Working Paper: NBER ID: w25937
Authors: Achyuta Adhvaryu; Prashant Bharadwaj; James Fenske; Anant Nyshadham; Richard Stanley
Abstract: Using two decades of data from twelve low-income countries in West Africa, we show that dust carried by harmattan trade winds increases infant and child mortality. Health investments respond to dust exposure, consistent with compensating behaviors. Despite these efforts, surviving children still exhibit negative health impacts. Our data allow us to investigate differential impacts over time and across countries. We find declining impacts over time, suggesting adaptation. Using national-level measures of macroeconomic conditions and health resources, we find suggestive evidence that both economic development and public health improvements have contributed to this adaptation, with health improvements playing a larger role.
Keywords: Dust exposure; Infant mortality; Child mortality; Public health; West Africa
JEL Codes: I18; J13; O13; Q53
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Economic development and public health improvements (I15) | Impacts of dust exposure on mortality (J17) |
| Non-firstborn children (J13) | Susceptibility to adverse effects of dust (J28) |
| Time (1986 to 2006) (C41) | Effect of PM2.5 dust on mortality (J17) |
| In utero exposure to PM2.5 dust (J13) | Infant survival (J13) |
| In utero exposure to PM2.5 dust (J13) | Infant mortality (J13) |