Allergy test: Seasonal allergens and performance in school

Abstract

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. www.econstor.eu 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, the impact of seasonal allergies on achievement in schools has received no attention at all 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. Terms of use: Documents in EconStor may D I S C U S S I O N P A P E R S E R I E S NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYIn this paper I examine the effect of pollen on school children's performance on mandatory tests of 3rd through 8th graders in the United States. We know from clinical studies that allergies limit cognitive ability. This is the first paper to estimate the impact of a widespread and chronic health problem on student achievement, often measured during the height of allergy season. 1The effect of airborne allergens on the cognitive functioning of allergy sufferers has been the subject of much attention among medical researchers.Numerous clinical studies identify effects on fatigue, mood, focus, the speed and accuracy of problem solving and reasoning. 1 There is also a substantial body of research on the effects of common treatments for allergens on many of these same outcomes. 2 Indeed, the advantages of newer generation treatments are their more limited side effects. 3 Surprisingly, the impacts of seasonal allergies in community--based settings have received almost no attention from economists.Economists have done a substantial amount of research linking exposure to air pollution on child health outcomes and development. Airborne allergens are related to this work on pollutants. However, research on air pollution generally examines the longer--term impact of exposure on development (e.g. birth weight) or health outcomes. In the case of airborne allergens, the phy...

Pollen calendars and maps of allergenic pollen in North America

“…Allergic rhinitis is a risk factor for asthma, and the two diseases are highly correlated, though allergic asthma is less prevalent (Bousquet et al 2008). Altogether, allergic diseases impose a significant financial burden in the USA, with direct cost of treatment and medications estimated at $11.2 billion in 2005 (Meltzer and Bukstein 2011), and substantial indirect costs from lower workplace productivity, adverse school performance, and reduced quality of life (Lamb et al 2006;Marcotte 2015;Nathan 2007). This burden is a significant public health concern.…”

Cognitive dysfunction and quality of life during pollen season in children with seasonal allergic rhinitis

“…CANTAB is a series of touchscreen tests, 13 which can be repeated without the risk of learning effects, making it possible to assess subjects more than once. From a total of 25 tests that the CANTAB system contains, four tests were chosen in order to assess specific cognitive functions that appeared to be affected according to previous studies 14‐17 : paired associated learning (PAL), spatial working memory (SWM), reaction time (RTI), and rapid visual information Processing (RVIP). Additionally, a fifth test, Motor screening test, was used to screen for visual, movement, and comprehensive difficulties/familiarization.…”

“…CANTAB is a series of touchscreen tests, 13 which can be repeated without the risk of learning effects, making it possible to assess subjects more than once. From a total of 25 tests that the CANTAB system contains, four tests were chosen in order to assess specific cognitive functions that appeared to be affected according to previous studies [14][15][16][17]…”

Health and Economic Activity Over the Lifecycle: Literature Review

“…Using data Israel, the US, and Norway, respectively, Lavy, Ebenstein and Roth (2014), Marcotte (2015), and Bensnes (2016) find that air pollution and pollen have large negative impacts on high-stakes high school exam scores. Lavy, Ebenstein and Roth (2014) uses data on the test scores of all students (about half of each cohort) who at the end of high school take the Bagrut exam, which is required to enter universities, for the years 2000-2002.…”