RIEB Discussion Paper Series No.2023-17

Title

"Invisible Killer": Seasonal Allergies and Accidents

Abstract

Although at least 400 million people suffer from seasonal allergies worldwide, the adverse effects of pollen on "non-health" outcomes, such as cognition and productivity, are relatively understudied. Using ambulance archives from Japan, we demonstrate that high pollen days are associated with increased accidents and injuries— one of the most extreme consequences of cognitive impairment. We find some evidence of avoidance behavior in buying allergy products but limited evidence in curtailing outdoor activity, implying that the cognitive risk of pollen exposure is discounted. Our results call for governmental efforts to raise public awareness of the risks and promote widespread behavioral change

Keywords

Seasonal allergies; Pollen; Accidents; Cognition; Avoidance behaviors; Adaptation; Climate change

JEL Classification

I12, J24, Q51, Q53, Q54

Inquiries

Mika AKESAKA
Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration (RIEB)
Kobe University
Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe
657-8501 Japan
Phone: +81-78-803-7036
FAX: +81-78-803-7059

Hitoshi SHIGEOKA
Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University
Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
National Bureau of Economics Research (NBER)