Assessing The public perception on Economic Impacts of Smog in Pakistan: A Case Study of Lahore

Abstract

The latest environmental issue in Lahore, the capital of Pakistan, facing smog is attributed to a number of elements including car emissions, industries, agricultural practices, climate change, geographical factors etc. Lahore is ranked 20th largest polluted city yet atmospheric particulate matter is greater than the WHO base. With the growing population, industrialization, economic growth and urbanization, industries were created which contributed to the urban populations growth who were consequently exposed to poor quality air. According to the result young people reported the highest stress (especially those under the age of 19) possibly due to their greater psychological sensitivity to the effects of smog. Females appeared to experience more stress than males potentially due to traditional (current) roles, exposures, or coping mechanisms. Marital Status: Males and females in a relationship (married) reported significantly higher stress potentially due to the additional complexities of dealing with a family during temporal or intermittent infrastructural smog issues. The factors of less income, sick days from work, and loss of revenue only had moderate correlations with symptom severity. However, we believe that financial stress likely adds to poorer health outcomes, either through increases in psychological stress, or limits to healthcare access opportunities Factors such as shift hours and workplace types (e.g. markets) were somewhat of a contributor to symptom severity, but not as meaningful as the economic and health-related variables. We are not saying that occupational exposure does not play a role, just that social determinants of health are larger players. The most significant predictors of symptom severity were frequent headaches, dizziness, eye problems, and stress; suggestive of the influence of smog not just on physical health, but also mental health. Study reveal that smog’s economic impacts are to reduced worker’s productivity, higher health cost, reduced Business hours that leading to fewer number of customers in the market.

Keywords: Socioeconomic Impacts, Health Effects, Occupational Exposure, Vehicular Emissions, Particulate Matter (PM), Public Health, Cognitive Decline, Economic Losses, Government Interventions, Geographic Factors, Urban Core, Peripheral Areas.