Abstract
BackgroundChina is experiencing environmental issues and related health effects due to its industrialization and urbanization. The health effects associated with air pollution are not just a matter of epidemiology and environmental science research, but also an important social science issue. Literature about the relationship of socioeconomic factors with the environment and health factors is inadequate. The relationship between air pollution exposure and health effects in China was investigated with consideration of the socioeconomic factors.MethodsBased on nationwide survey data of China in 2014, we applied the multilevel mixed-effects model to evaluate how socioeconomic status (represented by education and income) contributed to the relationship between self-rated air pollution and self-rated health status at community level and individual level.ResultsThe findings indicated that there was a non-linear relationship between the community socioeconomic status and community air pollution in urban China, with the highest level of air pollution presented in the communities with moderate socioeconomic status. In addition, health effects associated air pollution in different socioeconomic status groups were not equal. Self-rated air pollution had the greatest impact on self-rated health of the lower socioeconomic groups. With the increase of socioeconomic status, the effect of self-rated air pollution on self-rated health decreased.ConclusionsThis study verified the different levels of exposure to air pollution and inequality in health effects among different socioeconomic groups in China. It is imperative for the government to urgently formulate public policies to enhance the ability of the lower socioeconomic groups to circumvent air pollution and reduce the health damage caused by air pollution.
Highlights
China is experiencing environmental issues and related health effects due to its industrialization and urbanization
First, we examined the relationship between community socioeconomic status, community air pollution and community health
The coefficient of squared community socioeconomic status was significantly negative (P < 0.01), which indicated a curved relationship between community socioeconomic status and community air pollution
Summary
China is experiencing environmental issues and related health effects due to its industrialization and urbanization. The health effects associated with air pollution are not just a matter of epidemiology and environmental science research, and an important social science issue. The relationship between air pollution exposure and health effects in China was investigated with consideration of the socioeconomic factors. The social implication of air pollution has indicated an increasing number of severe problems of air pollution in China and the health effects associated with air pollution. Air pollution may cause acute or chronic health problems including mild irritation to the upper respiratory tract, chronic respiratory system disease, heart disease, lung cancer, children’s acute respiratory infection and adults’ chronic bronchitis. Some studies have examined the health inequalities associated with air pollution at regional level. A study of six districts in Sao Paulo, Brazil, demonstrated that PM10 had less effect on respiratory mortality among older adults in areas with a higher proportion of college education populations and high-income families, and it had greater effect in areas where the proportion
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