Living with particles: Disclosure of pollution information, individual responses, and health consequences

Abstract

Drawing on a panel dataset-the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS)-and other city- and individual-level datasets, this study examines the causal impact of pollution information disclosure on individual outdoor activities and the health status of the middle-aged and elderly. Using city-level variations in disclosure timing, we found that the adoption of pollution information disclosure (PID) significantly reduces the probability of outdoor exercise, especially for those living in more polluted cities. This occurs mainly through enhanced awareness of environmental pollution, particularly for those who are more educated. However, the adoption of PID does not lead to an improvement in health status.

Keywords: China; Health; Outdoor exercise; Pollution information disclosure.