Exposure to air pollution linked to a greater risk of being hospitalised for mental ill health
Exposure to ‘ambient’ air pollution has been linked with a heightened risk of hospital admission for mental illness, a major new study has found.
The analysis, which involved over 200,000 people in Scotland age 17 and above, tracked hospital admissions for all causes, finding that exposure to nitrogen dioxide, especially, was associated with more people being hospitalised for behaviour disorders and mental illness.
The deleterious effects of pollution have long been examined, but these efforts have focused largely on deaths and on physical ill health, as opposed to mental health issues.
These findings, published in the journal BMJ Open and conducted by academics at the University of St Andrews, mean that ‘stricter environmental restrictions are needed to curb the impact on secondary care,’ the researchers concluded.
Included in the analysis were cardiovascular, respiratory and infectious diseases, as well as mental and behavioural disorders. Higher exposure to nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter diameter of at least 10μm (PM10) and small particulate matter of 2.5μm or less (PM2.5) were linked with a higher chance of a person being hospitalised for all causes. Higher exposure to sulphur dioxide was associated with a higher chance of hospitalisation for respiratory disease.
Data from Public Health Scotland was used to track the rates of hospital admissions. As the study is observational, so hard conclusions about the cause and effect of pollution on mental or physical health can be drawn, the authors noted. Previous research has linked growing up in an area with high levels of air pollution to developing mental health issues.
Study lead Dr Mary Abed Al Ahad said: ‘Policies and interventions on air pollution through stricter environmental regulations, long term planning, and the shifting towards renewable energy could eventually help ease the hospital care burden in Scotland in the long term.’
‘Policies and interventions targeting air pollution emissions such as zero-emission zones or incentives for renewable energy in transportation and energy production sectors could help ease the hospital-care burden in the long-term both locally and globally.’
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