Data and Code for "Killing Prescriptions Softly: Low Emission Zones and Child Health from Birth to School"

Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s) Hannah Klauber, Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC); Felix Holub, House of Finance, Goethe University Frankfurt; Nicolas Koch, Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC); Nico Pestel, Maastricht University, School of Business and Economics, Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA); Nolan Ritter, Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC); Alexander Rohlf, Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC)

Version: View help for Version V1

Name	File Type	Size	Last Modified
aok			09/05/2022 09:09:PM
atc_icd			09/05/2022 09:09:PM
bast			09/05/2022 09:10:PM
geodata			09/05/2022 09:15:PM
inkar			09/05/2022 09:15:PM
kba			09/05/2022 09:15:PM
pm25			09/05/2022 10:21:PM
population			09/05/2022 10:21:PM
uba			09/05/2022 11:00:PM
uba_weather_ext			09/06/2022 12:57:AM

Project Description

Summary: We examine the persistence of the impact of early-life exposure to air pollution on children’s health from birth to school enrollment using administrative public health insurance records covering one third of all children in Germany. For identification, we exploit air quality improvements caused by Low Emission Zones, a policy imposing driving restrictions on emission-intensive vehicles. Our results indicate that children exposed to cleaner air in-utero and their first year of life require less medication for at least five years. The initially latent health response materializes only gradually, leaving important but subtle health benefits undetected in common measures of infant health.

Scope of Project

Subject Terms: policy evaluation; cohort study; air pollution; health; children; Low Emission Zone

JEL Classification:
      I12 Health Behavior
      J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
      Q53 Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
      Q58 Environmental Economics: Government Policy

Geographic Coverage: Germany

Universe: Children born in the years 2006 through 2012 in Germany.

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Published Versions

V1 [2024-04-08]

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DDI 2.5

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