Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Cinzia Di Novi
Author-X-Name-First: Cinzia
Author-X-Name-Last: Di Novi
Author-Email: cinzia.dinovi@sp.unipmn.it
Author-Workplace-Name: DISCE, Università Cattolica
Title: Quality and Reputation: The Indirect Effect of Fine Particulate Matter on Health through
Individuals' Life-style
Abstract: Limited literature has been published on the association between environmental
health indicators, life-style habits and ambient air pollution. We have examined the association
of asthma prevalence and the amount of health investment with daily mean concentrations of
particulate matter (PM) with a mass median aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 mm (PM 2.5 ) in
16 metropolitan areas in U.S. using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2001) data
in conjunction with the Air Quality System data collected by the Environmental Protection
Agency. A multivariate probit approach has been used to estimate recursive systems of
equations for environmental health outcome and life-styles. A piecewise linear relationship has
been postulated to describe the association between health outcome, health investment and
pollution. We have assumed one change point at AQI value of 100 which corresponds to the US
national air quality standard. The most interesting result concerns the influence of pollution on
health-improving life-style choices: below a specified threshold concentration (AQI=100) a
positive linear association exists between exposure to PM2.5 and health investments; above the
threshold the association becomes negative. Hence, only if ambient pollution is in the
`satisfactory range' (AQI level at or below 100), individuals will have incentive to invest in
health.
Length: 26
Creation-Date: 2011-03
File-URL: http://www.unicatt.it/Istituti/EconomiaImpresaLavoro/Quaderni/ieil0062.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
File-Function: First version, 2010
Number: ieil0062
Classification-JEL: I12, C31, D13, D81, Q25
Keywords: qhealth production, multivariate probit, spline, life-style, fine particulate, asthma.
Handle: RePEc:ctc:serie4:ieil0062