"Placebo Tests" for the Impacts of Air Pollution on Health: The Challenge of Limited Health Care Infrastructure
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 111,
May 2021
(pp. 371-75)
Abstract
"Placebo tests" are normally used to support evidence of pollution impacts on health outcomes. In this study, we argue that one should be cautious to proceed with falsification tests. We examine how a large metropolitan area in Brazil copes with increased health-care demand due to high air pollution under hospital capacity constraints. Using wind as an instrument, we find that the pollution exposure increases pediatric hospitalization for respiratory diseases while the number of planned procedures decreases in public hospitals. On average, for every four additional pollution-related admissions, one elective care procedure is displaced. Urgent procedures are not displaced.Citation
Guidetti, Bruna, Paula Pereda, and Edson Severnini. 2021. ""Placebo Tests" for the Impacts of Air Pollution on Health: The Challenge of Limited Health Care Infrastructure." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 111: 371-75. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20211031Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- Q53 Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
- I12 Health Behavior
- O13 Economic Development: Agriculture; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Other Primary Products
- O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
- I15 Health and Economic Development
- I11 Analysis of Health Care Markets