SMU SOE Seminar (March 14, 2023): “Invisible Killer”: Seasonal Allergy and Accidents

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ABSTRACT Despite at least 400 million seasonal allergy sufferers worldwide, the adverse effects of pollen on “non-health” outcomes, such as cognition and productivity, are surprisingly understudied. Using the ambulance archives in Japan, we are the first to demonstrate that high pollen days are associated with the increased occurrence of accidents and injuries—one of the most extreme consequences of cognitive impairment. Using geolocation data, we find limited evidence of avoidance behaviors, implying that such risk is severely discounted. Finally, the increased pollen concentrations due to climate change are projected to increase pollen-induced accidents, with a minimum social cost of USD236 million annually. Keywords: Seasonal allergy, Pollen, Accidents, Cognition, Avoidance behaviors, Adaptation, Climate change JEL Codes: I12, J24, Q51, Q53, Q54 Click here to view the CV.
		PRESENTER Hitoshi Shigeoka University of Tokyo
		RESEARCH FIELDS Health Economics Labor Economics Public Economics Behavioral Economics
		DATE: 14 March 2023 (Tuesday)
		TIME: 4pm - 5.30pm
		VENUE: Meeting Room 5.1, Level 5 School of Economics Singapore Management University 90 Stamford Road Singapore 178903