scholarly journals Analyzing Individual-Level Secondary Data with Instrumental Variable Methods Is Useful for Studying the Effects of Air Pollution on Dementia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly C. Bishop ◽  
Sehba Husain-Krautter ◽  
Jonathan D. Ketcham ◽  
Nicolai V. Kuminoff ◽  
Corbett Schimming
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Instrumental Variable ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Medicare Claims Data ◽  
Advance Knowledge ◽  
Air Quality Data

We hypothesize that analyzing individual-level secondary data with instrumental variable (IV) methods can advance knowledge of the long-term effects of air pollution on dementia. We discuss issues in measurement using secondary data and how IV estimation can overcome biases due to measurement error and unmeasured variables. We link air-quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s monitors with Medicare claims data to illustrate the use of secondary data to document associations. Additionally, we describe results from a previous study that uses an IV for pollution and finds that PM2.5’s effects on dementia are larger than non-causal associations.

scholarly journals Analyzing Individual-Level Secondary Data with Instrumental Variable Methods Is Useful for Studying the Effects of Air Pollution on Dementia

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23
Author(s):  
Kelly C. Bishop ◽  
Sehba Husain-Krautter ◽  
Jonathan D. Ketcham ◽  
Nicolai V. Kuminoff ◽  
Corbett Schimming
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Instrumental Variable ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Medicare Claims Data ◽  
Advance Knowledge ◽  
Air Quality Data

We hypothesize that analyzing individual-level secondary data with instrumental variable (IV) methods can advance knowledge of the long-term effects of air pollution on dementia. We discuss issues in measurement using secondary data and how IV estimation can overcome biases due to measurement error and unmeasured variables. We link air-quality data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s monitors with Medicare claims data to illustrate the use of secondary data to document associations. Additionally, we describe results from a previous study that uses an IV for pollution and finds that PM2.5’s effects on dementia are larger than non-causal associations.

scholarly journals The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (37) ◽  
pp. 9193-9197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Xi Chen ◽  
Xiaobo Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Aging Brain ◽  
High Stake ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Air Quality Data

This paper examines the effect of both cumulative and transitory exposures to air pollution for the same individuals over time on cognitive performance by matching a nationally representative longitudinal survey and air quality data in China according to the exact time and geographic locations of the cognitive tests. We find that long-term exposure to air pollution impedes cognitive performance in verbal and math tests. We provide evidence that the effect of air pollution on verbal tests becomes more pronounced as people age, especially for men and the less educated. The damage on the aging brain by air pollution likely imposes substantial health and economic costs, considering that cognitive functioning is critical for the elderly for both running daily errands and making high-stake decisions.

scholarly journals Anthropogenic Effects on Forest Ecosystems at Various Spatio-Temporal Scales

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 827-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bredemeier
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Long Range ◽  
Acid Deposition ◽  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Soil Productivity ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
The World

The focus in this review of long-term effects on forest ecosystems is on human impact. As a classification of this differentiated and complex matter, three domains of long-term effects with different scales in space and time are distinguished: 1- Exploitation and conversion history of forests in areas of extended human settlement 2- Long-range air pollution and acid deposition in industrialized regions 3- Current global loss of forests and soil degradation.There is an evident link between the first and the third point in the list. Cultivation of primary forestland — with its tremendous effects on land cover — took place in Europe many centuries ago and continued for centuries. Deforestation today is a phenomenon predominantly observed in the developing countries, yet it threatens biotic and soil resources on a global scale. Acidification of forest soils caused by long-range air pollution from anthropogenic emission sources is a regional to continental problem in industrialized parts of the world. As a result of emission reduction legislation, atmospheric acid deposition is currently on the retreat in the richer industrialized regions (e.g., Europe, U.S., Japan); however, because many other regions of the world are at present rapidly developing their polluting industries (e.g., China and India), “acid rain” will most probably remain a serious ecological problem on regional scales. It is believed to have caused considerable destabilization of forest ecosystems, adding to the strong structural and biogeochemical impacts resulting from exploitation history.Deforestation and soil degradation cause the most pressing ecological problems for the time being, at least on the global scale. In many of those regions where loss of forests and soils is now high, it may be extremely difficult or impossible to restore forest ecosystems and soil productivity. Moreover, the driving forces, which are predominantly of a demographic and socioeconomic nature, do not yet seem to be lessening in strength. It can only be hoped that a wise policy of international cooperation and shared aims can cope with this problem in the future.

scholarly journals Air Pollution and Human Sperm Sex Ratio

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 907-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michał Radwan ◽  
Emila Dziewirska ◽  
Paweł Radwan ◽  
Lucjusz Jakubowski ◽  
Wojciech Hanke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Human Sperm ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Aerodynamic Diameter ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Air Quality Data

The present study was designed to address the hypothesis that exposure to specific air pollutants may impact human sperm Y:X chromosome ratio. The study population consisted of 195 men who were attending an infertility clinic for diagnostic purposes and who had normal semen concentration of 15–300 mln/ml (WHO, 2010). Participants represented a subset of men in a multicenter parent study conducted in Poland to evaluate environmental factors and male fertility. Participants were interviewed and provided a semen sample. The Y:X ratio was assessed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Air quality data were obtained from the AirBase database. In multivariate analysis the significant reduction was observed in the proportion of Y/X chromosome bearing sperm and exposure to particulate matter >10 μm in aerodynamic diameter PM10 ( p = .009) and particulate matter <10 μm in aerodynamic diameter PM2.5 ( p = .023). The observed effects of a lower Y:X sperm chromosome ratio among men exposed to air pollution support the evidence that the trend of declining sex ratio in several societies over past decades has been due to exposure to air pollution; however due to limited data on this issue, the obtained results should be confirmed in longitudinal studies.

scholarly journals Long-term effects of air pollution on ankle-brachial index

2018 ◽  
Vol 118 ◽  
pp. 17-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siqi Zhang ◽  
Kathrin Wolf ◽  
Susanne Breitner ◽  
Florian Kronenberg ◽  
Massimo Stafoggia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Ankle Brachial Index ◽  
Long Term Effects

scholarly journals Immigration and the Diffusion of Technology: The Huguenot Diaspora in Prussia

2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Hornung
Keyword(s):  
Instrumental Variable ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Skilled Worker ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Diffusion Of Technology ◽  
Variable Approach ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Skilled Immigration ◽  
Instrumental Variable Approach

This paper analyzes long-term effects of skilled-worker immigration on productivity for the Huguenot migration to Prussia. In 1685, religiously persecuted French Huguenots settled in Brandenburg-Prussia and compensated for population losses due to plagues during the Thirty Years’ War. We combine Huguenot immigration lists from 1700 with Prussian firm-level data on the value of inputs and outputs in 1802 in a unique database to analyze the effects of skilled immigration to places with underused economic potential. Exploiting this settlement pattern in an instrumental-variable approach, we find substantial long-term effects of Huguenot settlement on the productivity of textile manufactories. (JEL J24, J61, L67, N33, N63, O33, O47)

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