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Seasonal Allergies and Accidents

Author

Listed:
  • Mika Akesaka

    (Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration, Kobe University, JAPAN)

  • Hitoshi Shigeoka

    (The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Public Policy)

Abstract

Seasonal allergies affect over 400 million people globally, yet the broader economic consequences of pollen exposure remain understudied. Evidence from Japan’s ambulance records suggests that high-pollen days are associated with increases in accidents, including traffic accidents and work-related injuries, which may reflect impaired cognitive performance. Retail scanner data and cellphone mobility records indicate that individuals already engage in avoidance behaviors, such as purchasing allergy products and limiting outdoor activities on weekends. This suggests that relying on individual self-protection may be insufficient to offset these risks, and thus greater government intervention may be warranted to mitigate pollen-related harm.

Suggested Citation

  • Mika Akesaka & Hitoshi Shigeoka, 2023. "Seasonal Allergies and Accidents," Discussion Paper Series DP2023-17, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University, revised Sep 2026.
    • Handle: RePEc:kob:dpaper:dp2023-17
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rieb.kobe-u.ac.jp/academic/ra/dp/English/DP2023-17.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2020
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yuhei Miyauchi & Kentaro Nakajima & Stephen J Redding, 2025. "The Economics of Spatial Mobility: Theory and Evidence Using Smartphone Data," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 140(4), pages 2507-2570.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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