AUTHOR=Zhao Yaxin , Peng Zixuan , Zhou Zhongliang , Zhai Xiaohui , Gong Shaoqing , Shen Chi , Zhang Tianci , Zhao Dantong , Cao Dan 

TITLE=The Impact of Air Pollution Controls on Health and Health Inequity Among Middle-Aged and Older Chinese: Evidence From Panel Data

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 69 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2024.1606956

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2024.1606956

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=We evaluated the long-term effects of air quality controls on health and health inequity among >45 age group Chinese.The data derived from the China Health Aging and Retirement Longitudinal Survey as well as China National Environmental Monitoring Centre. The decrease of PM2.5 and PM10 were scaled to measure air quality controls. We conducted quasi-experimental design to estimate the impact of air quality controls on self-reported health and health inequity. Health inequity was estimated by calculating the concentration index and horizontal index.Air quality controls significantly improved self-reported health by 20% (OR 1.20, 95% CI, 1.02-1.42). The poorest group have a 40% (OR 1.41, 95% CI, 0.96 to 2.08) higher probability of having excellent self-reported health after air pollution controls. There is a pro-rich health inequity, and the horizontal index decreased after air controls.Air pollution controls had a long-term positive effect on health and health equity. Results imply that the poorest population are the main beneficiaries of air pollution controls, and suggests policy makers in efforts to reduce health inequity in air pollution controls.