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Allergy test: Seasonal allergens and performance in school

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  • Marcotte, Dave E.

Abstract

Seasonal pollen allergies affect approximately 1 in 5 school age children. Clinical research has established that these allergies result in large and consistent decrements in cognitive functioning, problem solving ability and speed, focus and energy. However, compared to air pollution, the impact of pollen and seasonal allergies on achievement in schools has received less attention from economists. Here, I use data on daily pollen counts merged with school district data to assess whether variation in the airborne pollen that induces seasonal allergies is associated with performance on state reading and math assessments. I find substantial and robust effects: A one standard deviation in ambient pollen levels reduces the percent of 3rd graders passing ELA assessments by between 0.2 and 0.3 standard deviations, and math assessments by between about 0.3 and 0.4 standard deviations. I discuss the empirical limitations as well as policy implications of this reduced-form estimate of pollen levels in a community setting.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcotte, Dave E., 2015. "Allergy test: Seasonal allergens and performance in school," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 132-140.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:40:y:2015:i:c:p:132-140
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2015.01.002
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    1. Janet Currie & Matthew Neidell, 2005. "Air Pollution and Infant Health: What Can We Learn from California's Recent Experience?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(3), pages 1003-1030.
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    3. Victor Lavy & Avraham Ebenstein & Sefi Roth, 2014. "The Long Run Human Capital and Economic Consequences of High-Stakes Examinations," NBER Working Papers 20647, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Tom Chang & Joshua Graff Zivin & Tal Gross & Matthew Neidell, 2016. "Particulate Pollution and the Productivity of Pear Packers," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 8(3), pages 141-169, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jessica Sauve‐Syed, 2024. "Lead exposure and student outcomes: A study of Flint schools," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 432-448, March.
    2. Simon Søbstad Bensnes, 2015. "You sneeze, you lose: The impact of pollen exposure on cognitive performance during high-stakes high school exams," Working Paper Series 16615, Department of Economics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
    3. Bensnes, Simon Søbstad, 2016. "You sneeze, you lose:," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 1-13.
    4. Chalfin, Aaron & Danagoulian, Shooshan & Deza, Monica, 2019. "More sneezing, less crime? Health shocks and the market for offenses," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    5. Marcotte, Dave E., 2017. "Something in the air? Air quality and children's educational outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 141-151.
    6. Diego Aboal & Andrés López & Roxana Maurizio & Paz Queraltó, 2021. "Automatización y empleo en Uruguay," Revista Desarrollo y Sociedad, Universidad de los Andes,Facultad de Economía, CEDE, vol. 87(1), March.
    7. Chen, Fanglin & Zhang, Xin & Chen, Zhongfei, 2023. "Behind climate change: Extreme heat and health cost," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 101-110.
    8. Kuroda, Yuta, 2022. "The effect of pollen exposure on consumption behaviors: Evidence from home scanner data," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Allergies; Air quality; Achievement; Human capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General

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