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This paper presents a simultaneous equation, knowledge and perception-based averting behavior model of health risk caused by air pollution, with application to the Jinchuan mining area, China. Three types of averting behavior are distinguished: (a) purchases of purifying equipment, plants, or masks; (b) purchases of preventive or curing medication or food; and (c) adjustment of daily outdoor activities. Two types of perceived health risk are distinguished: (a) risk due to the intensity of exposure and (b) risk caused by the hazardousness of pollutants. The estimations show that an increase in perceived air pollution of two or more days a week leads to a restriction of outdoor activities of approximately 90 min per person per week. Another result is that the average annual household expenditure on air filters, foods, or medicines is 206.25 CNY (US$ 31.73) to prevent the hazardousness of air pollution. The total willingness to pay for air quality improvement is 2.95% of annual net household income. Because air quality improving investments can only be implemented in the medium or long run, daily disclosure of air quality is an adequate short-run policy handle to assist residents to take the right kind and level of risk-reducing actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The link between air pollution and individual happiness is widely documented. However, the role of social engagement in pollution reduction is seldom considered in the nexus. As such, using large individual-level data from the Gallup World Poll of 151 countries for 2005–2018, this study applies a pooled cross-sectional data approach (controlling for country and year fixed effects) to examine the impact of air pollution on individual happiness and the role of social engagement in shaping the pollution-happiness relationship. The key findings of this study reveal that better air quality raises personal subjective well-being, given that the coefficient of individuals' perceived air quality is positive and statistically significant. More importantly, social engagement in pollution reduction is found to play an important moderating role in shaping the pollution-happiness relationship. Moreover, using a series of robustness checks, such as applying an alternative measure of happiness, an alternative measure of air quality (objective air quality), and using an instrumental variable estimation approach, confirms the positive effect of air quality (perceived or objective) on improving individuals' happiness and the moderating role of social engagement. Furthermore, this study reveals that different demographic characteristics (i.e., age, sex, income, marital status, and urban/rural residence) respond differently to the adverse effects of air pollution and the moderating role of social engagement in pollution reduction. Thus, some policies can be revised and proposed in light of the novel findings of social engagement. In particular, the government should take an active role in combating air pollution and improving air quality by increasing financial input and strengthening environmental protection publicity. The limitations of the study and directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annoyance caused by air pollution is a matter of public health as it can cause stress and ill-health and affect quality of life, among other burdens. The aim of this study is to apply the multiple correspondence analyses (MCA) technique as a differential tooling to explore relationships between variables that can influence peoples' behaviour concerning annoyance caused by air pollution. Data were collected through a survey on air pollution, environmental issues and quality of life. Face-to-face survey studies were conducted in two industrialized urban areas (Vitoria in Brazil and Dunkirk in France). These two regions were chosen as their inhabitants often report feeling annoyed by air pollution, and both regions have similar industrial characteristics. The results showed a progressive correspondence between levels of annoyance and other active variables in the "air pollution" factor group: as the levels of annoyance increased, the levels of the other qualitative variables (importance of air quality, perceived exposure to industrial risk, assessment of air quality, perceived air pollution) also increased. Respondents who reported feeling annoyed by air pollution also thought that air quality was very important and were very concerned about exposure to industrial risks. Furthermore, they often assessed air quality as horrible, and they could frequently perceive air pollution by dust, odours and decreased visibility. The results also showed a statistically significant association between occurrence of allergies and high levels of annoyance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on air pollution suggest that individuals perceive their neighborhoods as less polluted than their cities, termed the "halo effect." This effect is important because how people perceive air quality is highly correlated with whether they will develop coping strategies to reduce health risks from air pollution. We conducted 489 household surveys in two municipalities in south-central Chile, both highly polluted with smoke from wood-burning stoves, to identify differences in perception of air quality at the city, neighborhood, and household levels. We found evidence of a home halo effect even though studies show indoor pollution in these municipalities might be equal to or higher than outdoor pollution. The findings are relevant for local and central governments to improve their communication strategies, which to date have been focused on providing data about outdoor air pollution aggregated at the city level. More detailed and disaggregated information on the health risks linked to indoor air quality can improve residents' awareness and engagement in developing protective and coping behaviors concerning air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outdoor air pollution and especially particulate matter pollution is a major environmental health issue that raises concerns of scientists and policy makers. This study focuses on air quality perception in relation to particulate matter in order to find potential patterns. Field questionnaire-based surveys were conducted among pedestrians on two central sites in the city of Athens, Greece, during the winter period while particulate matter of 10 μm or less in diameter (PM10) were concurrently measured on-site at 1-min resolution. The participants were asked to evaluate the dust and the overall pollution-related air quality based on 5-point bipolar scales. Air quality perception patterns were explored considering PM10 concentration, meteorological and thermal conditions, and subjective variables including gender, age, smoking status, and health status. An effect of PM10 on dust perception was identified, suggesting that dusty air quality conditions are reported more frequently when particulate concentration increases. Health status, exposure time, smoking status, and gender were found to affect air quality perception. Participants experiencing health symptoms, exposed to outdoor conditions for more than 30 min, smokers, and females were more likely to report unfavorable air quality conditions. The comparison with the results of a previous study obtained using air pollution station data confirmed the dependence of air quality perception on participants’ characteristics and particularly on their health status. Ordinal logistic regression models showed that for pedestrians who were neither smokers nor experiencing health symptoms and were exposed to outdoor conditions for more than 30 min, a PM10 concentration around 64 μg·m−3 could be a threshold, to perceive dusty air quality conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]