,

    The health effects of air pollution in the Netherlands

    23 January 2025

    MAG 2024-II. Authors: Rik Rozendaal (Universiteit Leiden – Rechtsgeleerdheid), Lieke Beekers (Universiteit Leiden – Rechtsgeleerdheid).

    This project studies the causal effects of air pollution on medication prescriptions, hospitalizations, and health care expenditures. We aim to combine detailed administrative data from Statistics Netherlands with records from the RIVM (Dutch: Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu) on local air pollution. We use several econometric methods to identify the causal effect of air pollution at an individual’s place of residence on health outcomes. Due to the richness of the data and the application of various novel econometric techniques, we are able to present findings on both short- and long-term outcomes. Furthermore, we are able to present these results across various subgroups, including gender, age, and income levels. Our results aim to inform policymakers about the benefits of policies that reduce air pollution.

    Photo by Janusz Walczak on Unsplash