Prenatal air pollution exposure and neonatal health
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
Standard
In: Health Economics, Vol. 31, No. 5, 01.05.2022, p. 729-759.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Prenatal air pollution exposure and neonatal health
AU - Palma, Alessandro
AU - Petrunyk, Inna
AU - Vuri, Daniela
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2022/5/1
Y1 - 2022/5/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - air pollution
KW - environmental justice
KW - environmental policies
KW - IV
KW - neonatal health
KW - Economics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122632469&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/98df501d-0888-37ba-949c-78d50e86d3af/
U2 - 10.1002/hec.4474
DO - 10.1002/hec.4474
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 35001469
VL - 31
SP - 729
EP - 759
JO - Health Economics
JF - Health Economics
SN - 1057-9230
IS - 5
ER -