Table 2 Environmental level variables at each of the 34 study communities
TYPE OF DATA Source of data Collection method | Variables |
|---|---|
CLIMATE Official website of China Meteorological Administration Researchers record data for the 34 sites each season each year | 1. Temperature: Lowest, highest, and average temperature per season |
2. Precipitation: Lowest, highest, and average precipitation per season | |
3. Sunshine: Lowest, highest, and average time of sunshine per season | |
4. Climate alert: Types and frequencies of climate alerts per season | |
5. Natural disasters: Intensity and duration of natural disasters, including floods, forest fires, earthquakes, mud-rock flow, and typhoons | |
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Official website and annual report of Ministry of Ecology and Environment Researchers record data for the 34 sites each season each year | 6. Noise: Days noise level exceeds standard level, average intensity of noise, type of noise |
7. Atmospheric environment: Lowest, highest and average level of air pollution index (e.g., PM 2.5, SO2), average days air quality rated as ‘good’ or better | |
8. Water environment: Water quality and nutrition index of main rivers and lakes | |
9. Soil environment: Amount and quality of cultivated area | |
10. Radiation: Intensity of ionizing radiation and electromagnetic radiation | |
11. Pollution: Amount and type of waste discharged into the environment, including but not limited to solid waste, car exhaust, industrial waste | |
SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS Official website of National Bureau of Statistics and China Statistical Yearbook Researchers calculate socioeconomic indexes based on data provided in the two sources | 12. GDP index: Total and per capita GDP |
13. Aging index: Proportion of population aged over 60Â years old | |
14. Poverty gap Proportion of population living below local poverty level |