructure construction marked by the Broadband China policy between 2014 and 2016 as a quasi-natural experiment. We adopted the multi-time difference-in-differences method to identify the causal relationship between digital infrastructure and people's health. We found that digital infrastructure construction significantly improved people's health, and the effect was more prominent among young and middle-aged residents and those with less than a university education. Moreover, digital infrastructure construction improved the utilization of medical services, helped residents develop healthy lifestyles, and increased people's health investments. Additionally, digital infrastructure reduced health inequality among people and promoted health equity. The findings could guide future policies to improve people's health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Liu
- School of Government, Central University of Finance and Economics, 39 South College Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Keshan Liu
- School of Government, Central University of Finance and Economics, 39 South College Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
| | - XiangLin Zhang
- School of Government, Central University of Finance and Economics, 39 South College Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Qiuyue Guo
- School of Government, Central University of Finance and Economics, 39 South College Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China.
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5
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Zhang C, Zhang L. The relationship between toxic air pollution, health expenditure, and economic growth in the European Union: fresh evidence from the PMG-ARDL model. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:21107-21123. [PMID: 38386160 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32342-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Air pollution is a danger to economies throughout the European Union. Industry, population expansion, a building boom owing to housing and infrastructure development, increasing vehicle traffic, crowded streets, a lack of availability of clean fuel, and ineffective control programs are the primary causes. Toxic air is a double-edged sword for a country's health since it affects just a tiny fraction of Europe's population. The financial burden and healthcare expenses for people rise when health expenditures rise. The present research looks at how dangerous air levels, healthcare costs, and the expansion of the European Union's economy are all connected. The findings are based on data collected over 29 years and account for the abovementioned variables. The results of the unit root test have the significant probability values of all variables: health expenditures (HE), gross domestic product (GDP), nitrous oxides (NOX), and carbon dioxides (CO2) emissions at both level and first difference. We used the Johansen, Kao, and Pedroni cointegration tests to test the null hypothesis of no cointegration to see that sample variables had a long-term association. The PMG-ARDL test was used to get these findings. The results confirmed the significant probability values of dependent variables in long- and short-run results that GDP has a positive and significant effect on health expenditure, while NOX and CO2 emissions have a negative and significant impact on (HE), in the European Union. To verify the results, we applied the robustness test, fully modified OLS (FMOLD), and dynamic OLS (DOLS); the robustness test results validated the PMG-ARDL test results. Environmental pollution (CO2, NOX) has a significant and negative impact on healthcare expenditures and a significant effect on GDP (HE) in the EU region. The findings of this research have implications for a wide range of parties, including those who would examine the link between factors in a study meant to improve air quality, distribute health resources, or develop strategies for economic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changzheng Zhang
- Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211100, China
| | - Liqun Zhang
- Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 211100, China.
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6
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Yildirim J, Alpaslan B, Karakas-Aydinbakar A, Hibiki A. The effect of environmental degradation on self-reported health: the role of renewable energy consumption. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:343-356. [PMID: 38015397 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30981-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Although there are a number of studies in the literature that have explored the effect of environmental degradation on the subjective well-being and life satisfaction, no previous study has addressed the role of renewable energy consumption in examining the effect of environmental degradation on self-reported health. To this end, we employ a conditional mixed process (CMP) model, using a unique dataset that combines both micro-level data from the 6th (2010-2014) and 7th (2017-2022) Waves of the World Values Survey (WVS) database and macro-level data from the World Bank. Our study has several important empirical findings. First, while environmental degradation deteriorates self-reported health, social capital and health expenditure have a positive impact on self-reported health. Second, the share of renewable energy consumption in total final energy consumption has a statistically significant negative impact on environmental degradation. Third, urbanization has a deteriorating effect on environmental quality and the total number of people increases environmental degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julide Yildirim
- Department of Economics, TED University, Ankara, 06420, Turkey
| | - Barış Alpaslan
- Department of Economics, Social Sciences University of Ankara, Ankara, 06050, Turkey.
- Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8576, Japan.
| | - Aysenur Karakas-Aydinbakar
- Department of Economics, Social Sciences University of Ankara, Ankara, 06050, Turkey
- Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8576, Japan
| | - Akira Hibiki
- Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8576, Japan
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7
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Li C, Yan Z, Zhang J. Medical cost of environmental pollution: evidence from the Chinese Social Survey. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:120155-120173. [PMID: 37936034 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30459-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution impairs residents' health, while the pursuit of health is highly correlated to medical costs. Understanding how environmental pollution affects medical costs is closely linked to the welfare of society. Based on theoretical analysis, this paper uses data from 5112 households of the Chinese Social Survey (CSS) in 2019, constructs a composite indicator to quantify environmental pollution using respondents' evaluations, and empirically investigates the causal effect of environmental pollution on household medical cost and the mechanism. The conclusions are shown as follows. First, environmental pollution can increase household medical costs, and this estimation result still holds after dealing with the endogeneity problem and other robustness tests. Second, there is heterogeneity in the impact of environmental pollution on household medical costs, households in the upper socioeconomic class, with heavy pension burdens or with strong health insurance coverage are more sensitive to environmental pollution and incur relatively higher household medical costs. Third, environmental pollution reduces residents' satisfaction with their spiritual life, which adversely affects their physical and mental health and can increase household medical costs. Residents' satisfaction with their spiritual life is an important mechanism for environmental pollution to affect household health care expenditures. Therefore, governments should enhance the enforcement of environmental protection and governance, strengthen the awareness of green issues and health education, and increase the supply of facilities for leisure and sports, thus reducing medical costs due to environmental pollution and easing the medical burden of residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyou Li
- School of Finance, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Zhaojun Yan
- School of Finance, Shandong University of Finance and Economics, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Jitian Zhang
- Clinical Nutrition Department, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250021, China.
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Shi X, Shen Y, Song R. Living with particles: Disclosure of pollution information, individual responses, and health consequences. JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2023; 92:102824. [PMID: 37806257 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2023.102824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Drawing on a panel dataset-the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS)-and other city- and individual-level datasets, this study examines the causal impact of pollution information disclosure on individual outdoor activities and the health status of the middle-aged and elderly. Using city-level variations in disclosure timing, we found that the adoption of pollution information disclosure (PID) significantly reduces the probability of outdoor exercise, especially for those living in more polluted cities. This occurs mainly through enhanced awareness of environmental pollution, particularly for those who are more educated. However, the adoption of PID does not lead to an improvement in health status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjie Shi
- China Academy for Rural Development, School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, China; Research Center for Common Prosperity, Future Regional Development Laboratory, Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, China; Center for Common Prosperity of Zhejiang University & Huzhou City, China; Institute for Common Prosperity and Development, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Yu Shen
- School of Economics, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, China.
| | - Ran Song
- Yale-NUS College and Department of Economics, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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9
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Luan M, Tao Z, Yuan H. Alive but not well: The neglected cost of air pollution. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2023; 32:2535-2567. [PMID: 37469116 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Besides medical expenses, hospitalizations associated with air pollution will incur the welfare loss due to activity restrictions and the wage loss due to inability to work. We fill in the gap in the literature by examining the impact of air pollution on volume and intensity of hospitalizations, which allows us to incorporate the welfare loss and the wage loss. Using a data set that covers most of the inpatients in a major Chinese city during 2015-16, we find that worse air quality causes more hospital admissions, more total inpatient days, and higher total inpatient expenditure for various diseases, particularly diseases of the respiratory and circulatory systems. We also find that there would be an underestimate of the loss from air pollution if we had ignored the loss associated with activity restrictions and the wage loss during hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengna Luan
- Research Institute of Economics and Management, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhigang Tao
- Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, Beijing, China
| | - Hongjie Yuan
- Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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10
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Sharma R, Humphrey JL, Frueh L, Kinnee EJ, Sheffield PE, Clougherty JE. Neighborhood violence and socioeconomic deprivation influence associations between acute air pollution and temperature on childhood asthma in New York city. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116235. [PMID: 37244495 PMCID: PMC10364588 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Ambient air pollution, temperature, and social stressor exposures are linked with asthma risk, with potential synergistic effects. We examined associations for acute pollution and temperature exposures, with modification by neighborhood violent crime and socioeconomic deprivation, on asthma morbidity among children aged 5-17 years year-round in New York City. Using conditional logistic regression in a time-stratified, case-crossover design, we quantified percent excess risk of asthma event per 10-unit increase in daily, residence-specific exposures to PM2.5, NO2, SO2, O3, and minimum daily temperature (Tmin). Data on 145,834 asthma cases presenting to NYC emergency departments from 2005 to 2011 were obtained from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS). Residence- and day-specific spatiotemporal exposures were assigned using the NYC Community Air Survey (NYCCAS) spatial data and daily EPA pollution and NOAA weather data. Point-level NYPD violent crime data for 2009 (study midpoint) was aggregated, and Socioeconomic Deprivation Index (SDI) scores assigned, by census tract. Separate models were fit for each pollutant or temperature exposure for lag days 0-6, controlling for co-exposures and humidity, and mutually-adjusted interactions (modification) by quintile of violent crime and SDI were assessed. We observed stronger main effects for PM2.5 and SO2 in the cold season on lag day 1 [4.90% (95% CI: 3.77-6.04) and 8.57% (5.99-11.21), respectively]; Tmin in the cold season on lag day 0 [2.26% (1.25-3.28)]; and NO2 and O3 in the warm season on lag days 1 [7.86% (6.66-9.07)] and 2 [4.75% (3.53-5.97)], respectively. Violence and SDI modified the main effects in a non-linear manner; contrary to hypotheses, we found stronger associations in lower-violence and -deprivation quintiles. At very high stressor exposures, although asthma exacerbations were highly prevalent, pollution effects were less apparent-suggesting potential saturation effects in socio-environmental synergism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachit Sharma
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Jamie L Humphrey
- Center for Health Analytics, Media & Policy, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Lisa Frueh
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ellen J Kinnee
- University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Perry E Sheffield
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, and Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jane E Clougherty
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Abdulrahman N, Honda TJ, Ali A, Abdulrahman N, Vrinceanu D, Shishodia S. Impacts of Indoor Dust Exposure on Human Colonic Cell Viability, Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis. TOXICS 2023; 11:633. [PMID: 37505597 PMCID: PMC10383473 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11070633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Environmental exposure to indoor dust is known to be associated with myriad health conditions, especially among children. Established routes of exposure include inhalation and non-dietary ingestion, which result in the direct exposure of gastrointestinal epithelia to indoor dust. Despite this, little prior research is available on the impacts of indoor dust on the health of human gastrointestinal tissue. METHODS Cultured human colonic (CCD841) cells were exposed for 24 h to standard trace metal dust (TMD) and organic contaminant dust (OD) samples at the following concentrations: 0, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 250, and 500 µg/mL. Cell viability was assessed using an MTT assay and protease analysis (glycyl-phenylalanyl-aminofluorocoumarin (GF-AFC)); cytotoxicity was assessed with a lactate dehydrogenase release assay, and apoptosis was assessed using a Caspase-Glo 3/7 activation assay. RESULTS TMD and OD decreased cellular metabolic and protease activity and increased apoptosis and biomarkers of cell membrane damage (LDH) in CCD841 human colonic epithelial cells. Patterns appeared to be, in general, dose-dependent, with the highest TMD and OD exposures associated with the largest increases in apoptosis and LDH, as well as with the largest decrements in metabolic and protease activities. CONCLUSIONS TMD and OD exposure were associated with markers of reduced viability and increased cytotoxicity and apoptosis in human colonic cells. These findings add important information to the understanding of the physiologic effects of indoor dust exposure on human health. The doses used in our study represent a range of potential exposure levels, and the effects observed at the higher doses may not necessarily occur under typical exposure conditions. The effects of long-term, low-dose exposure to indoor dust are still not fully understood and warrant further investigation. Future research should explore these physiological mechanisms to further our understanding and inform public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noura Abdulrahman
- Department of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA
| | - Trenton J Honda
- School of Clinical and Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ayat Ali
- Department of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA
| | - Nabras Abdulrahman
- Department of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA
| | - Daniel Vrinceanu
- Department of Physics, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA
| | - Shishir Shishodia
- Department of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA
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Schwarz L, Aguilera R, Aguilar-Dodier LC, Castillo Quiñones JE, García MEA, Benmarhnia T. Wildfire smoke knows no borders: Differential vulnerability to smoke effects on cardio-respiratory health in the San Diego-Tijuana region. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 3:e0001886. [PMID: 37347761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to fine particles in wildfire smoke is deleterious for human health and can increase cases of cardio-respiratory illnesses and related hospitalizations. Neighborhood-level risk factors can increase susceptibility to environmental hazards, such as air pollution from smoke, and the same exposure can lead to different health effects across populations. While the San Diego-Tijuana border can be exposed to the same wildfire smoke event, socio-demographic differences may drive differential effects on population health. We used the October 2007 wildfires, one the most devastating wildfire events in Southern California that brought smoke to the entire region, as a natural experiment to understand the differential effect of wildfire smoke on both sides of the border. We applied synthetic control methods to evaluate the effects of wildfire smoke on cardio-respiratory hospitalizations in the Municipality of Tijuana and San Diego County separately. During the study period (October 11th- October 26th, 2007), 2009 hospital admissions for cardio-respiratory diseases occurred in San Diego County while 37 hospital admissions were reported in the Municipality of Tijuana. The number of cases in Tijuana was much lower than San Diego, and a precise effect of wildfire smoke was detected in San Diego but not in Tijuana. However, social drivers can increase susceptibility to environmental hazards; the poverty rate in Tijuana is more than three times that of San Diego. Socio-demographics are important in modulating the effects of wildfire smoke and can be potentially useful in developing a concerted regional effort to protect populations on both sides of the border from the adverse health effects of wildfire smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Schwarz
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States of America
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Rosana Aguilera
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - L C Aguilar-Dodier
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Tijuana, México
| | | | | | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
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13
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Li X, Zhao C. Can national forest city construction mitigate air pollution in China? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:3003-3024. [PMID: 36129590 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-022-01386-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
As air pollution in Chinese cities becomes a growing concern, measures to alleviate air pollution have attracted the attention of all sectors of society. By using the data for 283 prefecture-level cities from 2003 to 2016, we utilized the quasi-natural experiment of the national forest city construction (NFCC) and employed the difference-in-differences approach to examine the effects of NFCC on air pollution. The results show that the NFCC led to a 12.14% and 4.29% reduction in PM2.5 concentrations and SO2 emissions, respectively. A series of robustness tests such as instrumental variable estimates, placebo tests, and eliminating disturbing policies all supported these findings. In addition, we provided evidence that the environment benefits of the NFCC could be explained by increasing green spaces, strengthening environmental regulations, and forming green development models. Furthermore, the results from heterogeneity analysis indicate that the NFCC was more effective in smaller cities, southern cities, and western cities. Our findings are of significance to Chinese cities on the road to sustainable development and provide some insights for other developing countries and emerging markets to control air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Li
- College of Economics and Management, Southwest University, No. 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, China
| | - Chunkai Zhao
- College of Economics and Management, South China Agricultural University, No.483, Wushan, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
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14
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de Preux L, Rizmie D, Fecht D, Gulliver J, Wang W. Does It Measure Up? A Comparison of Pollution Exposure Assessment Techniques Applied across Hospitals in England. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3852. [PMID: 36900865 PMCID: PMC10001179 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20053852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Weighted averages of air pollution measurements from monitoring stations are commonly assigned as air pollution exposures to specific locations. However, monitoring networks are spatially sparse and fail to adequately capture the spatial variability. This may introduce bias and exposure misclassification. Advanced methods of exposure assessment are rarely practicable in estimating daily concentrations over large geographical areas. We propose an accessible method using temporally adjusted land use regression models (daily LUR). We applied this to produce daily concentration estimates for nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter in a healthcare setting across England and compared them against geographically extrapolated measurements (inverse distance weighting) from air pollution monitors. The daily LUR estimates outperformed IDW. The precision gains varied across air pollutants, suggesting that, for nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, the health effects may be underestimated. The results emphasised the importance of spatial heterogeneity in investigating the societal impacts of air pollution, illustrating improvements achievable at a lower computational cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure de Preux
- Centre for Health Economics & Policy Innovation, Department of Economics & Public Policy, Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Dheeya Rizmie
- Centre for Health Economics & Policy Innovation, Department of Economics & Public Policy, Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Climate Change & Health Research Unit, Mathematica, Washington, DC 20002, USA
| | - Daniela Fecht
- Medical Research Council Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - John Gulliver
- Medical Research Council Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability, School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Weiyi Wang
- Medical Research Council Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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15
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Wu W, Xia X, Cui C, Qiu F. Haze and inbound tourism: Empirical evidence from China. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1056673. [PMID: 36687833 PMCID: PMC9853458 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1056673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of climate change on tourism has always been an important topic for research in the field of international tourism, and haze has been widely recognized as the primary negative factor affecting the development of inbound tourism in China. In this study, we first conduct a theoretical analysis of the mechanism through which haze influences the tourism industry, and then we empirically analyze the impact on China's inbound tourism using surface particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations as a proxy for haze, based on provincial panel data from 1998 to 2016. The empirical results show that haze not only has an inhibitory effect on inbound tourism, but also significantly reduces the average length of stay of international tourists. In addition, while there are significant regional differences in the crowding-out effect of haze pollution on inbound tourism, the effect varies depending on the origin of inbound tourists, exhibiting the greatest negative impact on inbound tourism from Taiwan and the smallest from foreign countries. Our research highlights that haze pollution can led to the change of human tourism behavior which enrich the literature on tourism and haze.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhi Wu
- Faculty of Economics and Management, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Wenzhi Wu,
| | - Xin Xia
- Glorious Sun School of Business and Management, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyu Cui
- Management College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Fudong Qiu
- Faculty of Economics and Management, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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16
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Lu L, Zhao S, Chen Y. Air pollution and timing of childbirth: a retrospective survey analysis based on birth registration data of Chinese newborns. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1032852. [PMID: 37206867 PMCID: PMC10189152 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1032852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Currently, there is a lack of research on whether people will take action to avoid the harm of air pollution and the heterogeneous behavior of different groups. The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of air pollution on the resulting differential effects on newborns and the timing of pregnancy. Methods Based on a survey of newborns in a total of 32 hospitals in 12 cities across China in 2011, and after matching with city-level air pollution data, a multiple regression statistical method is then used to examine how the pollution level in a certain period is related to the number of conceptions in that certain period, after controlling for region and season fixed effects. Results We first demonstrate that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is associated with a significant increase in adverse birth outcomes. Most importantly, the empirical results show that the number of conceptions decreased significantly during periods of severe air pollution. Conclusion Evidence suggests that air pollution may be causing some families to delay conception to reduce the possible adverse impact on neonatal outcomes. This helps us to understand the social cost of air pollution more, and then make more accurate environmental policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqi Lu
- School of Economics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shaoyang Zhao
- School of Economics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yuxiao Chen
- School of Politics and Public Administration, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
- *Correspondence: Yuxiao Chen,
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17
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Wu M, Zhang G, Wang L, Liu X, Wu Z. Influencing Factors on Airflow and Pollutant Dispersion around Buildings under the Combined Effect of Wind and Buoyancy-A Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12895. [PMID: 36232193 PMCID: PMC9566737 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
With the rapid growth of populations worldwide, air quality has become an increasingly important issue related to the health and safety of city inhabitants. There are quite a few factors that contribute to urban air pollution; the majority of studies examining the issue are concerned with environmental conditions, building geometries, source characteristics and other factors and have used a variety of approaches, from theoretical modelling to experimental measurements and numerical simulations. Among the environmental conditions, solar-radiation-induced buoyancy plays an important role in realistic conditions. The thermal conditions of the ground and building façades directly affect the wind field and pollutant dispersion patterns in the microclimate. The coupling effect of wind and buoyancy on the urban environment are currently hot and attractive research topics. Extensive studies have been devoted to this field, some focused on the street canyon scale, and have found that thermal effects do not significantly affect the main airflow structure in the interior of the street canyon but strongly affect the wind velocity and pollutant concentration at the pedestrian level. Others revealed that the pollutant dispersion routes can be obviously different under various Richardson numbers at the scale of the isolated building. The purpose of this review is therefore to systematically articulate the approaches and research outcomes under the combined effect of wind and buoyancy from the street canyon scale to an isolated building, which should provide some insights into future modelling directions in environmental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Wu
- School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Guangwei Zhang
- School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Liping Wang
- School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Xiaoping Liu
- School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Zhengwei Wu
- School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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18
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Sheng W, Wan L, Wang C. The spillover effect of fiscal environmental protection spending on residents' medical and healthcare expenditure: evidence from China. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2022; 44:2975-2986. [PMID: 34762256 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-021-01146-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The Chinese government has not only been increasing investments in environmental protection, improving the quality of the ecological environment, but has also been focusing on curbing the excessive growth of medical and healthcare expenses so as to ease the economic burden of China's residents. Both aspects are significant concerns worldwide and have received much research attention individually, but the relationship between government environmental protection expenditure and residents' medical and healthcare expenditure remains unclear. Based on panel data from 31 provinces in China from 2007 to 2019, this paper empirically reveals that fiscal environmental protection expenditure is significantly negatively correlated with per capita medical and healthcare expenditure of residents (including outpatient expenditure and inpatient expenditure). This study shows that increasing the fiscal environmental protection expenditure can help curb the rising level of residents' medical and healthcare expenditure. In addition, the results of heterogeneity analysis indicate that the above relationship is stronger in provinces with a relatively low level of economic development or low proportion of the population over 65 years old. Management implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiang Sheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Liang Wan
- School of Public Affairs, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 JinZhai Road, Baohe District, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China.
| | - Chengyuan Wang
- School of Public Affairs, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 JinZhai Road, Baohe District, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
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19
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Guo E, Zhong H, Li J, Gao Y, Li J, Wang Z. The influence of air pollution on residents’ outdoor exercise participation behaviour: Evidence from China Family Panel Studies. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270994. [PMID: 36040990 PMCID: PMC9426891 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Using data from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) and based on the Probit and Tobit models, this study investigates the impact of air pollution on residents’ outdoor exercise behaviour from the microscopic level. Specifically, this study examined the effects of PM2.5 index changes on residents’ decision to participate in outdoor exercise and the duration of outdoor exercise participation. The empirical results show that the increase of PM2.5 index has a significant inhibitory effect on residents’ participation in outdoor exercise, and has passed the robustness test and endogeneity test. Further testing found that the inhibitory effect was significantly different between urban and rural areas, and in the central, north-eastern and western regions where economic development was relatively backward, the conclusion that air pollution inhibited residents’ outdoor exercise behaviour still holds true. However, the level of air pollution had no significant effect on the outdoor exercise behaviour of residents in the eastern region. So, while air pollution discourages residents from participating in outdoor exercise, the results are more applicable to less economically developed areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enkai Guo
- College of P.E and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Huamei Zhong
- School of Physical Education and Sport Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jing Li
- College of P.E and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Gao
- College of P.E and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Li
- College of P.E and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaohong Wang
- College of P.E and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
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20
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Enhancing the Low-Temperature CO Oxidation over CuO-Based α-MnO 2 Nanowire Catalysts. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12122083. [PMID: 35745420 PMCID: PMC9229205 DOI: 10.3390/nano12122083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
A series of CuO-based catalysts supported on the α-MnO2 nanowire were facilely synthesized and employed as the CO oxidation catalysts. The achieved catalysts were systematically characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS-mapping, XPS and H2-TPR. The catalytic performances toward CO oxidation had been carefully evaluated over these CuO-based catalysts. The effects of different loading methods, calcination temperatures and CuO loading on the low temperature catalytic activity of the catalyst were investigated and compared with the traditional commercial MnO2 catalyst with a block structure. It was found that the slenderness ratio of a CuO/α-MnO2 nanowire catalyst decreases with the increase in CuO loading capacity. The results showed that when CuO loading was 3 wt%, calcination temperature was 200 °C and the catalyst that was supported by the deposition precipitation method had the highest catalytic activity. Besides, the α-MnO2 nanowire-supported catalysts with excellent redox properties displayed much better catalytic performances than the commercial MnO2-supported catalyst. In conclusion, the CuO-based catalysts that are supported by α-MnO2 nanowires are considered as a series of promising CO oxidation catalysts.
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21
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Palma A, Petrunyk I, Vuri D. Prenatal air pollution exposure and neonatal health. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2022; 31:729-759. [PMID: 35001469 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution has been shown to have adverse effects on many health outcomes including respiratory effects, cardiovascular effects, and mortality. However, evidence on the effects of prenatal exposure is still limited. We investigate the causal impact of prenatal exposure to air pollution on neonatal health in Italy in the 2000s. We exploit variation in rainfall shocks to instrument for non-random air pollution exposure. Our empirical setting combines detailed information on mother's residential location from birth certificates with PM10 concentrations from air pollution monitors. Ten additional units in the average PM10 level (approximately one standard deviation) would decrease birth weight by about 0.5% and gestational age by 0.16%; it would increase the prevalence of low birth weight by 22% and of preterm birth by 16%. The effects are stronger in magnitude for third trimester exposure and for less educated mothers. These findings suggest that the health impacts of air pollution on newborns are unequally distributed in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Palma
- Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), Social Sciences Area, L'Aquila, Italy
- The Centre of Economic and International Studies (CEIS), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Vuri
- The Centre of Economic and International Studies (CEIS), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Department of Economics and Finance - DEF, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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22
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Chen Z, Hao X, Zhou M. Does institutional quality affect air pollution? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:28317-28338. [PMID: 34988796 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17934-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As environmental pollution brings a series of problems to society and residential lives, how to effectively reduce air pollution and control climate change have become urgent problems. Since institutional quality is an important factor affecting air quality, we evaluated the causal relationship between them based on cross-country panel data from 2000 to 2016. We find that the improvement of institutional quality significantly reduces [Formula: see text], and this pollution reduction effect is obvious in high-income countries and in countries with common laws. Furthermore, under the components of institutional quality, the quality of government regulation, the degree of rule of law, corruption control, and government effectiveness have significant emission reduction effects. To explore how institutional quality affects air pollution, we perform mechanism analysis from the perspective of economic development, foreign trade, and technology progress. We further verify three environmental propositions including the Environmental Kuznets Curve, the Pollution Paradise Hypothesis, and Porter Hypothesis. Results show that the pollution reduction effect of institutional quality can be mediated by economic development rate, foreign direct investment, and technological progress. The Environmental Kuznets Curve exists, the Pollution Paradise Hypothesis is validated in countries with lower institutional quality level, and the improvement of the institutional quality can achieve the Porter Effect through technological progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongfei Chen
- School of Economics, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xinyue Hao
- School of Economics, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Mengling Zhou
- School of Credit Management, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou, 510521, China.
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23
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Deguen S, Vasseur P, Kihal-Talantikite W. [Societal inequalities and the urban exposome: Social origins for different exposures]. Med Sci (Paris) 2022; 38:75-80. [PMID: 35060890 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2021149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Today, many epidemiological studies have proved the adverse health consequences of environmental exposure. For instance, air pollution exposure is recognized to be related with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as adverse pregnancy outcomes. Noise nuisances are also known to increase cardiovascular diseases and to disturb the sleeping quality. Inversely, the access and availability of various resources, as parks, green spaces, and playgrounds positively affect health, psychological and physical well-being, and favorable health behaviors. In this present literature review, we will focus on the urban dimension of exposome, defined by Robinson et al. as the accumulation of all urban settings favorable or unfavorable to health, from the time of life in utero [1].
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Deguen
- École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), 15 avenue du Professeur Léon Bernard, 35043 Rennes Cedex, France - Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 6, Inserm, Institut Pierre Louis d'épidémiologie et de santé publique (UMRS 1136), Département d'épidémiologie sociale, 75646 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Pauline Vasseur
- École des hautes études en santé publique (EHESP), 15 avenue du Professeur Léon Bernard, 35043 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Wahida Kihal-Talantikite
- Laboratoire image ville environnement (LIVE), UMR 7362 CNRS, université de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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24
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Marcus M. Pollution at schools and children's aerobic capacity. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2021; 30:3016-3031. [PMID: 34510650 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Poor respiratory health is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, and children are especially vulnerable. Existing research in economics has documented the effect of pollution on severe health outcomes, such as hospitalizations for asthma and infant death. However, evidence on the effect of air pollution on less extreme measures of respiratory health is limited, because these effects are difficult to measure. Using a more sensitive measure, aerobic capacity ( VO2max ), I study the impact of air pollution on respiratory performance of children. I combine school-grade level data from the California Physical Fitness Test from 2009 to 2017 with local air pollution and weather data to estimate the impact on student aerobic capacity of fluctuations in air pollution levels on testing days. Ozone affects child aerobic capacity at levels even below the Environmental Protection Agency thresholds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Marcus
- Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
- NBER, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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25
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Jonidi Jafari A, Charkhloo E, Pasalari H. Urban air pollution control policies and strategies: a systematic review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE & ENGINEERING 2021; 19:1911-1940. [PMID: 34900316 PMCID: PMC8617239 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-021-00744-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
A wide range of policies, strategies, and interventions have been implemented to improve air quality all over the world. This systematic review comprehensively appraises the policies and strategies on air pollutants controls enacted in different countries, worldwide. Three databases, Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus, were used for the search. After screening, a total of 114 eligible manuscripts were selected from 2219 documents for further analysis. Selected articles were divided into two categories: (1) articles focusing on introducing the policies and strategies enacted for controlling air pollution in different countries, and (2) articles which focused on different policies and strategies to control one or more specific pollutants. In the former one, urban air pollution control strategies and policies were divided into four categories, namely, general strategies and policies, transportation, energy, and industry. In case of latter category, policies and strategies focused on controlling six pollutants (PM, SO2, NO2, VOCS, O3 and photochemical smog). The results indicated that, the most common policies and strategies enacted in most countries are pertinent to the transportation sector. Changing energy sources, in particular elimination or limited use of solid fuels, was reported as an effective action by governments to reduce air pollution. Overall, most policies enacted by governments can be divided into three general categories: (a) incentive policies such as implementing a free public transportation program to use fewer private cars, (b) supportive policies such as paying subsidies to change household fuels, and (c) punitive policies such as collecting tolls for cars to enter the congestion charging areas. Depending on the circumstances, these policies are implemented alone or jointly. In addition to the acceptance of international agreements to reduce air pollution by governments, greater use of renewable energy, clean fuels, and low-pollution or no-pollution vehicles such as electric vehicles play an important role in reducing air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Jonidi Jafari
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Esmail Charkhloo
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hasan Pasalari
- Research Center for Environmental Health Technology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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26
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Assessing Health Impacts of Winter Smog in Lahore for Exposed Occupational Groups. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos12111532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The goal of this research was to investigate the health effects of winter pollution on various occupations in Lahore and its neighboring peri-urban areas. A questionnaire survey, key informants, and focused group discussions were employed to collect data, which included demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related information. Descriptive statistics and the multivariate logistic regression model (MLRM) were used to examine the effects of pollution on exposed occupational groups who experienced symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and eye discomfort. According to data from interviews, MLRM revealed that individuals working in various occupations with outdoor and indoor environments are equally affected by winter smog, but being middle-aged (odds ratio OR = 5.73), having a history of a respiratory ailment (OR = 4.06), and location (OR = 2.26) all play important roles in determining health. However, less educated people, elders, and people who already live in polluted areas are more likely to develop respiratory health symptoms. During the smog incident, it was determined that diverse health and socioeconomic factors exacerbate an individual’s negative health impact more than others.
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27
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Olsson D, Forsberg B, Bråbäck L, Geels C, Brandt J, Christensen JH, Frohn LM, Oudin A. Early childhood exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with increased risk of paediatric asthma: An administrative cohort study from Stockholm, Sweden. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 155:106667. [PMID: 34077855 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Asthma is a complex, heterogeneous disease and one of the most common chronic diseases among children. Exposure to ambient air pollution in early life and childhood may influence asthma aetiology, but it is uncertain which specific components of air pollution and exposure windows are of importance. The role of socio-economic status (SES) is also unclear. The aims of the present study are, therefore, to investigate how various exposure windows of different pollutants affect risk-induced asthma in early life and to explore the possible effect SES has on that relationship. METHODS The study population was constructed using register data on all singleton births in the greater Stockholm area between 2006 and 2013. Exposure to ambient black carbon (BC), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), primary organic carbon (pOC) secondary organic aerosols (SOA), secondary inorganic aerosols, and oxidative potential at the residential address was modelled as mean values for the entire pregnancy period, the first year of life and the first three years of life. Swedish national registers were used to define the outcome: asthma diagnosis assessed at hospital during the first six years of life. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were modelled with Cox proportional hazards model with age as the underlying time-scale, adjusting for relevant potential confounding variables. RESULTS An increased risk for developing childhood asthma was observed in association with exposure to PM2.5, pOC and SOA during the first three years of life. With an interquartile range increase in exposure, the HRs were 1.06 (95% CI: 1.01-1.10), 1.05 (95% CI: 1.02-1.09) and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.00-1.04), for PM2.5, pOC and SOA, respectively, in the fully adjusted models. Exposure during foetal life or the first year of life was not associated with asthma risk, and the other pollutants were not statistically significantly associated with increased risk. Furthermore, the increase in risk associated with PM2.5 and the components BC, pOC and SOA were stronger in areas with lower SES. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that exposure to air pollution during the first three years of life may increase the risk for asthma in early childhood. The findings further imply a possible increased vulnerability to air pollution-attributed asthma among low SES children.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Olsson
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Bertil Forsberg
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Lennart Bråbäck
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Camilla Geels
- Department of Environmental Science - Atmospheric Modelling, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Brandt
- Department of Environmental Science - Atmospheric Modelling, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Jesper H Christensen
- Department of Environmental Science - Atmospheric Modelling, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Lise M Frohn
- Department of Environmental Science - Atmospheric Modelling, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Anna Oudin
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Sustainable Health, Umeå University, Sweden.
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28
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Li SJ, Sun B, Hou DX, Jin WJ, Ji Y. Does Industrial Agglomeration or Foreign Direct Investment Matter for Environment Pollution of Public Health? Evidence From China. Front Public Health 2021; 9:711033. [PMID: 34490192 PMCID: PMC8416622 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.711033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This article focuses on the interaction between China's industrial agglomeration, foreign direct investment (FDI) and environmental pollution of public health in the past 15 years. By conducting theoretical and empirical research, we try to reveal the relationship and mechanism between the economic growth and public health from the perspective of environmental pollution. By constructing an embedded theoretical model of industrial agglomeration and FDI, this article combines other environmental pollution influencing factors, expounds the impact mechanism of industrial agglomeration on environmental pollution. Based on the provincial-level panel data of China on environmental pollution and industrial agglomeration, the empirical test is carried out through the threshold panel regression model. According to the results, industrial agglomeration can significantly rectify the regional environmental pollution, thereby benefiting public health. FDI has a phased impact on the relationship between industrial agglomeration and environmental pollution. Specifically, when the level of FDI is low, the positive improvement effect of industrial agglomeration on environmental pollution is relatively strong. This is mainly because industrial agglomeration can promote economic growth, technological progress, and enhance environmental awareness. When the level of FDI exceeds the first threshold and continues to rise, the positive improvement effect of industrial agglomeration is maximized. Before the level of FDI exceeds the second threshold, this effect gradually weakens. The population concentration and excessive expansion of city scale brought about by industrial agglomeration will lead to the increase of regional resource and energy consumption, thus aggravating environmental pollution. The policy implication is that while the government and enterprises are vigorously increasing the level of foreign investment, they must pay equal attention to economic growth and public health, and the level of industrial agglomeration should match the level of foreign investment so as to give full play to the positive improvement effect of industrial agglomeration on environmental pollution, and realize the coordinated development of the regional economy, environment and population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Jie Li
- School of Economics, Hainan University, Hainan, China
| | - Bin Sun
- Business School, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Ding-Xia Hou
- School of Economics, Hainan University, Hainan, China
| | - Wei-Jian Jin
- School of Economics, Hainan University, Hainan, China
| | - Yun Ji
- Academy of Financial Research, Business School, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
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29
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Colmer J, Lin D, Liu S, Shimshack J. Why are pollution damages lower in developed countries? Insights from high-Income, high-particulate matter Hong Kong. JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2021; 79:102511. [PMID: 34365126 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Conventional wisdom suggests that marginal damages from particulate matter pollution are high in less-developed countries because they are highly polluted. Using administrative data on the universe of births and deaths, we explore birthweight and mortality effects of gestational particulate matter exposure in high-pollution yet high-income Hong Kong. The marginal effects of particulates on birthweight are large but we fail to detect an effect on neonatal mortality. We interpret our stark mortality results in a comparative analysis of pollution-mortality relationships across studies. We provide early evidence that marginal mortality damages from pollution are high in less-developed countries because they are less developed, not because they are more polluted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dajun Lin
- American Institutes for Research, USA
| | | | - Jay Shimshack
- Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, University of Virginia, USA.
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30
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Fletcher DH, Likongwe PJ, Chiotha SS, Nduwayezu G, Mallick D, Uddin Md N, Rahman A, Golovátina-Mora P, Lotero L, Bricker S, Tsirizeni M, Fitch A, Panagi M, Ruiz Villena C, Arnhardt C, Vande Hey J, Gornall R, Jones L. Using demand mapping to assess the benefits of urban green and blue space in cities from four continents. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 785:147238. [PMID: 33940421 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The benefits of urban green and blue infrastructure (UGI) are widely discussed, but rarely take into account local conditions or contexts. Although assessments increasingly consider the demand for the ecosystem services that UGI provides, they tend to only map the spatial pattern of pressures such as heat, or air pollution, and lack a wider understanding of where the beneficiaries are located and who will benefit most. We assess UGI in five cities from four continents with contrasting climate, socio-political context, and size. For three example services (air pollution removal, heat mitigation, accessible greenspace), we run an assessment that takes into account spatial patterns in the socio-economic demand for ecosystem services and develops metrics that reflect local context, drawing on the principles of vulnerability assessment. Despite similar overall levels of UGI (from 35 to 50% of urban footprint), the amount of service provided differs substantially between cities. Aggregate cooling ranged from 0.44 °C (Leicester) to 0.98 °C (Medellin), while pollution removal ranged from 488 kg PM2.5/yr (Zomba) to 48,400 kg PM2.5/yr (Dhaka). Percentage population with access to nearby greenspace ranged from 82% (Dhaka) to 100% (Zomba). The spatial patterns of pressure, of ecosystem service, and of maximum benefit within a city do not necessarily match, and this has implications for planning optimum locations for UGI in cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Fletcher
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK.
| | - Patrick J Likongwe
- AFRICITY project manager and PhD Scholar, Environmental Science (Urban Ecosystem Services), LEAD, P/Bag 07, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Sosten S Chiotha
- LEAD Southern and Eastern Africa, Mulunguzi, Fishing Flies Road, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Gilbert Nduwayezu
- School of Engineering, College of Science and Technology, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Dwijen Mallick
- Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), House 10, Road 16A, Gulshan-1, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Nasir Uddin Md
- Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), House 10, Road 16A, Gulshan-1, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Atiq Rahman
- Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), House 10, Road 16A, Gulshan-1, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Polina Golovátina-Mora
- Faculty of Social Communication-Journalism, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Laura Lotero
- Facultad de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Stephanie Bricker
- British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
| | - Mathews Tsirizeni
- LEAD Southern and Eastern Africa, Mulunguzi, Fishing Flies Road, Zomba, Malawi
| | - Alice Fitch
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Marios Panagi
- University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | | | - Christian Arnhardt
- British Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Nicker Hill, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
| | | | - Richard Gornall
- University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Laurence Jones
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Environment Centre Wales, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
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31
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Nguyen HT, Le HT, Connelly LB. Weather and children's time allocation. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2021; 30:1559-1579. [PMID: 33864321 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents the first causal estimates of the effect of weather on children's time allocation. It exploits exogenous variations in local weather observed during the random diary dates of two nationally representative cohorts of Australian children whose time-use diaries were surveyed biennially over 10 years. Unfavorable weather conditions, as represented by cold or hot temperature or rain, cause children to switch activities from outdoors to indoors, mainly by reducing the time allocated to active pursuits and travel and increasing the time allocated to media. Furthermore, the effects of bad weather are more pronounced on weekends and for children with asthma. Our results also provide some evidence of adaptation, as temperature tends to have greater impact not only in winter months but also in colder regions. Our findings are robust to a wide range of sensitivity checks, including controlling for individual fixed effects and using alternative model specifications. Overall, the results suggest that extreme weather conditions may diminish children's health, development and long-term achievements through their effects on children's time allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Trong Nguyen
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
- Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Huong Thu Le
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Luke B Connelly
- Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Department of Sociology and Business Law, the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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32
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Giaccherini M, Kopinska J, Palma A. When particulate matter strikes cities: Social disparities and health costs of air pollution. JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2021; 78:102478. [PMID: 34161900 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the heterogeneous effects of particle pollution on Italian daily hospitalizations and their costs by exploiting public transportation strikes as plausibly-exogenous shocks in pollution exposure. We find that a one standard deviation increase in PM10 causes additional 0.79 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, and the effect is stronger for the elderly, low educated individuals and migrants. Furthermore, we find that young individuals, an arguably healthy age group, exhibit economically meaningful responses to air pollution with an effect ranging between 0.45 and 1.04. Our results imply a large role of avoidance behavior driving heterogeneous marginal health effects. Total daily costs of a one standard deviation increase in PM10 represent 0.5% of the total daily health expenditure, and 85% of this additional spending comes from more patients hospitalized, while the remaining 15% can be attributable to more costly, and likely more complex, hospitalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joanna Kopinska
- CEIS, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Columbia 2, 00133 Rome, Italy; Sapienza University of Rome (DISSE), Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00183 Rome, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Palma
- CEIS, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Columbia 2, 00133 Rome, Italy; Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), Viale Francesco Crispi 7, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy.
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33
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Evaluation of a Meta-Analysis of Ambient Air Quality as a Risk Factor for Asthma Exacerbation. JOURNAL OF RESPIRATION 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jor1030017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: An irreproducibility crisis currently afflicts a wide range of scientific disciplines, including public health and biomedical science. A study was undertaken to assess the reliability of a meta-analysis examining whether air quality components (carbon monoxide, particulate matter 10 µm and 2.5 µm (PM10 and PM2.5), sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone) are risk factors for asthma exacerbation. Methods: The number of statistical tests and models were counted in 17 randomly selected base papers from 87 used in the meta-analysis. Confidence intervals from all 87 base papers were converted to p-values. p-value plots for each air component were constructed to evaluate the effect heterogeneity of the p-values. Results: The number of statistical tests possible in the 17 selected base papers was large, median = 15,360 (interquartile range = 1536–40,960), in comparison to results presented. Each p-value plot showed a two-component mixture with small p-values < 0.001 while other p-values appeared random (p-values > 0.05). Given potentially large numbers of statistical tests conducted in the 17 selected base papers, p-hacking cannot be ruled out as explanations for small p-values. Conclusions: Our interpretation of the meta-analysis is that random p-values indicating null associations are more plausible and the meta-analysis is unlikely to replicate in the absence of bias.
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34
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Carthy P, Ó Domhnaill A, O'Mahony M, Nolan A, Moriarty F, Broderick B, Hennessy M, Donnelly A, Naughton O, Lyons S. Local NO2 concentrations and asthma among over-50s in Ireland: A microdata analysis. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 49:1899-1908. [PMID: 32474589 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Links between air pollution and asthma are less well established for older adults than some younger groups. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations are widely used as an indicator of transport-related air pollution, and some literature suggests NO2 may directly affect asthma. METHODS This study used data on 8162 adults >50 years old in the Republic of Ireland to model associations between estimated annual outdoor concentration of NO2 and the probability of having asthma. Individual-level geo-coded survey data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) were linked to model-based estimates of annual average NO2 at 50 m resolution. Asthma was identified using two methods: self-reported diagnoses and respondents' use of medications related to obstructive airway diseases. Logistic regressions were used to model the relationships. RESULTS NO2 concentrations were positively associated with the probability of asthma [marginal effect (ME) per 1 ppb of airborne NO2 = 0.24 percentage points asthma self-report, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.06-0.42, mean asthma prevalence 0.09; for use of relevant medications ME = 0.21 percentage points, 95% CI 0.049-0.37, mean prevalence 0.069]. Results were robust to varying model specification and time period. Respondents in the top fifth percentile of NO2 exposure had a larger effect size but also greater standard error (ME = 2.4 percentage points asthma self-report, 95% CI -0. 49 to 5.3). CONCLUSIONS Associations between local air pollution and asthma among older adults were found at relatively low concentrations. To illustrate this, the marginal effect of an increase in annual average NO2 concentration from sample minimum to median (2.5 ppb) represented about 7-8% of the sample average prevalence of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Carthy
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aonghus Ó Domhnaill
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Margaret O'Mahony
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anne Nolan
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Frank Moriarty
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Brian Broderick
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Aoife Donnelly
- Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Owen Naughton
- Department of Built Environment, Institute of Technology Carlow, Carlow, Ireland
| | - Sean Lyons
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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35
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Chen W, He Y, Pan S. Impact of air pollution on human activities: Evidence from nine million mobile phone users. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251288. [PMID: 34010277 PMCID: PMC8133462 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To measure the effects of air pollution on human activities, this study applies statistical/econometric modeling to hourly data of 9 million mobile phone users from six cities in China’s Zhejiang Province from December 18 to 21, 2013. Under a change in air quality from “Good” (Air Quality Index, or AQI, between 51 and 100) to “Heavily Polluted” (AQI between 201 to 300), the following effects are demonstrated. (i) Consistent with the literature, for every one million people, 1, 482 fewer individuals are observed at parks, 95% confidence interval or CI (−2, 229, −735), which represents a 15% decrease. (ii) The number of individuals at shopping malls has no statistically significant change. (iii) Home is the most important location under worsening air quality, and for every one million people, 63, 088 more individuals are observed at home, 95% CI (47, 815, 78, 361), which represents a 19% increase. (iv) Individuals are on average 633 meters closer to their home, 95% CI (529, 737); as a benchmark, the median distance from home ranges from 300 to 1900 meters across the cities in our sample. These effects are not due to weather or government regulations. We also provided provisional evidence that individuals engage in inter-temporal activity substitutions within a day, which leads to mitigated (but not nullified) effects of air pollution on daily activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Chen
- State Key Lab of CAD&CG, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
- * E-mail: (WC); (YHH); (SP)
| | - YingHua He
- Department of Economics, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States of America
- * E-mail: (WC); (YHH); (SP)
| | - Shiyuan Pan
- CRPE and School of Economics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- * E-mail: (WC); (YHH); (SP)
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36
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Krebs B, Burney J, Zivin JG, Neidell M. Using Crowd-Sourced Data to Assess the Temporal and Spatial Relationship between Indoor and Outdoor Particulate Matter. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:6107-6115. [PMID: 33878861 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c08469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Using hourly measures across a full year of crowd-sourced data from over 1000 indoor and outdoor pollution monitors in the state of California, we explore the temporal and spatial relationship between outdoor and indoor particulate matter (PM) concentrations for different particle sizes. The scale of this study offers new insight into both average penetration rates and drivers of heterogeneity in the outdoor-indoor relationship. We find that an increase in the daily outdoor PM concentration of 10% leads to an average increase of 4.2-6.1% in indoor concentrations. The penetration of outdoor particles to the indoor environment occurs rapidly and almost entirely within 5 h. We also provide evidence showing that penetration rates are associated with building age and climatic conditions in the vicinity of the monitor. Since people spend a substantial amount of each day indoors, our findings fill a critical knowledge gap and have significant implications for government policies to improve public health through reductions in exposure to ambient air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Krebs
- Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Lucerne, Frohburgstrasse 3, Postfach 4466, CH-6002 Luzern, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Burney
- School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Joshua Graff Zivin
- School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Matthew Neidell
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, United States
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37
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Shendell DG. The Multiple Benefits of Removing Major Outdoor Air Pollution Point Sources. Am J Public Health 2021; 111:770-772. [PMID: 33826378 PMCID: PMC8034008 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2021.306248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Derek G Shendell
- Derek G. Shendell is with Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice and the NJ Safe Schools Program, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ
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38
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Wang KH, Liu L, Lobont OR, Nicoleta-Claudia M. Energy Consumption and Health Insurance Premiums in China's Provinces: Evidence From Asymmetric Panel Causality Test. Front Public Health 2021; 9:658863. [PMID: 33996730 PMCID: PMC8116495 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.658863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This article employs asymmetric panel causality test to address the causal nexus between energy consumption (EC) and healthcare insurance premiums (IP) for China's different provinces. The empirical results indicate that there exist asymmetric causality runs from positive EC shocks to positive healthcare IPs in Beijing, Hebei, Tianjin, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui. There is no significant link in southern and northeastern provinces mainly because of their industrial structure, high economic development level, strong insurance consciousness, and climate conditions. Therefore, governments should encourage technological innovation and further improve energy efficiency. Meanwhile, we need to optimize EC structure and raise the proportion of renewable energies. The authorities should carry out stricter environmental protection policies and protect people from pollution that comes from fossil fuel burn. The commercial health insurance should be included in the health system and become an important supplement to public health insurance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Hua Wang
- School of Economics, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Lu Liu
- School of Management, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
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39
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Trushna T, Tripathi AK, Rana S, Tiwari RR. Nutraceuticals with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties as intervention for reducing the health effects of fine particulate matter: Potential and Prospects. Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 2021; 25:1639-1660. [PMID: 33845731 DOI: 10.2174/1386207324666210412121226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Air pollution, especially particulate matter pollution adversely affects human health. A growing pool of evidence has emerged which underscores the potential of individual-level nutritional interventions in attenuating the adverse health impact of exposure to PM2.5. Although controlling emission and reducing the overall levels of air pollution remains the ultimate objective globally, the sustainable achievement of such a target and thus consequent protection of human health will require a substantial amount of time and concerted efforts worldwide. In the meantime, smaller-scale individual-level interventions that can counter the inflammatory or oxidative stress effects triggered by exposure to particulate matter may be utilized to ameliorate the health effects of PM2.5 pollution. One such intervention is incorporation of nutraceuticals in the diet. Here, we present a review of the evidence generated from various in vitro, in vivo and human studies regarding the effects of different anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutraceuticals in ameliorating the health effects of particulate matter air pollution. The studies discussed in this review suggest that these nutraceuticals when consumed as a part of the diet, or as additional supplementation, can potentially negate the cellular level adverse effects of exposure to particulate pollution. The potential benefits of adopting a non-pharmacological diet-based approach to air pollution-induced disease management have also been discussed. We argue that before a nutraceuticals-based approach can be used for widespread public adoption, further research, especially human clinical trials, is essential to confirm the beneficial action of relevant nutraceuticals and to explore the safe limits of human supplementation and the risk of side effects. Future research should focus on systematically translating bench-based knowledge regarding nutraceuticals gained from in-vitro and in-vivo studies into clinically usable nutritional guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanwi Trushna
- Department of Environmental Health and Epidemiology, ICMR- National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal- 462030. India
| | - Amit K Tripathi
- Department of Molecular Biology, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal- 462030. India
| | - Sindhuprava Rana
- Department of Bioinformatics, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal- 462030. India
| | - Rajnarayan R Tiwari
- ICMR- National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), Bhopal-462030, Madhya Pradesh. India
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40
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Zhao C, Deng M, Cao X. Does haze pollution damage urban innovation? Empirical evidence from China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:16334-16349. [PMID: 33387318 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11874-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The continuous outbreak of haze pollution attracted full attention and became one of the most severe environmental problems in China. Based on the panel data of 266 prefecture-level cities from 2000 to 2016, this paper investigates the effects of haze pollution on China's urban innovation. Results show that (1) haze pollution does not damage urban innovation but forms a crisis-driven effect to stimulate it. (2) Haze pollution enhances the public's environmental awareness, which induces the government to invest more in science and technology, and finally forces the improvement of urban innovation. (3) Haze pollution causes the loss of human capital and leading to a decrease in the number of people who engaged in scientific research, which weakens the city's technological innovation ability. (4) The crisis-driven effect caused by haze pollution boosts the improvement of technological innovation in eastern cities, large cities, and northern cities. This study enriches the evidence on the relationship between haze pollution and urban innovation, which is significant for local governments to formulate green development and innovation-driven strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunkai Zhao
- School of Urban and Regional Science, Institute of Finance and Economics Research, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, No. 777, Guoding Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Deng
- School of Urban and Regional Science, Institute of Finance and Economics Research, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, No. 777, Guoding Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiguang Cao
- School of Urban and Regional Science, Institute of Finance and Economics Research, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, No. 777, Guoding Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China
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41
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Komisarow S, Pakhtigian EL. The Effect of Coal-Fired Power Plant Closures on Emergency Department Visits for Asthma-Related Conditions Among 0- to 4-Year-Old Children in Chicago, 2009-2017. Am J Public Health 2021; 111:881-889. [PMID: 33734848 PMCID: PMC8034013 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2021.306155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Objectives. To investigate the effects of coal-fired power plant closures on zip code-level rates of emergency department visits for asthma-related conditions among 0- to 4-year-old children in Chicago, Illinois.Methods. We used data on wind, population, PM2.5 (particulates measuring ≤ 2.5 µm in diameter), and zip code-level rates of emergency department visits for asthma-related conditions among 0- to 4-year-old children between 2009 and 2017 in Chicago. The difference-in-differences research design compared rates of emergency department visits in zip codes near 3 coal-fired power plants before and after their closures to rates in zip codes farther away during the same time period.Results. We found that emergency department visits for asthma-related conditions among 0- to 4-year-old children decreased by 12% in zip codes near the 3 coal-fired power plants following their closures relative to rates in zip codes farther away during the same period. The crude and age-specific rates of emergency department visits decreased by 2.41 visits per ten thousand inhabitants and 35.63 visits per ten thousand children aged 0 to 4 years, respectively.Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate that closing coal-fired power plants can lead to improvements in the respiratory health of young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Komisarow
- Sarah Komisarow is with the Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC. Emily L. Pakhtigian is with the School of Public Policy, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
| | - Emily L Pakhtigian
- Sarah Komisarow is with the Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC. Emily L. Pakhtigian is with the School of Public Policy, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
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42
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Margaryan S. Low emission zones and population health. JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2021; 76:102402. [PMID: 33383264 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2020.102402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution has a detrimental impact on population health, but the effectiveness of policy measures targeting pollution is underexplored. I exploit the natural experiment generated by the staggered implementation of low emission zones in large cities across Germany to assess their impact on health. Using register data on outpatient and inpatient health care, I find that low emission zones reduce the number of patients with cardiovascular disease by 2-3%. This effect is particularly pronounced for those over the age of 65. The findings suggest that low emission zones can be an effective way to reduce air pollution and improve health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shushanik Margaryan
- Universität Hamburg, Department of Economics and Hamburg Center for Health Economics (hche), Esplanade 36, 20354 Hamburg, Germany.
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Zeeshan M, Han J, Rehman A, Ullah I, Afridi FEA. Exploring Asymmetric Nexus Between CO 2 Emissions, Environmental Pollution, and Household Health Expenditure in China. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2021; 14:527-539. [PMID: 33603519 PMCID: PMC7886294 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s281729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study investigates the nexus between household health expenditure, CO2 emissions and environmental pollution in China. We analyzed the asymmetric dynamic relationship between CO2 emissions, environmental pollution and household health expenditure for the period 1990 to 2019 in China. Methods This study adopted nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) and Granger causality following the diagnostic test. Furthermore, we applied Dickey-Fuller (ADF), PP unit root tests, Zivot and Andrews test for structural breaks in our analysis. The NARDL is the most suitable econometric technique for estimations, especially if the asymmetric relationship exists among the variables. NARDL technique is capable to explore the dynamic relationship between CO2 emissions, environmental pollution and household health expenditure. Results The empirical results verify the asymmetric nexus between CO2 emissions, environmental pollution and household health expenditure in the context of China. The outcomes revealed that in the short run and long run positive shocks of CO2 emissions and environmental pollution positively affecting health expenditure, while negative shocks reduce health spendings. The results also demonstrate bi-directional causality among household health spendings, CO2 emissions and environmental pollution. Conclusion Our results support many previous studies, documenting that CO2 emissions positively contribute to the amount of household health expenditure, confirming the asymmetric relationship between CO2 emissions and household health expenditure. The results also confirm the statistically significant and asymmetrically positive relationship between environmental pollution and household health expenditure. This implies that Chinese residents have to bear more household health expenditure, in the case of more CO2 emissions and a greater amount of environmental pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Zeeshan
- College of Business Administration, Liaoning Technical University, Xingcheng, Liaoning Province, 125105, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiabin Han
- College of Business Administration, Liaoning Technical University, Xingcheng, Liaoning Province, 125105, People's Republic of China
| | - Alam Rehman
- Faculty of Management Sciences, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Irfan Ullah
- Reading Academy, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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Lin CH, Lin CL, Lin WC, Wei CC. Long-term risk of pneumothorax in asthmatic children: A 12-year population-based cohort study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020; 99:e23779. [PMID: 33371147 PMCID: PMC7748327 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000023779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Pneumothorax is a life-threatening complication during acute asthma attack. However, long-term risk of pneumothorax in asthmatic children remains unknown.In this retrospective cohort study, 333,657 children were defined as asthma cohort and a 1:1 matched non-asthma cohort were generated from 2000 to 2011. At the end of 2012, the incidence of pneumothorax in asthma and non-asthma cohorts and asthma to non-asthma hazard ratios (HRs) with confidence intervals (CIs) of pneumothorax were analyzed.The incidence of pneumothorax was 1.35-fold higher in the asthma cohort than that in the non-asthma cohort. The asthma to non-asthma HRs of pneumothorax were higher in children younger than 6 years (1.76, 95% CI: 1.21-2.57) and in girls (2.27; 95% CI: 1.23-4.16). The HRs of pneumothorax were higher in asthmatic children with more asthma-related out-patient clinic visits/per year (>5 visits; HR: 2.81; 95% CI: 1.79-4.42), more emergency department visits/per year (>4 visits; HR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.02-2.78), and longer hospitalization days due to asthma (>4 days; HR: 3.42; 95% CI: 1.52-6.94) (P < .0001, the trend test).Asthmatic children had greater risk for pneumothorax, particularly in young children and in those with severe and uncontrolled asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Heng Lin
- Children's Hospital, China Medical University Hospital
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University
| | - Cheng-Li Lin
- Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital
- School of Medicine, China Medical University
| | - Wei-Ching Lin
- School of Medicine, China Medical University
- Department of Radiology, China Medical University Hospital
| | - Chang-Ching Wei
- Children's Hospital, China Medical University Hospital
- School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Lau N, Smith MJ, Sarkar A, Gao Z. Effects of low exposure to traffic related air pollution on childhood asthma onset by age 10 years. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 191:110174. [PMID: 32919973 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Although NO2, a major traffic related air pollutant, has been associated with onset of childhood asthma, young children may be more susceptible to traffic related air pollution exposure compared to other individuals. We linked data from National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youths Cycle 1-5 (1994-2003) and the National Air Pollution Surveillance Program to determine the association between NO2 exposure and either early or late onset childhood asthma phenotypes. Children diagnosed with asthma from age 0-3 were defined as having early onset asthma. Children diagnosed with asthma from age 4-9 were defined as having late onset asthma. Mean NO2 exposure for each quartile was 6.31 ppb, 9.45 ppb, 11.83 ppb, and 17.9 ppb. Higher levels of NO2 exposure were more strongly associated with early childhood asthma (Quartile 3 OR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.29, 3.44, Quartile 4 OR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.27, 3.68) compared to the lowest level of NO2 exposure (Quartile 1). No such association was observed with risk of late childhood asthma onset. Asthma susceptibility to NO2 exposure may vary with the childhood developmental stage, and young children may be susceptible to NO2 exposure at levels well below national and international guidelines. Our study emphasizes the importance of considering the timing of childhood asthma onset in future studies and confirms the increased risk of early onset of childhood asthma associated even with relatively low NO2 exposure levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson Lau
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6, Canada
| | - Mary Jane Smith
- Discipline of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6, Canada
| | - Atanu Sarkar
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6, Canada
| | - Zhiwei Gao
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, A1B 3V6, Canada.
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Terry D, Peck B, Kloot K, Hutchins T. Pediatric emergency asthma presentations in Southwest Victoria: a retrospective cross-sectional study 2017 to 2020. J Asthma 2020; 59:264-272. [PMID: 33143500 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2020.1845725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Australia has one of the highest prevalence of asthma globally, and accessible emergency asthma presentation data remains vital, however, is currently underreported in regional and rural areas. Utilizing the Rural Acute Hospital Data Register (RAHDaR) which includes previously non-reported data, the aim of the study is to provide a more accurate understanding of asthma emergency presentation events, while investigating the factors associated with these presentations. METHODS A retrospective cross-sectional study collected de-identified emergency asthma presentation data from nine health services in regional Victoria for children aged 0 to 14 years between 2017 and 2020. Demographic and presentation data were collated along with government datasets. Asthma emergency presentations incidence rates and predictor variables were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression after adjusting for smoking and sex. Significance was determined at p < 0.05. RESULTS Of the 1090 emergency asthma presentations, n = 369 occurred at health services who did not previously report data. This represents a 33.86% increase in our understanding of emergency asthma presentations and demonstrating a rate of 16.06 presentations per 1000 children per year. Key factors such as age, population density, and private health insurance were associated with asthma emergency presentation events among both sexes, while socioeconomic status and rurality were not predictive. CONCLUSIONS Although some findings are consistent with current research, the study highlights previously unrecognized specific factors that are predictive of asthma among 0-14-year-old children. These findings provide more accurate insights for healthcare workers and policymakers as they seek to support people with asthma and accurately address health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Terry
- School of Health, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
| | - Blake Peck
- School of Health, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kate Kloot
- Center for Rural Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia
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Chinese residents' environmental concern and expectation of sending children to study abroad. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238180. [PMID: 32960893 PMCID: PMC7508386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of existing studies find that Chinese residents would like to send children to study abroad for higher education quality and multiple opportunities. Previous studies have paid little attention to the association of this issue with environmental degradation in recent years. Merging data on adults from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2016 with data on children, this paper investigates the effect of environmental concern on the educational level at which Chinese residents are willing to send children to study abroad based on the ordered logit model and Heckman Probit Model (HPM). The results show that environmental concern predicted a positive attitude toward a willingness to send children to study abroad at a decreased schooling level after concerns about the Chinese education system and educational expectations for children and other sociodemographic factors were controlled for. The marginal effects of environmental concern on expectations of sending children to study abroad at different educational levels showed that increasing environmental concern leads to the probability of residents considering sending children to study abroad during junior college or below increasing, while it leads to the probability of residents considering sending their children to study abroad during undergraduate or higher education decreasing. The HPM further verified that environmental concern had a positive effect on residents' willingness of sending their children to study during junior college or below. The study offers an important early step in the empirical testing of the relationship between Chinese residents' environmental concern and the educational level at which they would consider sending children to study abroad.
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Yang F, Jiang Y. Heterogeneous Influences of Social Support on Physical and Mental Health: Evidence from China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E6838. [PMID: 32962140 PMCID: PMC7558190 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Employing a national representative survey (the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey 2016, CLDS2016) data (N = 14246), this paper examines the heterogeneous influences of social support on individual physical and mental health in China. Social support is characterized by four dimensions: emotional support, tangible or instrumental support, interaction or exchange support, and community support. Physical health is measured by self-rated health and body mass index (BMI), while mental health is measured by depression, hopelessness, failure, fear, loneliness, and meaninglessness. The results indicate that different dimensions of social support have heterogeneous effects on individual physical and mental health. Specifically, the correlation between emotional support and individual physical health is not significant, but emotional support is significantly related to some mental health variables. Tangible or instrumental support is significantly related to individual self-rated physical health but not to BMI or mental health. Interaction or exchange support is significantly correlated with individual self-rated health and some mental health variables. In general, there are significant correlations between community support, and individual physical and mental health. The results also suggest that the influences of social support on physical and mental health of individuals at different ages (<60 years and ≥60 years) are heterogeneous. The results of this study provide direction for the dimension selection of social support to promote individual health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Yang
- Department of Labor and Social Security, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yao Jiang
- Department of Accounting, School of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China;
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Cryptolepine, the major alkaloid of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schlechter (Apocynaceae), attenuates early and late-phase symptoms of asthma. SCIENTIFIC AFRICAN 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2020.e00540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] Open
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50
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Afoakwah C, Nghiem S, Scuffham P, Huynh Q, Marwick T, Byrnes J. Impacts of air pollution on health: evidence from longitudinal cohort data of patients with cardiovascular diseases. THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS : HEPAC : HEALTH ECONOMICS IN PREVENTION AND CARE 2020; 21:1025-1038. [PMID: 32415421 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-020-01198-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study uses longitudinal cohort data to estimate the impacts of air pollution on health outcomes among people first hospitalised with heart diseases. Despite the generally low level of pollution in Australia, we find that acute exposure to pollution increases readmissions to hospitals within 3-12 months after discharge and is more evident among those suffering from heart failure. We further show that chronic exposure to air pollution increases the risk of death within 72 months, hospital admissions and general practitioner (GP) visits. Patients with coronary heart disease or cerebrovascular disease are the most affected groups. Finally, a cost saving of $1.3 billion will be generated to the health sector, if the monthly concentration of PM10 and CO was lowered to 15.49 µg/m3 and 122.99 µg/m3, respectively. The findings from our study emphasize the need for policies that target significant reduction in ambient PM10 and CO to decrease the demand for scarce healthcare resources for cardiac diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifford Afoakwah
- Centre for Applied Health Economics, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia.
| | - Son Nghiem
- Centre for Applied Health Economics, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Paul Scuffham
- Centre for Applied Health Economics, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Nathan, Australia
| | - Quan Huynh
- The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Tom Marwick
- The Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Joshua Byrnes
- Centre for Applied Health Economics, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
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