When Externalities Collide: Influenza and Pollution

Joshua Graff Zivin, Matthew Neidell, Nicholas Sanders and Gregor Singer

No 27982, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Influenza and air pollution each pose significant health risks with global economic consequences. Their shared etiological pathways present a case of compounding health risk via interacting externalities. Using instrumental variables based on changing wind direction, we show increased levels of contemporaneous pollution increase influenza hospitalizations. We exploit random variation in effectiveness of the influenza vaccine as an additional instrument to show vaccine protection neutralizes this relationship. Thus, pollution control and vaccination campaigns jointly provide greater returns than those implied by addressing either in isolation. We show the importance of this consideration in addressing observed gaps in influenza incidence by race.

JEL-codes: H23 I12 Q53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene, nep-env and nep-hea
Note: EEE EH PE
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Published as Joshua Graff Zivin & Matthew Neidell & Nicholas J. Sanders & Gregor Singer, 2023. "When Externalities Collide: Influenza and Pollution," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 320-351, April.

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Related works:
Journal Article: When Externalities Collide: Influenza and Pollution (2023)
Working Paper: When externalities collide: influenza and pollution (2021)
Working Paper: When Externalities Collide: Influenza and Pollution (2021)
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