Study on the effects of air pollution on cognitive ability of middle-aged and elderly people
FAN Dan1,2, YANG Xiao-hong1, YANG Zhong-yuan1
1. Department of Economics, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian 116025, China; 2. Center for Econometric Analysis and Forecasting, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian 116025, China
Abstract:Using data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS), this paper evaluated the impact of air pollution on cognitive ability and its transmission path of middle-aged adults and senior citizens in China by using two-stage least square method, and further analyzed the heterogeneity of different types of pollutants. It was found that air pollution was significantly and negatively correlated with cognitive ability of middle-aged people and their even older counterparts, and a string of robustness tests showed that the results were robust. Mechanism analysis and heterogeneity analysis showed that air pollution indirectly impacted individuals' cognitive ability through shaping their moods, states, sports, social activities, health and memory, and air pollution had a greater adverse impact on cognitive ability of the elderly, women, people with poor health behaviors and lower socioeconomic status. Further study found that PM2.5, PM10, SO2, CO yield remarkable cognitive depreciation effect can improve cognitive ability of the middle-aged and senior citizens. This paper centers on air pollution and a greying population in China, identifying the potential health effects of air pollution on cognitive ability among Chinese residents, which to some extent provides a realistic basis and policy reference for the national healthy environment governance and the achievement of healthy aging.
范丹, 杨萧鸿, 杨中园. 空气污染对中老年人认知能力的影响[J]. 中国环境科学, 2023, 43(1): 394-403.
FAN Dan, YANG Xiao-hong, YANG Zhong-yuan. Study on the effects of air pollution on cognitive ability of middle-aged and elderly people. CHINA ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCECE, 2023, 43(1): 394-403.
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