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The effects of air pollution on human mortality: does gender difference matter in African countries?

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Abstract

The relationship between environmental factors and human health has long been a concern among academic researchers. We use two indicators of environmental pollution, namely particulate matter (PM10) and carbon dioxide (CO2) to examine the effects of poor air quality on human mortality. This study explores an issue that has largely been ignored, particularly in the African literature, where the effect of air pollution on human mortality could be influenced by gender specification. We analyse a panel data from 35 African countries and our result suggests that the elevated levels of PM10 and CO2 have a significant effect on the increasing mortality rates in infants, under-five children and adults. Although the effect of poor air quality on adults is found to differ between genders, such difference is not statistically significant. We conclude that the air pollution effects, on average, are similar between genders in the African countries.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, Faculty of Arts, Social and Management Sciences, Adamawa State University, Mubi, Nigeria

    Alhaji Jibrilla Aliyu

  2. Institute of Agricultural and Food Policy Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Normaz Wana Ismail

  3. Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics & Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM, 43400, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

    Normaz Wana Ismail

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  1. Alhaji Jibrilla Aliyu
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  2. Normaz Wana Ismail
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Correspondence to Normaz Wana Ismail.

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Aliyu, A.J., Ismail, N.W. The effects of air pollution on human mortality: does gender difference matter in African countries?. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 21288–21298 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7253-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7253-5

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