Assessing the Impact of Exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub> Air Pollution on the Academic Performance of Schoolchildren in Chile

Assessing the Impact of Exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub> Air Pollution on the Academic Performance of Schoolchildren in Chile

Air pollution from particulate matter 2.5 (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) may negatively impact students’ learning due to its neurotoxic effects. Therefore, we ask: What is the effect of PM<sub>2.5</sub> air pollution on the academic performance of Chilean eighth-grade students? Objective...

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Main Authors: Andrea González-Rojas, Hanns de la Fuente-Mella, Sonnia Parra, Fernando Cancino-Haas, Catalina Coiro-Nicolas, Javiera Godoy-Saavedra, Melanie Pastén-Torres, Elizabeth Verdejo-Zamora, Agustín Dotte-González, Paulo Salinas, Martina Valencia-Narbona, Oscar Achiardi, Felipe Granada-Granada, Pablo A. Lizana, Manuel A. Bravo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
air pollution
PM<sub>2.5</sub>
children
academic performance
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/10/5474
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Summary:Air pollution from particulate matter 2.5 (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) may negatively impact students’ learning due to its neurotoxic effects. Therefore, we ask: What is the effect of PM<sub>2.5</sub> air pollution on the academic performance of Chilean eighth-grade students? Objective: To compare the academic performance of eighth-grade students living in the three most PM<sub>2.5</sub>-polluted areas of Chile with those living in the three least polluted areas. Additionally, we compared the academic performance of schools in the most and least polluted areas according to their administrative dependency. Methodology: Academic performance was assessed using the results of the 2019 SIMCE test (mathematics, and language score). The most and least polluted areas were determined based on the three-year average PM<sub>2.5</sub> levels reported by the Chilean Ministry of the Environment. Results: The mathematics and language scores were lower in schools located in areas with higher pollution PM<sub>2.5</sub> with a small effect size. When analyzing the scores by administrative dependency, students from subsidized schools in highly polluted areas obtained lower scores in all tests compared to those in less polluted areas, a pattern not observed in private or municipal schools. Conclusion: These findings suggest that PM<sub>2.5</sub> pollution alone may not fully explain variations in academic performance, highlighting the need to explore additional contributing factors.
ISSN:2076-3417

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