Financing Costs and Health Effects of Air Pollution in the Tri-City Agglomeration.
Piotr O Czechowski, Konstancja Piksa, Piotr Da Browiecki, Aneta I Oniszczuk-Jastrząbek, Ernest Czermański, Tomasz Owczarek, Artur J Badyda, Giuseppe T Cirella
Author Information
Piotr O Czechowski: Faculty of Management and Quality Science, Gdynia Maritime University, Gdynia, Poland.
Konstancja Piksa: Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdansk University of Technology, Gdansk, Poland.
Piotr Da Browiecki: Clinic of Infectious Diseases and Allergology, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
Aneta I Oniszczuk-Jastrząbek: Faculty of Economics, University of Gdansk, Sopot, Poland.
Ernest Czermański: Faculty of Economics, University of Gdansk, Sopot, Poland.
Tomasz Owczarek: Faculty of Management and Quality Science, Gdynia Maritime University, Gdynia, Poland.
Artur J Badyda: Department of Informatics and Environment Quality Research, Faculty of Building Services, Hydro- and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland.
Giuseppe T Cirella: Faculty of Economics, University of Gdansk, Sopot, Poland.
This paper examines the relationship between the presence of air pollution and incidence of selected respiratory diseases in the urban population of the Tri-City agglomeration. The study takes into consideration the specific character of the region, relating to coastal, and port-based shipping. Three research hypotheses formulated the study. General regression models were used to identify the health effects of air pollution and developed health costs were calculated in relation to the treatment of diseases. The findings have shown that air pollution and climatic conditions in the Tri-City aggravate the symptoms of bronchial asthma, while also increasing the number of cases of exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia. The evidence demonstrates the negative impact of shipping on the health condition of the inhabitants. The calculations have shown the extent of financial losses incurred in connection with the treatment of diseases found to have been caused by air pollution. The estimated health costs turned out to be significant for each of the examined diseases. The financial inefficiency of the Polish health care system has also been demonstrated. All the models have been identified for monthly data for the first time.
