Citation

Marcus M. J. Health Econ. 2017; 54: 98-123.

Affiliation

Brown University, Department of Economics, Brown University, 64 Waterman Street, Providence, RI 02912, United States. Electronic address: michelle_marcus@brown.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jhealeco.2017.04.003

PMID

28551557

Abstract

Gasoline content regulations are designed to curb pollution and improve health, but their impact on health has not been quantified. By exploiting both the timing of regulation and spatial variation in children's exposure to highways, I estimate the effect of gasoline content regulation on pollution and child health. The introduction of cleaner-burning gasoline in California in 1996 reduced asthma admissions by 8% in high exposure areas. Reductions are greatest for areas downwind from highways and heavy traffic areas. Stringent gasoline content regulations can improve child health, and may diminish existing health disparities.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Air pollution; Asthma; Gasoline content regulation; Traffic; Vehicle emissions