Are facemasks effective against particulate matter pollution? Evidence from the field

IF 5.5 3区 经济学 Q1 BUSINESS Journal of Environmental Economics and Management Pub Date : 2024-05-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jeem.2024.103001
Ke Chen , Yazhen Gong , Jinhua Zhao
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Abstract

The use of anti-pollution facemasks (APFs) in defense against particulate matter (PM) pollution is subject to debate as air pollution and wildfire events intensify. Inward leakage due to imperfect fitting and the Peltzman effect of people spending more time outdoors when wearing masks have led to mixed evidence regarding the effectiveness of APFs, which in turn has contributed to conflicting public messages about APFs with potentially large public health costs. We conduct a large-scale randomized field study on individuals' daily outdoor time and mask wearing behaviors and the associated health outcomes during an entire winter heating season in a provincial capital city in Northeastern China. We find that APFs used in everyday life achieved an overall efficiency of 80% in reducing respiratory or cardiovascular disease related doctor visits. Mask wearing, due to its discomfort, reduced outdoor time. However, the added protection provided by masks against PM led respondents to spend more time outdoors on smog days, and this relative Peltzman effect wiped out about 12% of APFs' health benefits. Taken together, APFs’ health benefits far exceed their financial costs. These findings call for affirmatory but careful messaging to the public about using APFs as personal protection against PM pollution.

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口罩能有效防止颗粒物污染吗?来自实地的证据
随着空气污染和野火事件的加剧,使用防污染口罩(APF)抵御微粒物质(PM)污染的问题备受争议。由于不完全贴合造成的向内泄漏以及人们戴口罩时户外活动时间更长的佩尔兹曼效应,导致有关防污染口罩效果的证据不一,这反过来又造成了有关防污染口罩的公众信息相互矛盾,并可能造成巨大的公共卫生成本。我们在中国东北某省会城市开展了一项大规模随机实地研究,调查了个人在整个冬季采暖季的日常户外活动时间、佩戴口罩行为以及相关的健康结果。我们发现,日常生活中使用的口罩在减少与呼吸道或心血管疾病相关的就诊率方面达到了 80% 的总体效率。戴口罩会带来不适,从而减少户外活动时间。然而,口罩对可吸入颗粒物的额外保护作用导致受访者在雾霾天的户外活动时间增加,这种相对的佩尔兹曼效应抹去了约 12% 的自动防护设备的健康益处。综上所述,汽车空调的健康效益远远超过其经济成本。这些研究结果要求我们向公众发出肯定但谨慎的信息,让他们了解如何使用防毒面具作为个人防护措施来抵御可吸入颗粒物污染。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
8.00
自引率
4.30%
发文量
91
期刊介绍: The Journal of Environmental Economics and Management publishes theoretical and empirical papers devoted to specific natural resources and environmental issues. For consideration, papers should (1) contain a substantial element embodying the linkage between economic systems and environmental and natural resources systems or (2) be of substantial importance in understanding the management and/or social control of the economy in its relations with the natural environment. Although the general orientation of the journal is toward economics, interdisciplinary papers by researchers in other fields of interest to resource and environmental economists will be welcomed.
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