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Aircraft Noise, Health, and Residential Sorting: Evidence from Two Quasi-Experiments

Author

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  • Boes, Stefan

    (University of Lucerne)

  • Nüesch, Stephan

    (University of Zurich)

  • Stillman, Steven

    (Free University of Bozen/Bolzano)

Abstract

We explore two unexpected changes in flight regulations to identify the causal effect of aircraft noise on health. Detailed yearly noise metrics are linked with panel data on health outcomes using exact address information. Controlling for individual and spatial heterogeneity, we find that aircraft noise significantly increases sleeping problems, weariness and headaches. Our pooled models substantially underestimate the detrimental health effects, which suggests that individuals self-select into residence based on their unobserved noise sensitivity and idiosyncratic vulnerability. Generally, we show that the combination of fixed effects and quasi-experiments is very powerful to identify causal effects in epidemiological field studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Boes, Stefan & Nüesch, Stephan & Stillman, Steven, 2012. "Aircraft Noise, Health, and Residential Sorting: Evidence from Two Quasi-Experiments," IZA Discussion Papers 6744, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6744
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    Cited by:

    1. Andrea Kutinova Menclova & Steven Stillman, 2020. "Maternal stress and birth outcomes: Evidence from an unexpected earthquake swarm," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(12), pages 1705-1720, December.
    2. Krekel, Christian & Rode, Johannes & Roth, Alexander, 2023. "Do Wind Turbines Have Adverse Health Impacts?," IZA Discussion Papers 16505, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Boshen Jiao & Zafar Zafari & Brian Will & Kai Ruggeri & Shukai Li & Peter Muennig, 2017. "The Cost-Effectiveness of Lowering Permissible Noise Levels Around U.S. Airports," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Hener, Timo, 2022. "Noise pollution and violent crime☆," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    5. Christian Almer & Stefan Boes & Stephan Nüesch, 2017. "Adjustments in the housing market after an environmental shock: evidence from a large-scale change in aircraft noise exposure," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 69(4), pages 918-938.
    6. Christian Almer & Stefan Boes & Stephan Nuesch, 2013. "How do Housing Prices Adjust After an Environmental Shock? Evidence from a State-Mandated Change in Aircraft Noise Exposure," Department of Economics Working Papers 11/12, University of Bath, Department of Economics.
    7. Zheng, Xian & Peng, Wenwei & Hu, Mingzhi, 2020. "Airport noise and house prices: A quasi-experimental design study," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    8. Breidenbach, Philipp & Thiel, Patrick, 2023. "Housing Prices, Airport Noise and an Unforeseeable Event of Silence," Ruhr Economic Papers 1020, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    health; noise pollution; selection bias; fixed effects; quasi-experimental data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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