Behind climate change: Extreme heat and health cost

Abstract

Climate change has led to significant health effects. This study uses data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) to analyze the effects of extreme heat on health. The results show that extreme heat increases morbidity, disease severity, hospitalization, and treatment costs. Each additional day of extreme high temperature leads to an increase of approximately CNY 38.97 million in health expenditure, which is a non-negligible health cost. We further consider the environmental migration situation and model specifications, and the results remain consistent. In addition, we find that male, rural, and unemployed residents are more vulnerable to extreme heat. Education and income can moderate the negative effects of extreme heat, while increasing age increases the health effects of extreme heat. In addition to the negative health effects of extreme heat, we find that extreme heat affects individual health by reducing physical activity and reducing walking commutes.