Impacts of household air pollution on cognitive impairment: evidence from China

Cognitive impairment is now a major concern in public health in many countries. Previous studies have found that ambient air pollution can cause great damage to cognitive function among older adults. However, the impact of household air pollution ( HAP ) on cognitive function is not well elaborated. In this study, we used a nationally representative longitudinal survey for middle-aged and older individuals in China, combined with a propensity score matching method, we found that HAP has a significant adverse effect on the cognitive functions among the middle-aged and older Chinese individuals. The heterogeneity analysis also indicated that the associations are generally higher in females, individuals aged 60 years or older, and individuals who lived in the urban area. Our findings suggest that switching the type of household fuel may be of great public health value for the prevention of cognitive impairment.