"Invisible Killer": Seasonal Allergies and Accidents / Mika Akesaka, Hitoshi Shigeoka.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Akesaka, Mika.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Shigeoka, Hitoshi.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w31593.

NBER working paper series no. w31593

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2023.

Summary:

Although at least 400 million people suffer from seasonal allergies worldwide, the adverse effects of pollen on "non-health" outcomes, such as cognition and productivity, are relatively understudied. Using ambulance archives from Japan, we demonstrate that high pollen days are associated with increased accidents and injuries--one of the most extreme consequences of cognitive impairment. We find some evidence of avoidance behavior in buying allergy products but limited evidence in curtailing outdoor activity, implying that the cognitive risk of pollen exposure is discounted. Our results suggest that policymakers may wish to consider programs to raise public awareness of the risk and promote behavioral change.

Notes:

Print version record

August 2023.