Health Effects of Air Pollution in China

Abstract

Background Rapid economic and social development in China has resulted in severe air pollution and consequent adverse impacts on society. The health effects of air pollution have been widely studied. Methods Using information from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) database, we established a hierarchical linear model combining pollution and socioeconomic and psychosocial variables to examine the effects of air pollution on public health in China. Local air pollution was characterized in multiple dimensions. Results The relationship of health to its determinants greatly differed between Eastern and Central/Western China. Higher education, higher income level, better life satisfaction, and long-term marriage were significantly associated with better health status among Chinese. In addition, regional healthcare resources were positively associated with the health of residents. As indicated by the hierarchical model with health as dependent variable, in Central/Western China, longest duration of good air quality in spring/summer was positively associated with health (estimated coefficient = 0.067, standard error = 0.026), while the mean Air Quality Index (AQI) in autumn/winter was inversely associated with health (estimated coefficient = -0.082, standard error = 0.031). Good air quality in the current study is defined as daily average AQI less than 35. Conclusions Duration (in days) of acceptable air quality was particularly important for improving public health. Future policies should target increased duration of good air quality while managing air pollution by controlling or decreasing severe air pollution.

Keywords: air pollution; health effect; hierarchical linear model.

Figure 1

Correlation between health scores and longest duration of good air quality in autumn/winter in Central/Western China (The size of the dots represents population health in Central/Western China, and the color represents the longest duration of good air quality in autumn/winter in Central/Western China).

Figure 2

Correlation between health scores and longest duration of good air quality in autumn/winter in Central/Western China, stratified by region. (Solid lines indicate the fitted linear regression, and the grey regions indicate 95% confidence intervals. The dots represent cities in Central/Western China, and the triangles represent cities in Eastern China. The sizes of the dots and triangles represent sample size).