China School of Banking and Finance, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China.
Faculty of Economics, China Sichuan Administration Institute, Chengdu, China.
Front Public Health. 2024 Aug 21;12:1446248. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1446248. eCollection 2024.
With the aging population, the relationship between human health and the ecological environment has gained increasing attention. In China, it is imperative to evaluate the policy effects of the Environmental Protection Tax (EPT) on improving the ecological environment and enhancing the health of middle-aged and older adult people.
This study, based on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), employs a Difference-in-Differences (DID) model to assess the health effects of the EPT policy.
The findings indicate that the EPT policy significantly improves the health of middle-aged and older adult individuals and reduces the prevalence of chronic diseases. The EPT policy affects the health of middle-aged and older adult through two main mechanisms: emission reduction and psychological effects. These are evidenced by reductions in PM10 particle concentration and sulfur dioxide emissions, improvements in public sleep quality and memory, and significant changes in environmental awareness and concern.
Heterogeneity analysis reveals differences across urban and rural areas, age groups, and education levels. Following the implementation of the EPT policy, there are notable improvements in reduction of chronic diseases among rural residents, self-rated health among urban residents, and overall health among the older adult and individuals with a junior high school education or lower. The study's results confirm the importance of environmental policies in promoting public health, providing a reference for the refinement of the EPT system, and offering insights for environmental pollution control in developing countries.
随着人口老龄化，人类健康与生态环境的关系受到越来越多的关注。在中国，评估环境保护税（EPT）政策对改善生态环境和提高中老年人健康的政策效果至关重要。
本研究基于中国健康与养老追踪调查（CHARLS）的数据，采用双重差分（DID）模型评估 EPT 政策的健康效应。
研究结果表明，EPT 政策显著改善了中老年人的健康状况，降低了慢性病的患病率。EPT 政策通过两种主要机制影响中老年人的健康：减排和心理效应。这表现在 PM10 颗粒物浓度和二氧化硫排放量的降低、公众睡眠质量和记忆力的提高，以及环境意识和关注的显著变化。
异质性分析显示出城乡、年龄组和教育水平的差异。EPT 政策实施后，农村居民慢性病减少、城市居民自评健康状况改善、以及年龄较大和初中及以下教育程度的人群整体健康状况得到显著提升。研究结果证实了环境政策在促进公众健康方面的重要性，为 EPT 制度的完善提供了参考，并为发展中国家的环境污染控制提供了启示。
