Working Paper: NBER ID: w31593
Authors: Mika Akesaka; Hitoshi Shigeoka
Abstract: Although at least 400 million people suffer from seasonal allergies worldwide, the adverse effects of pollen on “non-health” outcomes, such as cognition and productivity, are relatively understudied. Using ambulance archives from Japan, we demonstrate that high pollen days are associated with increased accidents and injuries—one of the most extreme consequences of cognitive impairment. We find some evidence of avoidance behavior in buying allergy products but limited evidence in curtailing outdoor activity, implying that the cognitive risk of pollen exposure is discounted. Our results suggest that policymakers may wish to consider programs to raise public awareness of the risk and promote behavioral change.
Keywords: seasonal allergies; pollen; accidents; cognition; public health
JEL Codes: I12; J24; Q51; Q53; Q54
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| high daily pollen counts (Q53) | increase in various types of accidents (R41) |
| high daily pollen counts (Q53) | increase in traffic accidents (R48) |
| high daily pollen counts (Q53) | increase in work-related injuries (J28) |
| high daily pollen counts (Q53) | increase in sports injuries (Z22) |
| high daily pollen counts (Q53) | increase in fire accidents (J28) |
| cognitive impairment from pollen exposure (D91) | increase in accident rates (R41) |
| high daily pollen counts (Q53) | increase in spending on allergy-related products (H51) |
| high daily pollen counts (Q53) | limited evidence of reduced outdoor activity (Q26) |
| pollen exposure (Q16) | no strong evidence of medium-term adaptation (D29) |
| climate change (Q54) | increased pollen-induced accidents (R41) |
| increased pollen exposure due to rising temperatures (Q54) | significant social costs (F69) |