Particulate matter and human vulnerability: impacts on cognition, respiratory health, and public safety

Abstract

This dissertation explores the broad impacts of air pollution on human vulnerability by examining how environmental stressors affect cognitive performance, respiratory health, and public safety. Focusing primarily on fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the study conducts three empirical analyses using behavioral, health, and transportation data. Chapter 1 uses chess performance as a proxy for cognitive function and estimates the effect of PM2.5 exposure on decision-making using fixed-effects logistic regression and a beta regression model. The results show that higher PM2.5 concentrations significantly reduce winning probability, with stronger effects observed among older, higher-income, and male players. Precipitation, relative humidity, rating difference, and age all have positive effects on winning percentage, while the opposite was true for the income variable. Chapter 2 investigates the link between air pollution and asthma prevalence using multinomial logistic regression and U.S. health survey data. Lagged exposure to PM2.5 and SO2 increases the likelihood of currently having asthma, while higher temperature and humidity reduce asthma risks. Women with higher BMI, higher frequency of smoking, poorer general health condition, and younger age have higher asthma recurrence rates. Interaction effects suggest that SO2 has a weaker impact among older individuals. Chapter 3 analyzes crash-level data from Colorado between 2007 and 2020 to examine the relationship between air pollution, weather, and traffic accidents. Negative binomial regression results indicate that PM2.5 and low visibility are associated with more frequent accidents. Accident counts are higher in locations and times with more DUI involvement, female drivers, PM2.5 amplifies the effect of over speeding and DUI. The number of crashes is higher on Wednesdays and relatively low at night. Together, these chapters provide novel evidence that air pollution has diverse and significant consequences for cognitive capacity, chronic disease, and public safety, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated environmental and public health policies.