California Center for Population Research

Smoke from forest fires blanketed the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra in late 1997. Population-based longitudinal survey data are combined with satellite measures of aerosol levels to assess the impact of the fires on adult health. To account for unobserved differences between haze and non-haze areas, we compare changes in health of individual respondents. Between 1993 and 1997, individuals exposed to haze experienced greater increases in difficulties with activities of daily living than their counterparts in non-haze areas. Results for respiratory and general health, though more complicated to interpret, suggest the haze had a negative impact on these dimensions of health.