Measuring Health Benefits and Inequality in Pollution Control
Author Information
Author(s): Jonathan I. Levy, Susan M. Chemerynski, Jessica L. Tuchmann
Primary Institution: Harvard School of Public Health
Hypothesis
Can one appropriately quantify inequality or inequity in health benefits analysis, and if so, how?
Conclusion
The Atkinson index is the most suitable indicator for assessing health benefits inequality in pollution control policies.
Supporting Evidence
- An inequality indicator should not decrease when risk is transferred from a low-risk to high-risk person.
- The Atkinson index allows for subgroup decomposability and incorporates societal preferences for equality.
- Health benefits analysis has historically focused on aggregate benefits without considering distributional impacts.
Takeaway
This study looks at how to measure fairness in health benefits from pollution control, suggesting a specific method to help make better decisions.
Methodology
The study develops and evaluates inequality indicators for health benefits analysis, using literature surveys and illustrative examples.
Potential Biases
The approach may not satisfy all stakeholders, as it could be seen as reductionist or overly focused on outcomes.
Limitations
The analysis may not be meaningful in all contexts, and there are practical barriers in obtaining necessary data on differential risk.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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