Health at risk: investigating the impacts of environmental exposure and water contamination in emerging economies

ABSTRACT

This study analyzes how population health is impacted by environmental degradation, chemical exposure, and water contamination in 35 middle-income countries between 1980 and 2022. To address endogeneity and serial correlation in the panel data, the analysis uses the dynamic ordinary least squares and fully modified ordinary least squares estimators. The empirical findings show a definite trend. Secondary education, access to clean water, improved sanitation facilities, and economic output are positively associated with life expectancy. On the contrary, CO2 emissions, industrial value added, shortage of healthcare resources, and the increased age dependency ratios are negatively correlated with the health outcomes of the population. This result is also true for other specifications and estimation techniques. The main strength of this study is the concurrent analysis of several environmental and socioeconomic factors affecting health in a single empirical model. From a policy perspective, the evidence supports three main directions. Promote cleaner technologies and emission reduction to lessen environmental and health costs, in addition to improvements in access to education and sanitation. Industrial development should be controlled by waste minimization, recycling, and renewable energy.