The Impact of Economic Growth and Air Pollution on Public Health in 31 Chinese Cities

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 16; no. 3; p. 393
• Main Authors: Li, Ying, Chiu, Yung-Ho, Lin, Tai-Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 30.01.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants - toxicity; Air pollution; China - epidemiology; Cities; Climate Change; Cost of Illness; Data envelopment analysis; Economic Development; Efficiency; Epidemiology; Humans; Impact analysis; Mortality; Older people; Outdoor air quality; Pollutants; Public Health; Respiratory Tract Diseases - chemically induced; Respiratory Tract Diseases - epidemiology; Respiratory Tract Diseases - physiopathology; Respiratory Tract Diseases - therapy; Urban areas; China; Cities; Beijing China; Taiwan; network SBM; environmental efficiency; Epsilon-Based Measure; health expenditure
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16030393

The rapid economic growth of China in the last twenty years has caused a commensurate rise in atmospheric pollution which has had an impact on both the environment and public health. Since 2013, SO₂, CO₂ and nitrogen oxide levels have reached a level that may cause climate change and have adverse effects on the health of the local residents. Past environmental efficiency analyses have rarely examined economic development, air pollution and health as interacting systems; therefore, this study used a new two-stage DEA model, the Modified Undesirable EBM Two Stage DEA (Epsilon-Based Measure) to explore the environmental, economic and health efficiencies in thirty-one major cities in China. The results were as follows: while all cities needed to improve their GDP, the environmental efficiencies were continuing to rise in most cities. The health efficiency index indicated that disease efficiency had increased in most cities but declined in one third; therefore, it is necessary to strengthen treatment. The respiratory disease treatment efficiency in most cities was rising, and the room for improvement had significantly reduced. There were improvements in the mortality rate in 15 cities; however, the mortality rate treatment efficiency declined in 11 cities.