Health Outcomes
A Household Study of Air Pollution Exposure, Health Outcomes, and Preventive Measures in Siddharthanagar Municipality of Nepal, 2019

In the summer of 2019, the Sustainable Development Action Lab of the Nepal Study Center (University of New Mexico) conducted a household survey (n=611) in Siddharthanagar, Nepal to study the health outcomes (respiratory conditions) associated with air pollution. Respiratory disorder bio-marker index --normal, restricted or obstructed lungs--was created using a Spirometer device, which was then correlated against various factors such as the use of preventive measures, level of outdoor exposure, and socioeconomic status. Data is still being analyzed, but some initial key finding shows that the people who work outside (labor or farmer) or those who do not wear masks tend to suffer from the respiratory-related illness. A policy requiring employers to supply mask to laborers may be warranted. A significant willingness to pay estimate also shows a strong public preference for air quality improvement in the municipality. This work was carried out with a small doctoral research grant fund provided by the International Center for Mountain Development's SANDEE grant agency, and was done as a collaboration between the NSC and the Lumbini Center for Sustainability research center (Pratiman-Neema Memorial Foundation (PNMF), Siddharthanagar, Province 5, Nepal). [Acknowledgement: NSC research team: Dr. Alok K. Bohara, Professor, Department of Economics; and UNM economics graduate students, Niraj Khatiwada and Mohammad M. Rahman; Research support team of LCS --Swati Thapa, Anup Poudel & Sharada Pathak.] Full report will be uploaded on the UNM's digital repository, Lobo Vault.