Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/232832 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 14080
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
When examining the impacts of exposure to air pollution on health outcomes, researchers usually carry out "placebo tests" to provide evidence in support of their identification assumption. In general, this exercise targets health conditions seemingly unrelated to air pollution. In this study, we argue that one should proceed with caution when running such falsification tests. If healthcare infrastructure is limited, when we observe health shocks such as those driven by air pollution, the infrastructure needs to be adjusted to meet the increased demand by canceling or rescheduling elective and non-urgent procedures, for example. As a result, even health conditions seemingly unrelated to air pollution may be indirectly affected by pollution.
Subjects: 
placebo tests
air pollution
healthcare infrastructure
health outcomes
hospitalization for respiratory diseases and other causes
JEL: 
I15
Q53
Q56
O13
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
758.29 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.