Residential air pollution, greenspace, and adverse mental health outcomes in the U.S. Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174434
• Publication Date: 2024-07-02T06:19:41Z
• Authors: Emily Werder; Kaitlyn Lawrence; Xinlei Deng; W. Braxton Jackson; Kate Christenbury; Ian Buller; Lawrence Engel; Dale Sandler
• Keywords: Male; Adult; Air Pollutants; Depression; Nitrogen Dioxide; Environmental Exposure; Middle Aged; Anxiety; Southeastern United States; Mental Health; Cross-Sectional Studies; Air Pollution; Humans; Particulate Matter; Female; Follow-Up Studies

Air pollution and greenness are environmental determinants of mental health, though existing evidence typically considers each exposure in isolation. We evaluated relationships between co-occurring air greenspace levels depression anxiety. estimated cross-sectional associations among 9015 Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study participants living the southeastern U.S. who completed Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (depression: score ≥ 10) Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 (anxiety: 10). Participant residential addresses were linked to annual average concentrations particulate matter (1 km PM2.5) nitrogen dioxide NO2), as well satellite-based (2 Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)). used adjusted log-binomial regression estimate prevalence ratios (PR) 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for exposures (quartiles) In mutually models (simultaneously modeling PM2.5, NO2, EVI), highest quartile PM2.5 was associated with increased (PR = 1.17, CI: 1.06–1.29), whereas inversely 0.89, 0.80–0.99). Joint mitigated impact on (PRPM only 1.20, 1.06–1.36; PRPM+green 0.98, 0.83–1.16) anxiety 1.10, 1.00–1.22; 0.95, 0.83–1.09) overall subgroup analyses. Observed stronger urbanized areas nonwhite participants, varied by neighborhood deprivation. NO2 not independently or this population. Relationships greenness, strongest presence characteristics that highly correlated lower socioeconomic status, underscoring need consider health an justice issue.