Air Pollution Shortens Life Expectancy and Health Expectancies for Older Adults: The Case of China

Ming Wen, University of Utah
Danan Gu, United Nations Population Division

This study is among the first to quantify the contribution of air pollution to reduced life expectancy and health expectancy in China, using a nationally representative sample of older adults. Five health outcomes were examined including IADL, ADL, self-rated health, cognitive impairment, and chronic conditions. Net of the impacts of individual socio-demographic factors and community economic resources, exposure to outdoor air pollution directly corresponded to reductions of life expectancy and health expectancy for all five health outcomes. These detrimental pollution effects were stronger for women than men. The largest gap in health expectancy between lightly polluted and heavily polluted areas was 3.78 years for women of age 65. And the largest gap in health expectancy between lightly polluted and heavily polluted areas was 5.26 years based on ADL for women of age 65. Adding up to the population level, these human and health costs are tremendous posing serious threats to human and economic development in China.