Assessing the cooking oil fume exposure impacts on Chinese women health: an influential mechanism analysis

Oil fume is always considered as a major source of indoor air pollution. This article aims to examine the effects of cooking oil fume as environmental pollution on the health of Chinese women by using the data obtained from China Labor force Dynamic Survey (CLDS). In order to estimate the effect of environmental pollution on the human health, we utilize probit model approach and baseline regression method. The results showed that oil fume has a significant negative impact on the health indicators of “physical pain, health impact on work and injury.” By conducting endogeneity analysis, our results show the robustness and indicate that oil fume has a robust effect on the women health. Heterogeneity analysis show that heavier oil fume has a negative impact on the subjective health of middle-aged and young women, while it has a significant negative impact on the objective health of middle-aged women. Analysis of the impact mechanism reveal that heavier oil fumes will reduce women’s sleep quality and will lead to the poorer health. Based on our study findings, this study proposes policy recommendations from the perspectives of the use of smoke extraction equipment, cooking methods, and sleep quality to reduce the negative impact of cooking fumes on women’s health.