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Air Pollution Impairs Subjective Happiness by Damaging Their Health

Author

Listed:
  • Yu Liu

    (College of Management, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China)

  • Ke Zhu

    (College of Management, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China)

  • Rong-Lin Li

    (College of Management, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China)

  • Yang Song

    (College of Management, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China)

  • Zhi-Jiang Zhang

    (Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China)

Abstract

Background : The impact of air pollution on residents’ happiness remains unclear and the underlying mechanism remains unknown. We aimed to examine the direct effect of air pollution on residents’ happiness and indirect effect through mediating their health. Methods: Based on the 2017 China Comprehensive Social Survey Data (CGSS), data on happiness were retrieved from 11,997 residents in 28 provinces in China. An ordered-probit model was used to examine the effect of air pollution on residents’ happiness and health, respectively. A stepwise regression was used to derive the direct effect of air pollution on residents’ happiness and indirect effect from health impairment attributable to air pollution. Results: Air pollution was associated with lower levels of health (coef. −0.190, 95% CI −0.212, −0.167, p < 0.001), while health was positively associated with happiness (coef. 0.215, 95% CI 0.196, 0.234, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis methods showed that air pollution impacted residents’ happiness directly and indirectly: the percent of total effect that was mediated through health was 36.97%, and the ratio of indirect to direct effect was 0.5864. Conclusions: Health plays a major mediating role in the relation between air pollution and residents’ happiness. In order to alleviate the impact of air pollution on residents’ happiness, future strategies should focus on health promotion besides reducing air pollutant emission.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu Liu & Ke Zhu & Rong-Lin Li & Yang Song & Zhi-Jiang Zhang, 2021. "Air Pollution Impairs Subjective Happiness by Damaging Their Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-9, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10319-:d:647257
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jie Zhu & Chuntian Lu & Anrui Song, 2023. "Air Pollution Governance and Residents’ Happiness: Evidence of Blue Sky Defense in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Xuan Tian & Cheng Zhang & Bing Xu, 2022. "The Impact of Air Pollution on Residents’ Happiness: A Study on the Moderating Effect Based on Pollution Sensitivity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-20, June.
    3. Qianqian Liu & Guanpeng Dong & Wenzhong Zhang & Jiaming Li, 2022. "The Influence of Air Pollution on Happiness and Willingness to Pay for Clean Air in the Bohai Rim Area of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-13, May.
    4. Dongliang Yang & Xiangheng Liu & Zhichao Ren & Mingna Li, 2022. "Relation between Noise Pollution and Life Satisfaction Based on the 2019 Chinese Social Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-13, June.

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