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  4. May 2023
  5. Do Health Disparities Narrow with Pollution Disparities? Trends from California

Do Health Disparities Narrow with Pollution Disparities? Trends from California

  • Danae Hernandez-Cortes
  • Kyle C. Meng
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 113, May 2023
(pp. 372-76)
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Abstract

Pollution concentrations (PM2.5) in the United States have fallen in recent decades. Despite these improvements, disparities in concentrations between racial/ethnic groups persist. We combine administrative data on the universe of emergency room (ER) admissions across California with satellite information on PM2.5 concentrations and compare recent trends in racial/ethnic disparities for PM2.5 and asthma rates. We find that PM2.5 concentrations fell for the average Black, Hispanic, and White individual. Similarly, disparities in PM2.5

Citation

Hernandez-Cortes, Danae, and Kyle C. Meng. 2023. "Do Health Disparities Narrow with Pollution Disparities? Trends from California." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 113: 372-76. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20231128

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • D31 Personal Income, Wealth, and Their Distributions
  • I12 Health Behavior
  • I14 Health and Inequality
  • Q51 Valuation of Environmental Effects
  • Q53 Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
  • R11 Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes