TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Shui, Ailun
AU  - Berg, Gerard J. van den
AU  - Mierau, Jochen O.
AU  - Viluma, Laura
        TI  - The Impact of Mining-Induced Earthquakes on Mental Health: Evidence from the Dutch Lifelines Cohort Study and Biobank
        PY  - 2025/May/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 17925
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/publications/dp17925
        AB  - A large body of literature demonstrates that exposure to major adverse events such as natural disasters affects physical and mental health. Less is known about health consequences of long- term exposure to smaller, recurring shocks such as mining-induced earthquakes. Leveraging data from the Dutch Lifelines Cohort Study and Biobank and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, we examine mental health effects of frequent earthquakes generated by the extraction of natural gas, which was a major source of economic revenue for the Netherlands. Long-term exposure is captured by the accumulated peak ground acceleration. We employ individual-level fixed effects models to deal with selective exposure. We find that exposure increases depression and anxiety symptoms. Our results are robust to selective migration and to varying the exposure indicator. The results support a reassessment of the societal costs of the mining of natural gas.
        KW  - anxiety
KW  - depression
KW  - mental health
KW  - induced earthquakes
KW  - mining
KW  - stress
KW  - gas-extraction
        ER  -