Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution and Its Health Impact in Chile

Air pollution poses a significant global health threat, with nearly 99% of the population exposed to levels exceeding WHO recommendations. In Chile, where several cities rank among the most polluted in Latin America, both outdoor air pollution (PM10) and indoor pollution from solid fuel use are major contributors to adverse health outcomes. This study examines the impact of indoor and outdoor air pollution on emergency care visits for respiratory and circulatory diseases using weekly panel data at the municipality level in Chile’s most polluted regions. Indoor pollution is proxied by the share of households using solid fuels, while PM10 concentrations represent outdoor exposure. We employ Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) models with fixed effects for year, week, and municipality to control for unobserved heterogeneity and shared shocks. To address potential endogeneity—particularly the link between pollution exposure and socioeconomic disadvantage—we implement a two-stage least squares (2SLS) approach with an instrumental variable. Results indicate that both solid fuel use and PM10 levels are significantly associated with increased emergency visits, especially for respiratory diseases. The study draws on data from national meteorological, air quality, health, and socioeconomic sources. Our findings emphasize the compounded health risks of environmental pollution and underscore the need for targeted interventions in energy policy and public health. By integrating indoor and outdoor pollution sources, this research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of environmental health burdens and supports progress toward Sustainable Development Goals related to health, clean energy, and inequality reduction.