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Young R, Hsiang S. Mortality caused by tropical cyclones in the United States. Nature 2024:10.1038/s41586-024-07945-5. [PMID: 39358513 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07945-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024]
Abstract
Natural disasters trigger complex chains of events within human societies1. Immediate deaths and damage are directly observed after a disaster and are widely studied, but delayed downstream outcomes, indirectly caused by the disaster, are difficult to trace back to the initial event1,2. Tropical cyclones (TCs)-that is, hurricanes and tropical storms-are widespread globally and have lasting economic impacts3-5, but their full health impact remains unknown. Here we conduct a large-scale evaluation of long-term effects of TCs on human mortality in the contiguous United States (CONUS) for all TCs between 1930 and 2015. We observe a robust increase in excess mortality that persists for 15 years after each geophysical event. We estimate that the average TC generates 7,000-11,000 excess deaths, exceeding the average of 24 immediate deaths reported in government statistics6,7. Tracking the effects of 501 historical storms, we compute that the TC climate of CONUS imposes an undocumented mortality burden that explains a substantial fraction of the higher mortality rates along the Atlantic coast and is equal to roughly 3.2-5.1% of all deaths. These findings suggest that the TC climate, previously thought to be unimportant for broader public health outcomes, is a meaningful underlying driver for the distribution of mortality risk in CONUS, especially among infants (less than 1 year of age), people 1-44 years of age, and the Black population. Understanding why TCs induce this excess mortality is likely to yield substantial health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Young
- Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Global Policy Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Solomon Hsiang
- Global Policy Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Global Policy Laboratory, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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2
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Jahanshahi B, Johnston B, McGovern ME, McVicar D, O'Reilly D, Rowland N, Vlachos S. Prenatal exposure to particulate matter and infant birth outcomes: Evidence from a population-wide database. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2024; 33:2182-2200. [PMID: 38898637 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4862] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
There are growing concerns about the impact of pollution on maternal and infant health. Despite an extensive correlational literature, observational studies which adopt methods that seek to address potential biases due to unmeasured confounders draw mixed conclusions. Using a population database of births in Northern Ireland (NI) linked to localized geographic information on pollution in mothers' postcodes (zipcodes) of residence during pregnancy, we examine whether prenatal exposure to PM2.5 is associated with a comprehensive range of birth outcomes, including placental health. Overall, we find little evidence that particulate matter is related to infant outcomes at the pollution levels experienced in NI, once we implement a mother fixed effects approach that accounts for time-invariant factors. This contrasts with strong associations in models that adjust for observed confounders but without fixed effects. While reducing ambient air pollution remains an urgent public health priority globally, our results imply that further improvements in short-run levels of prenatal PM2.5 exposure in a relatively low-pollution, higher-income country context, are unlikely to impact on birth outcomes at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian Johnston
- Centre for GIS and Geomatics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Duncan McVicar
- Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
- IZA, Bonn, Germany
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3
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Li L, Zhang X. The causal impact of fetal exposure to PM2.5 on birth outcomes: Evidence from rural China. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2024; 53:101380. [PMID: 38555789 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2024.101380] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
This paper investigates the causal impact of fetal exposure to PM2.5 on birth outcomes, including birth weight, the incidence of low birth weight (LBW), and small for gestational age (SGA), based on a nationally representative birth record dataset in a developing country setting. We employed thermal inversion as the instrument variable (IV) for PM2.5 and leveraged the distinctive characteristics of rural China in the 1990 s to address identification challenges. Our IV estimates indicate that higher fetal PM2.5 exposure leads to lower birth weight and elevated probabilities of LBW and SGA. Due to the mortality selection in utero, weak male fetuses were more likely to be screened out by PM2.5 exposure, resulting in a comparatively lower vulnerability among the surviving male infants. Furthermore, infants born to less educated mothers exhibited increased susceptibility, a phenomenon not entirely explained by the sorting behaviors associated with the preference for cleaner air based on socioeconomic status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyuxiu Li
- School of Statistics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- School of Statistics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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4
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Noghanibehambari H, Fletcher J. Dust to Feed, Dust to Gray: The Effect of in Utero Exposure to the Dust Bowl on Old-Age Longevity. Demography 2024; 61:87-113. [PMID: 38214503 DOI: 10.1215/00703370-11140760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Intensive agriculture and deep plowing caused topsoil erosion and dust storms during the 1930s, affecting agricultural income and land values for years. Given the growing literature on the relevance of in utero and early-life exposures, it is surprising that studies focusing on links between the Dust Bowl and later-life health have produced inconclusive and mixed results. We reevaluate this literature and study the long-term effects of in utero and early-life exposure to topsoil erosion caused by the 1930s Dust Bowl on old-age longevity. Specifically, using Social Security Administration death records linked with the full-count 1940 census, we conduct event studies with difference-in-differences designs to compare the longevity of individuals in high- versus low-topsoil-erosion counties before versus after 1930. We find intent-to-treat reductions in longevity of approximately 0.85 months for those born in high-erosion counties after 1930. We show that these effects are not an artifact of preexisting trends in longevity. Additional analyses suggest that the effects are more pronounced among children raised in farm households, females, and those whose mothers had lower education. We also provide suggestive evidence that reductions in adulthood income are a likely mechanism for the effects we document.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason Fletcher
- La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Fletcher J, Noghanibehambari H. The Siren Song of Cicadas: Early-Life Pesticide Exposure and Later-Life Male Mortality. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 123:102903. [PMID: 38222798 PMCID: PMC10785703 DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2023.102903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
This paper studies the long-term effects of in-utero and early-life exposure to pesticide use on adulthood and old-age longevity. We use the cyclical emergence of cicadas in the eastern half of the United States as a shock that raises the pesticide use among tree crop growing farmlands. We implement a difference-in-difference framework and employ Social Security Administration death records over the years 1975-2005 linked to the complete count 1940 census. We find that males born in top-quartile tree-crop counties and exposed to a cicada event during fetal development and early-life live roughly 2.2 months shorted lives; those with direct farm exposure face a reduction of nearly a year. We provide empirical evidence to examine mortality selection before adulthood, endogenous fertility, and differential data linkage rates. Additional analyses suggests that reductions in education and income during adulthood are potential mechanisms of impact. Our findings add to our understanding of the relevance of early-life insults for old-age health and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Fletcher
- La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1225 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1211, USA
| | - Hamid Noghanibehambari
- College of Business, Austin Peay State University, Marion St, Clarksville, TN 37040, USA
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Wang M, Sun T. Leave for where? The impact of air quality on migration: Evidence at the city-pair level in China. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2023; 51:101285. [PMID: 37544115 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101285] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
We comprehensively explore the question of "Leave for where?" by utilizing city-pair level data of China spanning from 2011 to 2017. Our investigation focuses on the impact of disparities in air quality between city pairs on migration. we find that a 1% increase in the difference air quality between inflow and outflow locations raises the number of people migrating from the outflow to the inflow location by approximately 0.07%. This finding is robust after overcoming possible endogeneity problems with average wind speed as an instrumental variable. In addition, we conducted a heterogeneity analysis in terms of intention to migrate and individual characteristics, finding that individuals who migrated for work and family are more sensitive to differences in air quality between city pairs, whereas those who moved for business are not sensitive to differences in air quality. Regarding individual characteristics, differences in air quality between city pairs have a greater impact on the migration decisions of low-educated, female, and younger migrants. Further, a mechanistic analysis by constructing cohort dummy variables reveals that poor air quality is more motivational than the desire for good air quality and the crowding-out effect of air pollution on migration is more pronounced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Wang
- School of Public Finance and Taxation, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Nanhu Road 182, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430073, China.
| | - Tianshi Sun
- School of Economics and Management, Southeast University, China.
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Noghanibehambari H, Bagheri H, Salari M, Tavassoli N, Javid R, Toranji M. Breathing in the future: prenatal exposure to air pollution and infants' health outcomes in the USA. Public Health 2023; 225:198-205. [PMID: 37939461 PMCID: PMC10842113 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the impact of air pollution on birth outcomes in the USA over several decades. STUDY DESIGN Approximately 70 million birth records were assessed for the years 1980-2020. This study focussed on seven measures of birth outcomes, including birth weight, low birth weight, very low birth weight, full-term birth weight, foetal growth, gestational age and very premature birth. METHODS An instrumental variable identification strategy was used that exploited within county-month and within month-year of birth variations in exposure to precipitation-induced changes in air pollution. RESULTS Air pollution was found to have negative and large effects on a wide range of birth outcomes. The study findings suggest that a one-standard-deviation increase in ozone was associated with a 6.4% and 12.8% increase (from the mean) in the proportion of low birth weight and very preterm birth infants, respectively. Further analyses suggest that these effects were heterogeneous across trimesters of pregnancy and reveal larger impacts during the second and third trimesters. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the ordinary least square estimates of previous studies considerably underestimate the true effects of pollution on birth outcomes. Policies that aim to improve the health capital of future generations should allocate more resources and initiatives to improving environmental air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Noghanibehambari
- Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - H Bagheri
- Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - M Salari
- Department of Accounting, Finance, and Economics, California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA 90747, USA.
| | - N Tavassoli
- Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA.
| | - R Javid
- School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - M Toranji
- Department of Economics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
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Luben TJ, Wilkie AA, Krajewski AK, Njie F, Park K, Zelasky S, Rappazzo KM. Short-term exposure to air pollution and infant mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165522. [PMID: 37459995 PMCID: PMC11094744 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165522] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Infant mortality is a widely reported indicator of population health and a leading public health concern. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we review the available literature for epidemiologic evidence of the association between short-term air pollution exposure and infant mortality. METHODS Relevant publications were identified through PubMed and Web of Science databases using comprehensive search terms and screened using predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria. We extracted data from included studies and applied a systematic rubric for evaluating study quality across domains including participant selection, outcome, exposure, confounding, analysis, selective reporting, sensitivity, and overall quality. We performed meta-analyses, using both fixed and random-effect methods, and estimated pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95%CI) for pollutants (nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), coarse particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO)) and infant mortality, neonatal mortality, or postneonatal mortality. RESULTS Our search returned 549 studies. We excluded 490 studies in the abstract screening phase and an additional 37 studies in the full text screening phase, leaving 22 studies for inclusion. Among these 22 studies, 14 included effect estimates for PM10, 13 for O3, 11 for both NO2 and CO, 8 for SO2, and 3 for PM2.5. We did not calculate a pooled OR for PM2.5 due to the limited number of studies available and demonstrated heterogeneity in the effect estimates. The pooled ORs (95%CI) with the greatest magnitudes were for a 10-ppb increase in SO2 or NO2 concentration in the days before death (1.07 [95%CI: 1.02, 1.12], 1.04 [95%CI: 1.01, 1.08], respectively). The pooled OR for PM10 was 1.02 (95%CI: 1.00, 1.03), and the pooled ORs for CO and O3 were 1.01 (95%CI: 1.00, 1.02) and 0.99 (95%CI: 0.97, 1.01). CONCLUSIONS Increased exposure to SO2, NO2, PM10, or CO is associated with infant mortality across studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Luben
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, RTP, NC, USA.
| | - Adrien A Wilkie
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Alison K Krajewski
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Fanny Njie
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Kevin Park
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Sarah Zelasky
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP, NC, USA
| | - Kristen M Rappazzo
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, RTP, NC, USA
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Fan M, Jiang H, Zhou M. Beyond particulate matter: New evidence on the causal effects of air pollution on mortality. JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2023; 91:102799. [PMID: 37634275 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2023.102799] [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: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The increasing demand for electricity worldwide has caused a corresponding rise in the consumption of coal, leading to an increase in sulfur dioxide (SO2) pollution levels. Despite the severity of the issue, there is a lack of conclusive evidence establishing a causal link between SO2 pollution and health, particularly in developing countries. We leverage a large national environmental regulation policy, implemented in China to reduce SO2 emissions, to estimate the impacts of SO2 pollution on mortality. We find that 1-μg/m3 reduction in SO2 concentrations leads to 18 fewer cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 people aged 60 years and above (0.9% decrease) and 2 fewer deaths per 100,000 children under the age of 5 (1.5% decrease) annually. A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that the total health benefits of the environmental policy outweigh its economic costs. The results are consistent across various robustness checks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maoyong Fan
- Department of Economics, Ball State University, USA.
| | - Hanchen Jiang
- Department of Economics, University of North Texas, USA.
| | - Maigeng Zhou
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China.
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10
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Lyons S, Mao L, Nolan A, O'Sullivan V. The effect of "smoky" coal bans on chronic lung disease among older people in Ireland. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2023; 50:101275. [PMID: 37487296 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Globally, coal is still widely used for heating. However, there are concerns about its effect on ambient air quality and health. We estimated the effect of bans prohibiting the sale and use of so-called "smoky coal" on the prevalence of chronic lung disease in older people. Our identification strategy relied on the phased extension of smoky coal bans to Irish towns after 2010. We examined five waves of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), a large nationally representative survey containing detailed information on health, housing, and socio-economic status. Controlling for relevant factors, smoky coal bans reduced the probability that an older person reports being diagnosed with chronic lung disease by between three and five percentage points. In models where we estimated the effect of the ban on the incidence of new cases of chronic lung disease, rather than existing cases, we found the effect was between -0.96 and -2.5 percentage points. Our findings were robust to estimating the model using different sub-samples and control variables. Furthermore, to address potential endogeneity of the ban, we examined subsamples defined by whether participants lived in towns within a range of the population threshold at which the ban was imposed. Estimating our model using these subsamples showed a consistently negative effect of the ban. We also showed parallel trends in health outcomes before the treatment, and that the treatment did not affect attrition from the sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seán Lyons
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Republic of Ireland; Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Likun Mao
- Department of Economics, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom; The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Republic of Ireland
| | - Anne Nolan
- Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin, Republic of Ireland; Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin, Republic of Ireland; The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Republic of Ireland
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Iyanna N, Yolton K, LeMasters G, Lanphear BP, Cecil KM, Schwartz J, Brokamp C, Rasnick E, Xu Y, MacDougall MC, Ryan PH. Air pollution exposure and social responsiveness in childhood: The cincinnati combined childhood cohorts. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 251:114172. [PMID: 37116232 PMCID: PMC10682723 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects about 1 in 44 children and environmental exposures may contribute to disease onset. Air pollution has been associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes, yet little research has examined its association with autistic-like behaviors. Therefore, our objective was to examine the association between exposure to air pollution, including NO2 and PM2.5, during pregnancy and the first year of life to ASD-like behaviors during childhood. Participants (n = 435) enrolled in the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study and the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment Study were included in the analysis. Daily exposures to NO2 and PM2.5 at the residential addresses of participants were estimated using validated spatiotemporal models and averaged to obtain prenatal and first year exposure estimates. ASD-like behaviors were assessed via the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) questionnaire at age 12. Linear regression models adjusting for confounders were applied to estimate the association between pollutants and SRS scores. After adjusting for covariates, the association between NO2 and PM2.5 and SRS scores remained positive but were no longer statistically significant. Prenatal and first year exposure to NO2 were associated with total SRS T-scores with an estimated 0.4 point increase (95% CI: -0.7, 1.6) per 5.2 ppb increase in NO2 exposure and 0.7 point (95% CI: -0.3, 1.6) per 4.2 ppb increase in NO2 exposure, respectively. For PM2.5, a 2.6 μg/m3 increase in prenatal exposure was associated with a 0.1 point increase (95% CI: -1.1, 1.4) in SRS Total T-scores and a 1.3 μg/m3 increase first year of life was associated with a 1 point increase (95% CI: -0.2, 2.3). In summary, exposure to NO2 and PM2.5 during pregnancy and the first year of life were not significantly associated with higher autistic-like behaviors measured with SRS scores after adjustment of covariates. Additional research is warranted given prior studies suggesting air pollution contributes to ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Iyanna
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Grace LeMasters
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- Child and Family Research Institute, BC Children's and Women's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Kim M Cecil
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Joel Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, USA
| | - Cole Brokamp
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Erika Rasnick
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Yingying Xu
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Melinda C MacDougall
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Patrick H Ryan
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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12
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Zhang D, Dong X. From the Perspectives of Pollution Governance and Public Health: A Research of China's Fiscal Expenditure on Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6018. [PMID: 37297623 PMCID: PMC10252195 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20116018] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Improving the scale and effectiveness of China's energy conservation and environmental protection fiscal expenditure is crucial to enhancing the capacity of ecological and environmental governance of China, considering the dual perspectives of pollution governance and public health. This article first explains the mechanism by which national energy conservation and environmental protection fiscal expenditure can improve pollution control and promote public health. Secondly, this article scrutinizes the current status and limitations of China's fiscal expenditure, highlighting the contribution of fiscal expenditure in the construction of ecological civilization from the standpoints of environmental governance and public health. Additionally, this study empirically uses DEA to measure the efficiency of the government's fiscal expenditure. Conclusions found that: First, environmental protection fiscal expenditure is mainly focused on technological transformation and pollution control, while relatively little is spent on public health protection. Second, the efficiency of environmental protection fiscal funds is relatively low. These suggestions aim to optimize the positive impact of energy conservation and environmental protection fiscal expenditure for improving pollution governance and promoting public health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiao Dong
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
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13
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Wang L, Shi T, Chen H. Air pollution and infant mortality: Evidence from China. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2023; 49:101229. [PMID: 36681066 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Using a newly assembled prefecture-city level dataset from 2004 to 2015, this paper examines the impact of air pollution on child mortality in China. To identify the causal effect, we exploit ventilation coefficient as the instrument for urban air pollution. We find that a 10 μg/m3 increase in annual PM2.5 concentration causes 163 infant deaths per 100,000 live births per year in a city.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linfeng Wang
- School of Public Finance and Taxation, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Tie Shi
- School of Economics, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314001, China.
| | - Hanyi Chen
- School of Finance, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian 116025, China.
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14
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Ai H, Wu J, Zhou Z. The long-run effects of fetal PM 2.5 exposure on mental health: evidence from China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:34158-34173. [PMID: 36508098 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24661-7] [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: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This paper investigates the long-run effects of PM2.5 exposure in utero on the mental health of adolescents. Using nationally representative survey data from China, we instrument the PM2.5 exposure with wind speed to tackle the possible endogeneity problem. Our results show that mothers' PM2.5 exposure during their pregnancy negatively affects the mental health of their children aged between 10 and 15 years. A 1 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure in utero increases the probability of having a severe mental illness for adolescents by 0.6%. Our evidence supports the "fetal origins" hypothesis. We also find that fetal PM2.5 exposure leads adolescents to be more likely to be absent from school and quarrel with their parents, implying that fetal PM2.5 exposure may affect individuals' behavior when they grow up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongshan Ai
- School of Economics & Trade, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
| | - Jia Wu
- School of Business, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China
| | - Zhihan Zhou
- School of Economics, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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15
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Zhang Z, Ma C, Wang A. Environmental Governance, Public Health Expenditure, and Economic Growth: Analysis in an OLG Model. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3033. [PMID: 36833725 PMCID: PMC9964841 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043033] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This article studies the relationship between environmental governance, public health expenditure, and economic growth by introducing human health status into a three-period overlapping generation dynamic general equilibrium (OLG-DGE) model and conducting a policy simulation analysis in a Chinese scenario. The main findings are generalized as follows: (i) The increase in pollution emissions per unit of output will not only lead to the deterioration of public health but also hinder long-term economic growth, while the efficiency of pollution control will improve health and output per labor unit; (ii) Although levying environmental tax will improve health status and life expectancy, it has a non-linear impact on pollution emissions and output per labor unit, which means that there are trade-offs among environmental governance, public health improvement, and economic output; and (iii) Although the increase in the proportion of public health expenditure will improve health status, its impact on life expectancy and economic output is affected by the level of environmental tax. Only when the environmental tax rate is relatively low, will increasing the proportion of public health expenditure extend life expectancy and output per labor unit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Zhang
- School of Economics and Finance, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
| | - Caoyuan Ma
- School of Economics and Finance, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, China
| | - Aiping Wang
- School of Economics, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China
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16
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Maffioli EM. The local health impacts of natural resource booms. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2023; 32:462-500. [PMID: 36440904 PMCID: PMC10098977 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This paper uses novel micro-data on natural resources and administrative health data in Brazil to study how economic booms in minerals affect health at birth. By implementing a reduced-form estimation of shift-share research designs, the identification strategy relies on the exogeneity of global commodity prices to municipality-specific health outcomes. I find that, following changes in international prices, municipalities with historically more endowments have a higher number of premature births and births with low Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration scores. The impacts are primarily driven by metallic minerals. Instead, industrial minerals do not appear to have any effect on birth outcomes. Even though booms in metallic minerals generate benefits through resource windfalls-by increasing wealth and generating economic opportunities-the investigation of mechanisms reveals that they also result in costs-due to pollution-which seem to prevail. Hence, some metallic minerals remain a curse more than a blessing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa M. Maffioli
- Department of Health Management and PolicyUniversity of MichiganSchool of Public HealthAnn ArborMichiganUSA
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17
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Jung H. Can Universal Cash Transfer Save Newborns' Birth Weight During the Pandemic? POPULATION RESEARCH AND POLICY REVIEW 2023; 42:4. [PMID: 36742060 PMCID: PMC9884071 DOI: 10.1007/s11113-023-09759-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Birth weight is a key human biological characteristic as a measure of prenatal development and a variable related to later quality of life. Studies have firmly established that a stressful situation in utero adversely affects newborns' birth weight. Using birth statistics provided by Statistics Korea, this study examined how universal cash transfer during the COVID-19 crisis affected newborns' birth weight in South Korea. Given that the normal gestation period is nearly 10 months, we chose newborns without a self-selection issue by utilizing information on birthdate and total pregnancy period from the dataset, subsequently applying difference-in-differences estimation. Results showed that universal cash transfer offset newborns' weight loss amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects differed according to households' sociodemographic characteristics, with effects being more pronounced for girls; more pronounced for households with more than two children; more pronounced in local districts severely affected during the initial stage of the pandemic, but less significant in metropolitan regions; and more among middle-class families. This study presents evidence that governmental cash transfer during the pandemic has improved newborns' health and that continuing such a policy would positively impact future generations from a health perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoyong Jung
- Department of Economics, Kookmin University, Seoul, South Korea
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18
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Wodtke GT, Ard K, Bullock C, White K, Priem B. Concentrated poverty, ambient air pollution, and child cognitive development. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd0285. [PMID: 36449613 PMCID: PMC9710878 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Why does growing up in a poor neighborhood impede cognitive development? Although a large volume of evidence indicates that neighborhood poverty negatively affects child outcomes, little is known about the mechanisms that might explain these effects. In this study, we outline and test a theoretical model of neighborhood effects on cognitive development that highlights the mediating role of early life exposure to neurotoxic air pollution. To evaluate this model, we analyze data from a national sample of American infants matched with information on their exposure to more than 50 different pollutants known or suspected to harm the central nervous system. Integrating methods of causal inference with supervised machine learning, we find that living in a high-poverty neighborhood increases exposure to many different air toxics during infancy, that it reduces cognitive abilities measured later at age 4 by about one-tenth of a standard deviation, and that about one-third of this effect can be attributed to disparities in air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey T. Wodtke
- Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Social Science Research Building, 1126 E. 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kerry Ard
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Clair Bullock
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Kailey White
- Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Social Science Research Building, 1126 E. 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Betsy Priem
- Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Social Science Research Building, 1126 E. 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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19
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Huang Y, Li S. Can Marketization of Environmental Governance Improve Public Health?-Empirical Analysis Based on the Emission Trading System. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15518. [PMID: 36497596 PMCID: PMC9739166 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315518] [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: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
To deal with the pollution issue caused by long-term economic development, China has introduced a number of environmental governance measures and made some progress. In the context of the strategy of developing a "Healthy China", the Chinese government proposed to include health in the formulation and implementation of environmental regulation policies, which places a higher demand on the implementation effect of environmental policies. This study attempts to clarify the causal link between market-based environmental governance and public health, and quantify the implementation effects of market-oriented environmental governance, so as to provide accurate assessments for addressing environmental degradation and improving public health. Based on the CHNS database and provincial panel data from 2000 to 2015, this paper constructs a binary logit-based difference-in-difference model to investigate the effects of the emission trading system (ETS) pilot policy on public health measured by the incidence of respiratory diseases, heart disease, and other diseases. The results show that ETS significantly reduces the incidence of respiratory and other diseases but has no significant impact on the incidence of heart diseases. The improvement effects of ETS on public health mainly come from the reduction of SO2 under the principle of total volume control. However, heterogeneity analysis reveals that the health-improving effects of ETS are not as expected. Although ETS can enhance the health of vulnerable populations, such as workers near pollution sources and rural residents, it has no discernible impact on the health of those far from pollution sources and urban residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongyan Huang
- School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Shilong Li
- School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
- Research Center for Construction Economics and Management, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
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20
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Wichmann B, Wichmann R. COVID-19 and Indigenous health in the Brazilian Amazon. ECONOMIC MODELLING 2022; 115:105962. [PMID: 35874451 PMCID: PMC9290384 DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2022.105962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We test whether the COVID-19 pandemic has an ethnicity-differentiated (Indigenous vs non-Indigenous) effect on infant health in the Brazilian Amazon. Using vital statistics data we find that Indigenous infants born during the pandemic are 0.5% more likely to have very low birth weights. Access to health care contributes to health gaps. Thirteen percent of mothers travel to deliver their babies. For traveling mothers, having an Indigenous baby during the pandemic increases the probability of very low birth weight by 3%. Indigenous mothers are 7.5% less likely to receive adequate prenatal care. Mothers that travel long distances to deliver their babies and give birth during the pandemic are 35% less likely to receive proper prenatal care. We also find evidence that the pandemic shifts medical resources from rural to urban areas, which disproportionately benefits non-Indigenous mothers. These results highlight the need for policies to reduce health inequalities in the Amazon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Wichmann
- Department of Resource Economics & Environmental Sociology, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Alberta, 503 General Services Building, Edmonton, AB T6G-2H1, Canada
| | - Roberta Wichmann
- Brazilian Institute of Education, Development and Research - IDP, Economics Graduate Program, SGAS Quadra 607, Modulo 49, Via L2 Sul, Brasilia, DF CEP 70.200-670, Brazil
- World Bank, SCES Trecho 03, Lote 05, Ed. Polo 8, S/N, Brasilia, DF CEP 70200-003, Brazil
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21
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Shao S, Liu L, Tian Z. Does the environmental inequality matter? A literature review. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2022; 44:3133-3156. [PMID: 33847864 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-021-00921-2] [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: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The environmental inequality theory reveals that the risk of environmental pollution exposure varies among regions and groups and that particular groups face a higher threat of environmental pollution. In recent years, studies on the environmental inequality issue in developed countries have been increasing, while related literature on developing countries is very scarce. It has been found that some factors, such as race and economic status, have a close relationship with the risk of environmental pollution exposure faced by individuals. For the first time, this paper provides an extensive review of existing theoretical and empirical studies on environmental inequality. We review, in detail, the evolution of the environmental inequality theory, including the definition and measurement of environmental inequality. Further, we provide a systematic refresher on the main performance of environmental inequality, including health, education, labor productivity, and real estate prices. We also identify several causes of environmental inequality, such as ethnic differences, economic status, human capital, and household registration systems. Finally, we discuss prospects for the future research on this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Shao
- School of Business, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
- School of Urban and Regional Science, Institute of Finance and Economics Research, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Liwen Liu
- School of Urban and Regional Science, Institute of Finance and Economics Research, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Zhihua Tian
- School of Economics, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, China.
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22
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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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23
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Oyedele O. Carbon dioxide emission and health outcomes: is there really a nexus for the Nigerian case? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:56309-56322. [PMID: 35334048 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19365-x] [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: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa are characteristically poor and Nigeria is no exception. Despite the recorded decline in infant and under five mortality rates in Nigeria, they still remain relatively high showing a poor status of the population's health. Carbon dioxide emission continues to fluctuate at high levels probably due to the increasing use of non renewable energy forms for economic activities mostly requiring energy consumption. This study examines the health consequences of environmental quality due to carbon dioxide emission in Nigeria for the period 1980 to 2016. Using two health outcome measures and decomposing carbon dioxide emission by sector and type of fuel consumed, a bound cointegration approach and an autoregressive distributed lag model were also employed. The results and a sensitivity analysis revealed that aggregate carbon dioxide emission significantly explained both infant mortality and under five mortality rates. However, when disaggregated, carbon dioxide emission from solid fuel had the greatest contribution to poor health outcomes.
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24
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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: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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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25
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Hassan N, Murad SMW. Does air pollution increase child mortality? Evidence from 58 developing countries. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:28913-28932. [PMID: 34993821 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-18319-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the effects of air quality on child mortality in developing countries. We consider annual data covering the period from 2010 to 2016 of 58 countries and estimate the empirical models using recently developed panel quantile regression with the method of moments (MM-QR). It is found that outdoor air quality (measured by the concentration of PM2.5 in the air) has a positive and significant effect on total child mortality, post-neonatal mortality, and under-five child mortality. However, its effect on neonatal mortality is not statistically significant at lower quantiles. Furthermore, Household air pollution (HAP) also has a positive and significant effect on total child mortality, neonatal mortality, and under-five child mortality. The effect of HAP on post-neonatal mortality is not significant in most cases. Overall, the adverse effect of HAP is larger than the PM2.5. For instance, a 1% increase of PM2.5 concentration in the outdoor causes 0.231% total child mortality due to respiratory diseases at [Formula: see text], while a 1% increase of HAP causes 0.532% total child mortality at the same quantile. In many cases, the coefficients of PM2.5 and HAP increase at the higher quantiles, supporting asymmetric effects of pollutants on child mortality. However, per capita income, access to basic drinking water and sanitation facilities, and domestic and external health expenditures significantly reduce child mortality. On the contrary, open defecation increases mortality. Consequently, policymakers should take adequate measures to improve indoor and outdoor air quality to combat child mortality due to respiratory diseases in developing countries. They should also take initiatives to enhance per capita income, basic drinking water, and sanitation facilities, domestic and external health expenditures, and public awareness against open defecation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazmul Hassan
- Department of Economics, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh
| | - S M Woahid Murad
- Department of Economics, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali, 3814, Bangladesh.
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26
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Noghanibehambari H. Intergenerational health effects of Medicaid. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2022; 45:101114. [PMID: 35074717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2022.101114] [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: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper investigates the effects of the introduction of Medicaid during the 1960s on next generations' birth outcomes. A federal mandate that all states must widen the coverage to all cash welfare recipients generated cross-state variations in Medicaid eligibility, specifically among nonwhites who largely overrepresented the target population. I implement a reduced-form difference-in-differences strategy that compares the birth outcomes of mothers born in states with higher cash welfare recipiency versus low welfare recipiency and different years relative to the Medicaid implementation year. Using Natality data (1970-2004), I find that Medicaid significantly improves birth outcomes. The effects are considerably larger among nonwhites, specifically blacks. The effects do not appear to be driven by preexisting trends in birth outcomes, preexisting trends in households' socioeconomic characteristics, changes in other welfare expenditures, and selective fertility. A back-of-an-envelope calculation points to a minimum of 3.9% social externality of Medicaid through income rises due to next generations' improvements in birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid Noghanibehambari
- Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison 53706, WI, USA.
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27
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Chen Y, Yang Y, Yao Y, Wang X, Xu Z. Spatial and dynamic effects of air pollution on under-five children's lower respiratory infections: an evidence from China 2006 to 2017. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:25391-25407. [PMID: 34841486 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17791-x] [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: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution has been a deeply concerned issue posing an immediate and profound threat to human's lower respiratory health in China. The health of children under 5 years old, regarded as a key index of public health progress in a country, is closely related to the long-term human capital development. Hence, it is vital to investigate the potential association between air pollution and children's lower respiratory health outcomes and to explore related policy implications regarding the public health and the pollution regulation. As air pollutants diffuse across adjacent regions rather easily, considering the spatial spillover effect is meaningful in course of acquiring the aforementioned association. Based on the proposed province-level panel dataset of China during 2006-2017, this study constructs a dynamic spatial panel Durbin model to investigate the impact of air pollution on under-five children's lower respiratory infections. As a result, (1) both air pollution and children's respiratory health have obvious spatial spillover effects, and the latter has an outstanding characteristic of path dependence in time. (2) In the short term, air pollution presents significant negative impact on children's respiratory health, while in the long run, the impact decreases dramatically. (3) Regional comparison indicates that children in the western China are the most susceptible to air pollution followed by children in the central and eastern regions. (4) Other control variables have significant and varying impacts both in the short and long term. Particularly, this paper proves the existence of "siphon effect" in children healthcare system in China. From a broader and more comprehensive perspective, this study provides effective and constructive basis for policy making, in favor of improving children's health under air pollution and promoting sustainable development in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Chen
- Business School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, China
| | - Yining Yang
- Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C8, Canada
| | - Yongna Yao
- National Office for Maternal and Child Health Surveillance of China, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuehao Wang
- China Europe International Business School, Shanghai, 201206, China
| | - Zhongwen Xu
- Business School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, China.
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28
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Theoretical Model and Actual Characteristics of Air Pollution Affecting Health Cost: A Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19063532. [PMID: 35329214 PMCID: PMC8954907 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19063532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impact of environmental pollution (such as air pollution) on health costs has received a great deal of global attention in the last 20 years. METHODS This review aims to summarize the theoretical analysis model of air pollution affecting health costs, and further explore the actual characteristics of the impact of air pollution on health costs. The following main databases were taken into account: Web of Science Core Collection, Medline, SCOPUS, PubMed, and CNKI (China). As of 30 March 2021, we retrieved a total of 445 papers and ended up with 52 articles. RESULTS This review mainly expounds clarification of the concept of air pollution and health costs, the theoretical model and the actual characteristics of air pollution affecting health costs. In addition, it also discusses other related factors affecting health costs. CONCLUSION Our conclusion is that, while academic research on the relationship between air pollution and health costs has made some progress, there are still some shortcomings, such as insufficient consideration of individual avoidance behavior and rural-urban and international mobility. Therefore, the simple use of the original data obtained in the statistical yearbook of the health cost caused by air pollution is also the reason for the errors in the empirical results. In addition, the choice of proxy variables of environmental pollution by scholars is relatively simple, mainly focusing on air pollutants, while the impact of water quality or soil pollution safety on health costs is becoming increasingly prominent, and will become the focus of future research.
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29
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Li D, Xiao H, Ma S, Zhang J. Health Benefits of Air Quality Improvement: Empirical Research Based on Medical Insurance Reimbursement Data. Front Public Health 2022; 10:855457. [PMID: 35309228 PMCID: PMC8927649 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.855457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Measuring the health benefits of air quality improvement is a new perspective for evaluating government investment in pollution control. Improving air quality can reduce the burden on medical insurance funds and patients themselves; however, patients with higher reimbursement rates are more affected by air quality changes. This study calculated health benefits using medical insurance reimbursement data from a sample city in China. The results show that for every 10 μg/m3 decrease in PM2.5, patients' average medical cost will decrease by CNY 1,699 (USD 263.6), and the loss of ordinary working and living time will decrease by 1.24 days. PM2.5 has a more significant impact on patients with chronic respiratory diseases and inpatients with circulatory diseases. Suppose the city's annual PM2.5 concentration drops to the national standard of 35 μg/m3. In that case, it will bring more than CNY 1.28 billion (USD 198 million) in health benefits, accounting for 18% of the city's annual investment in environmental protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Li
- School of Public Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China
| | - Han Xiao
- School of Economics, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuang Ma
- School of Economics and Statistics, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Shuang Ma
| | - Jiangxue Zhang
- Beijing Key Lab of Study on Sci-Tech Strategy for Urban Green Development, School of Economics and Resource Management, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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30
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Rangel MA, Tomé R. Health and the Megacity: Urban Congestion, Air Pollution, and Birth Outcomes in Brazil. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19031151. [PMID: 35162175 PMCID: PMC8835072 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We studied the health effects of economic development in heavily urbanized areas, where congestion poses a challenge to environmental conditions. We employed detailed data from air pollution and birth records around the metropolitan area of São Paulo, Brazil, between 2002 and 2009. During this period, the megacity experienced sustained growth marked by the increases in employment rates and ownership of durable goods, including automobiles. While better economic conditions are expected to improve infant health, air pollution that accompanies it is expected to do the opposite. To untangle these two effects, we focused on episodes of thermal inversion—meteorological phenomena that exogenously lock pollutants closer to the ground—to estimate the causal effects of in utero exposure to air pollution. Auxiliary results confirmed a positive relationship between thermal inversions and several air pollutants, and we ultimately found that exposure to inversion episodes during the last three months of pregnancy led to sizable reductions in birth weight and increases in the incidence of preterm births. Increased pollution exposure induced by inversions also has a significant impact over fetal survival as measured by the size of live-birth cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos A. Rangel
- Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA;
| | - Romina Tomé
- American Institutes for Research, Arlington, VA 22202, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-202-403-5029
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Liu X, Miao H, Behrman JR, Hannum E, Liang Z, Zhao Q. The Asian Games, air pollution and birth outcomes in South China: An instrumental variable approach. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2022; 44:101078. [PMID: 34864318 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2021.101078] [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: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We estimate the effects of air-pollution exposure on low birthweight, birthweight, and prematurity risk in South China, for all expectant mothers and by maternal age group and child sex. We do so by exploiting exogenous improvement in air quality during the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, when strict regulations were mandated to assure better air quality. We use daily air-pollution levels collected from monitoring stations in Guangzhou, the Asian Games host city, and Shenzhen, a nearby control city, between 2009 and 2011. We first show that air quality during the Asian Games significantly improved in Guangzhou, relative to Shenzhen. Next, using birth-certificate data for both cities for 2009-2011 and using expected pregnancy overlap with the Asian Games as an instrumental variable, we study the effects of three pollutants (PM10, SO2, and NO2) on birth outcomes. Four main conclusions emerge: 1) air pollutants significantly reduce average birthweight and increase preterm risk; 2) for birthweight, late pregnancy is most sensitive to PM10 exposure, but there is not consistent evidence of a sensitive period for other pollutants and outcomes; 3) for birthweight, babies of mothers who are at least 35 years old show more vulnerability to all three air pollutants; and 4) male babies show more vulnerability than female babies to PM10 and SO2, but birthweights of female babies are more sensitive than those of male babies to NO2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Liu
- Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, 3718 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA19104, USA.
| | - Huazhang Miao
- Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jere R Behrman
- Department of Economics and Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, 3718 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Emily Hannum
- Department of Sociology and Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, 3718 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zhijiang Liang
- Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Qingguo Zhao
- Epidemiological Research Office of Key Laboratory of Male Reproduction and Genetics National Health and Family Planning Commission, Family Planning Research Institute of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
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Khadka A, Canning D. Understanding the Pathways from Prenatal and Post-Birth PM 2.5 Exposure to Infant Death: An Observational Analysis Using US Vital Records (2011-2013). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:258. [PMID: 35010519 PMCID: PMC8751133 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010258] [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: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We studied the relationship of prenatal and post-birth exposure to particulate matter < 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) with infant mortality for all births between 2011 and 2013 in the conterminous United States. Prenatal exposure was defined separately for each trimester, post-birth exposure was defined in the 12 months following the prenatal period, and infant mortality was defined as death in the first year of life. For the analysis, we merged over 10 million cohort-linked live birth-infant death records with daily, county-level PM2.5 concentration data and then fit a Structural Equation Model controlling for several individual- and county-level confounders. We estimated direct paths from the two exposures to infant death as well as indirect paths from the prenatal exposure to the outcome through preterm birth and low birth weight. Prenatal PM2.5 exposure was positively associated with infant death across all trimesters, although the relationship was strongest in the third trimester. The direct pathway from the prenatal exposure to the outcome accounted for most of this association. Estimates for the post-birth PM2.5-infant death relationship were less precise. The results from our study add to a growing literature that provides evidence in favor of the potential harmful effects on human health of low levels of air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aayush Khadka
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - David Canning
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
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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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Ressler RW, Paxton P, Velasco K, Pivnick L, Weiss I, Eichstaedt JC. Nonprofits: A Public Policy Tool for the Promotion of Community Subjective Well-being. JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND THEORY : J-PART 2021; 31:822-838. [PMID: 34608375 PMCID: PMC8482971 DOI: 10.1093/jopart/muab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Looking to supplement common economic indicators, politicians and policymakers are increasingly interested in how to measure and improve the subjective well-being of communities. Theories about nonprofit organizations suggest that they represent a potential policy-amenable lever to increase community subjective well-being. Using longitudinal cross-lagged panel models with IRS and Twitter data, this study explores whether communities with higher numbers of nonprofits per capita exhibit greater subjective well-being in the form of more expressions of positive emotion, engagement, and relationships. We find associations, robust to sample bias concerns, between most types of nonprofit organizations and decreases in negative emotions, negative sentiments about relationships, and disengagement. We also find an association between nonprofit presence and the proportion of words tweeted in a county that indicate engagement. These findings contribute to our theoretical understanding of why nonprofit organizations matter for community-level outcomes and how they should be considered an important public policy lever.
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Wang SY, Cheng YY, Guo HR, Tseng YC. Air Pollution during Pregnancy and Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18189784. [PMID: 34574710 PMCID: PMC8467611 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18189784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Air pollutants have been linked to some diseases in humans, but their effects on the nervous system were less frequently evaluated. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurondevelopmental disorders of which the etiology is still unknown. We conducted a study in Taiwan to evaluate the possible associations between prenatal exposure to air pollutants and ASD. From a random sample of one million people in the National Insurance Research Database, we identified all the infants born between 1996 and 2000. We followed them till the end of 2013 and identified cases of ASD. We traced back the mothers’ residence and assessed the exposure to air pollutants using the data obtained from the air quality monitoring database maintained by the government, which included ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matters with diameter less than 10 µm (PM10). Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to evaluate the associations between childhood ASD and exposures to the pollutants in the three trimesters and the whole gestation. We identified a total of 63,376 newborns and included 62,919 as the study cohort. After adjusting for other risk factors, we observed trimester-specific associations between levels of CO, NO2, and PM10 and the risk of childhood ASD. An increase of 1 ppm of CO in the first, second, and third trimester was associated with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.93 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.55–2.39), 1.77 (95%CI: 1.41–2.22), and 1.75 (95%CI: 1.39–2.21), respectively. An increase of 10 ppb in the level of NO2 in the first, second, and third trimester was associated with an HR of 1.39 (95%CI: 1.22–1.58), 1.25 (95%CI: 1.10–1.42), and 1.18 (95%CI: 1.03–1.34), respectively. In conclusion, we found that exposures to CO and NO2 in all three trimesters were associated with increased risks of developing ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yuan Wang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medical, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (S.-Y.W.); (Y.-Y.C.); (H.-R.G.)
| | - Ya-Yun Cheng
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medical, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (S.-Y.W.); (Y.-Y.C.); (H.-R.G.)
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - How-Ran Guo
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medical, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan; (S.-Y.W.); (Y.-Y.C.); (H.-R.G.)
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan 704, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Cheng Tseng
- Department of Tourism, Food, and Beverage Management, College of Management, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 711, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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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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37
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Lee H, Lee HK, Lee K. Is personality linked to season of birth? PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253815. [PMID: 34170954 PMCID: PMC8232405 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253815] [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: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The environment is a very significant factor in early childhood development. Season of birth (SOB) is a proxy viable for the environment to which the babies are exposed, thus also significant in early development. This study investigates the association between SOB and personality. A total 2,962 college students were included as study participants. The participants were classified into four seasonal groups based on their birth month and underwent a personality assessment using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multinomial logistic regression analysis. The male participants born in autumn scored high on the Disorderliness (NS4) subscale (β = 0.055, P = 0.042) and the male participants born in summer and winter scored high on the Extravagance (NS3) subscale (summer: β = 0.072, P = 0.01, winter: β = 0.078, P = 0.003). The difference observed indicates a relationship between the SOB and temperament, especially NS. Our findings suggest that environmental factors may affect temperament in early development, although further research is likely needed to clarify the causality between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoseon Lee
- Seodaemoonbom Psychiatric Clinic, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Kyung Lee
- Department of Nursing, College of Nursing and Health, Kongju National University, Gongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kounseok Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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38
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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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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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Chaudhry TT, Mir A. The Impact of Prenatal Exposure to Ramadan on Child Anthropomorphic Outcomes in Pakistan. Matern Child Health J 2021; 25:1136-1146. [PMID: 33909206 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-021-03154-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study analyzes the intent-to-treat effect of prenatal exposure to Ramadan (the Islamic month of fasting) on outcomes including stunting and underweight for children under age 5 years in Pakistan born between 2003 and 2018. METHODS The study uses observational data from four rounds of the UN-supported Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) data collected on 204,186 children under-5 from Punjab, Pakistan in 2007-2008, 2010-2011, 2013-2014, and 2017-2018. Excluding data on outliers and observations with incomplete data, multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted on the appended cross-sectional data of 179,943 children under-5 to assess the risk of stunting or underweight according to the month of gestation coinciding with Ramadan. RESULTS We observe a significant increase in the risk of stunting and underweight associated with exposure to Ramadan following an inverted-U pattern. The peak impact of Ramadan exposure on a child being underweight occurs in the third month of pregnancy, where the probability of being underweight is 20 percent higher as compared to children whose gestation did not coincide with Ramadan. The peak impact of Ramadan exposure on stunting occurs in the fourth month of pregnancy, where the probability of stunting is 22 percent higher as compared to children whose gestation did not coincide with Ramadan. These results vary little by gender. In contrast, exposure to Ramadan in the ninth month of gestation is associated with a reduction in the risk of stunting for boys and underweight for both boys and girls. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE Our analysis indicates that prenatal exposure to Ramadan during the first two trimesters have negative implications for children's growth. The study highlights the critical role of maternal habits during early pregnancy, especially nutritional intake, for the long-term physical development of children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Thompson Chaudhry
- Department of Economics, Lahore School of Economics, Intersection Main Blvd DHV Ph VI and Burki Rd., Burki, Lahore, 53200, Pakistan.
| | - Azka Mir
- Department of Economics, Lahore School of Economics, Intersection Main Blvd DHV Ph VI and Burki Rd., Burki, Lahore, 53200, Pakistan
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Abstract
Using ArcGIS to analyze satellite derived PM2.5 estimates, this paper obtains the average concentration and maximum concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in China's 31 provinces from 2002 to 2015. We adopt fixed effects model and spatial Durbin model to investigate the association between PM2.5 and perinatal mortality rates. The results indicate that PM2.5 has a significantly positive association with perinatal mortality rates. A 1% increase of log-transformed average concentration and maximum concentrations of PM2.5 is associated with 1.76‰ and 2.31‰ increase of perinatal mortality rates, respectively. In spatial econometrics analysis, we find PM2.5 has significant spatial autocorrelation characteristics. The concentrations of log-transformed average and maximum PM2.5 increase 1% is associated with a 2.49% increase in a 2.49‰ and 2.19‰ increase of perinatal mortality rates, respectively. The potential mechanism is that air pollution has an impact on infant weight to impact perinatal mortality rates.
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42
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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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43
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Fang Z, Wu PY, Lin YN, Chang TH, Chiu YH. Air Pollution's Impact on the Economic, Social, Medical, and Industrial Injury Environments in China. Healthcare (Basel) 2021; 9:healthcare9030261. [PMID: 33804567 PMCID: PMC7999317 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9030261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In this era of rapid economic development, it is inevitable that economic activities eventually cause serious damage to the environment’s air quality, making it the focus of global public health. If the treatment efficiency of medical accidents can be improved, then this can significantly stabilize society and improve production efficiency. Past research has mainly focused on work safety and health issues, seldom discussing economic, social, medical, and environmental pollution issues together, and, most generally, adopted static methods that fail to recognize how air pollution affects the overall economy, society, medical care, and external environment. In order to more deeply understand the changes among social, economic activities, and environmental issues due to air pollution, this study proposes a meta-two-stage undesirable dynamic DDF (Direction Distance Function) that, under an exogenous model, divides the 30 provinces of China into high-income regions and middle-income regions and explores the economic, social, medical, and environmental efficiencies between the two areas to resolve the lack of related static analyses. The empirical results are as follows. (1) The AQI (air quality index) significantly impacts the efficiency of medical injuries in various regions. (2) When the AQI is considered, the medical insurance expenditure efficiency score value of high-income areas is lower than the value without the AQI. (3) When the AQI is considered, the efficiency value of the number of work injury insurance benefits in the middle-income area is lower than the efficiency value without the AQI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong Fang
- School of Economics, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007, China;
| | - Pei-Ying Wu
- Department of Applied Foreign Languages, Cheng Shiu University, 840, Chengcing Rd., Niaosong District, Kaohsiung City 83347, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
| | - Yi-Nuo Lin
- Department of Economics, Soochow University 56, Kueiyang St., Sec. 1, Taipei 10048, Taiwan; (Y.-N.L.); (T.-H.C.); (Y.-h.C.)
| | - Tzu-Han Chang
- Department of Economics, Soochow University 56, Kueiyang St., Sec. 1, Taipei 10048, Taiwan; (Y.-N.L.); (T.-H.C.); (Y.-h.C.)
| | - Yung-ho Chiu
- Department of Economics, Soochow University 56, Kueiyang St., Sec. 1, Taipei 10048, Taiwan; (Y.-N.L.); (T.-H.C.); (Y.-h.C.)
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44
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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: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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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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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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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48
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Bobonis GJ, Stabile M, Tovar L. Military training exercises, pollution, and their consequences for health. JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS 2020; 73:102345. [PMID: 32623131 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2020.102345] [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: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Militaries around the world perform training exercises in preparation for war. We study the relationship between in utero exposure to military exercises (bombing) and early-life health outcomes, combining data on naval bombing exercises in Vieques, Puerto Rico, and the universe of births from 1990 to 2003. Using a differences-in-differences design, we find that the sudden end of bombing practices is associated with a 56-79% decrease in the incidence of congenital anomalies. The evidence is generally consistent with the channel of environmental pollution through increases in contaminant levels in waters surrounding the live impact area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo J Bobonis
- Department of Economics, University of Toronto, BREAD, 150 St. George St., Room 304, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G7, Canada.
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Berg EL, Pedersen LR, Pride MC, Petkova SP, Patten KT, Valenzuela AE, Wallis C, Bein KJ, Wexler A, Lein PJ, Silverman JL. Developmental exposure to near roadway pollution produces behavioral phenotypes relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders in juvenile rats. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:289. [PMID: 32807767 PMCID: PMC7431542 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00978-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies consistently implicate traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and/or proximity to heavily trafficked roads as risk factors for developmental delays and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs); however, there are limited preclinical data demonstrating a causal relationship. To test the effects of TRAP, pregnant rat dams were transported to a vivarium adjacent to a major freeway tunnel system in northern California where they were exposed to TRAP drawn directly from the face of the tunnel or filtered air (FA). Offspring remained housed under the exposure condition into which they were born and were tested in a variety of behavioral assays between postnatal day 4 and 50. To assess the effects of near roadway exposure, offspring of dams housed in a standard research vivarium were tested at the laboratory. An additional group of dams was transported halfway to the facility and then back to the laboratory to control for the effect of potential transport stress. Near roadway exposure delayed growth and development of psychomotor reflexes and elicited abnormal activity in open field locomotion. Near roadway exposure also reduced isolation-induced 40-kHz pup ultrasonic vocalizations, with the TRAP group having the lowest number of call emissions. TRAP affected some components of social communication, evidenced by reduced neonatal pup ultrasonic calling and altered juvenile reciprocal social interactions. These findings confirm that living in close proximity to highly trafficked roadways during early life alters neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L. Berg
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Lauren R. Pedersen
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Michael C. Pride
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Stela P. Petkova
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - Kelley T. Patten
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA USA
| | - Anthony E. Valenzuela
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA USA
| | - Christopher Wallis
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Air Quality Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Keith J. Bein
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Air Quality Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Anthony Wexler
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Air Quality Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA USA
| | - Pamela J. Lein
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, CA USA
| | - Jill L. Silverman
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA USA
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Karimi SM, Pouran H, Majbouri M, Moradi-Lakeh M, Hakimian H. Saharan sand and dust storms and neonatal mortality: Evidence from Burkina Faso. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 729:139053. [PMID: 32498181 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
West African populations are exposed to the longest and harshest dust storms on the planet, the Saharan sand and dust storms (SDS). Nonetheless, little is known about the effects of the severe storms on early-life health in West Africa. This study investigated the association of the risk of neonatal mortality, an indicator of the population's early-life health, with potential prenatal and neonatal exposure to the Saharan SDS. Data on 30,552 under-five children from Burkina Faso's 1993, 2003, and 2010 demographic and health surveys were matched to the particulate matters (PM) and terrestrial air temperature and precipitation forecasts. Exposure to dust events was measured by the number of days with average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations above a series of threshold. Intensity-dependent patterns of associations between neonatal mortality and both prenatal and birth month exposure to dust events were identified. There was no association if average daily PM10 and PM2.5 levels were <60 and 30 μg/m3, respectively. However, strong associations, which increase almost linearly with the intensity of exposure, were identified when daily PM10 and PM2.5 levels ranged from 70 to 150 and from 40 to 70 μg/m3, respectively. At the higher PM levels, the association for the gestation period decreased, but that for the birth month remained mostly unresponsive to changes in the PM levels. Larger associations were identified when siblings were compared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed M Karimi
- University of Louisville, Department of Health Management and System Sciences, United States of America.
| | - Hamid Pouran
- University of Wolverhampton, Department of Science and Engineering, United Kingdom.
| | - Mahdi Majbouri
- Babson College, Department of Economics, United States of America.
| | - Maziar Moradi-Lakeh
- Iran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Community Medicine, Iran.
| | - Hassan Hakimian
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Middle Eastern Studies Department, Qatar.
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