Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Air Pollution And Mental Health Of Older Adults In China, Yishu Zhou, Jingyi Liu

Economics Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, we explore the association between air pollution and the mental health and depression of older adults in China. Along with the rapid economic development, concerns about air pollution and recognition of the importance of mental health have risen remarkably in China. Although no firm evidence of an association between air pollution and overall mental health has been found, the results show significant evidence of a positive relationship between air pollution and depression. Moreover, we observe the presence of concerns about environmental inequality, as people are more sensitive to contaminations caused by pollutants with high variation in densities …