Killing Prescriptions Softly: Low Emission Zones and Child Health from Birth to School

Hannah Klauber (), Felix Holub (), Nicolas Koch (), Nico Pestel, Nolan Ritter () and Alexander Rohlf ()
Additional contact information
Hannah Klauber: Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC)
Felix Holub: Goethe University Frankfurt
Nicolas Koch: Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC)
Nolan Ritter: Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC)
Alexander Rohlf: Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC)

No 14376, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We examine the persistence of the impact of early-life exposure to air pollution on children's health from birth to school enrollment using administrative public health insurance records covering one third of all children in Germany. For identification, we exploit air quality improvements caused by the implementation of Low Emission Zones, a policy imposing driving restrictions on high-emission vehicles. Our results indicate that children exposed to cleaner air around birth require less medication for at least five years. The initially latent health response materializes only gradually in lower medication usage, leaving important but subtle health benefits undetected in common measures of infant health.

Keywords: policy evaluation; cohort study; air pollution; health; children; Low Emission Zone (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I18 Q51 Q53 Q58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 71 pages
Date: 2021-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene, nep-env, nep-hea, nep-ias and nep-tre
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Forthcoming - revised version published in: American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2024, 16 (2), 220-248

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Journal Article: Killing Prescriptions Softly: Low Emission Zones and Child Health from Birth to School (2024)
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