A study of the relationship between socioeconomic status and synthetic environmental indices

摘要

Background: Many studies on environmental inequities have proved unequal distribution of environmental pollution, but results remain inconclusive. Aims: The present study analyzed the relationship between socioeconomic status and overall air pollution status in Korea. Methods: Concentrations of NO2, CO, SO2, PM10 and O3 in the air were aggregated into overall air pollution status. Socioeconomic status indices include individual's data on income, education, number of household members, job, National Basic Livelihood Act recipients and neighborhood index. Neighborhood index of each district was calculated by standardizing and aggregating the district level data of number of families receiving National Basic Livelihood Act, proportion of people engaged in elementary occupation, population density and number of service industries. Regression analysis was conducted while adjusting for the effects of sex, smoking status, age and location. Results: People who graduated elementary school (β=-0.18, p=0.02), middle school (β=-0.20, p=0.01) and high school (β=-0.39, p＜0.00) live in more air-polluted districts compared to people with the education of college and higher. However, people with no education live in less air-polluted districts compared to people with education of college and higher (β=0.73, p＜0.00). People engaged in agriculture and fisheries live in districts with less air pollution compared to people engaged in administration (β=-4.43, p＜0.00), office jobs (β=-4.06, p＜0.00), sales service (β=-3.77, p＜0.00), elementary occupation (β=-4.35, p＜0.00) and others (β=-4.06, p＜0.00). People who earn less (β=-4.35, p＜0.00), are with lower neighborhood index (β=-0.04, p＜0.00), live with many household members (β=-0.18, p＜0.00) live in districts with more air pollution. However, National Basic Livelihood Act recipients (β=0.38, p=0.00) tend to live in districts with less air pollution. Conclusions: This study gives strength to the idea that environmental discrimination exists among different socioeconomic groups.