Lauren Pinault1, Errol M Thomson2, Tanya Christidis1, Ian Colman3, Michael Tjepkema1, Aaron van Donkelaar4, Randall V Martin5, Perry Hystad6, Hwashin Shin7, Daniel L Crouse8, Richard T Burnett7. 1. Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. 2. Hazard Identification Division, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. 3. Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. 4. Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. 5. Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. 6. College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University. 7. Population Studies Division, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. 8. Health Effects Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A growing number of epidemiological studies have linked air pollution exposure to psychological conditions. Laboratory studies indicate that air pollutants can activate the neuroendocrine stress axis and modulate stress hormone levels, which could contribute to the development or exacerbation of psychological distress. The present study examined the spatial associations between air pollutants (fine particulate matter [PM2.5], nitrogen dioxide [NO2] and ground-level ozone [O3]) and psychological distress among subjects in the most populous provinces in Canada. DATA AND METHODS: Subjects were sampled from the Canadian Community Health Survey in three regions (Quebec in 2005 [n=25,800], British Columbia and Alberta in 2005 [n=23,000], and Ontario in 2011 [n=36,000]), and were assigned estimates of annual exposure to three ambient air pollutants (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) for the same years. Individual psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), based on anxiety and depressive symptoms in the past month. Regression models (both ordinary least squares and simultaneous autoregressive models) were applied to estimate associations between K10 distress scores and each air pollutant, after adjusting for individual (demographic, socioeconomic and behavioural) and neighbourhood covariates.. RESULTS: Psychological distress was positively associated with PM2.5 and NO2 in all three regions, and with O3 in Quebec. However, after further adjusting for individual and neighbourhood covariates, the associations between distress and air pollution remained statistically significant only in Quebec. DISCUSSION: Some evidence for positive associations between psychological distress and ambient air pollution after adjusting for spatial autocorrelation was found.
BACKGROUND: A growing number of epidemiological studies have linked air pollution exposure to psychological conditions. Laboratory studies indicate that air pollutants can activate the neuroendocrine stress axis and modulate stress hormone levels, which could contribute to the development or exacerbation of psychological distress. The present study examined the spatial associations between air pollutants (fine particulate matter [PM2.5], nitrogen dioxide [NO2] and ground-level ozone [O3]) and psychological distress among subjects in the most populous provinces in Canada. DATA AND METHODS: Subjects were sampled from the Canadian Community Health Survey in three regions (Quebec in 2005 [n=25,800], British Columbia and Alberta in 2005 [n=23,000], and Ontario in 2011 [n=36,000]), and were assigned estimates of annual exposure to three ambient air pollutants (PM2.5, NO2 and O3) for the same years. Individual psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), based on anxiety and depressive symptoms in the past month. Regression models (both ordinary least squares and simultaneous autoregressive models) were applied to estimate associations between K10 distress scores and each air pollutant, after adjusting for individual (demographic, socioeconomic and behavioural) and neighbourhood covariates.. RESULTS: Psychological distress was positively associated with PM2.5 and NO2 in all three regions, and with O3 in Quebec. However, after further adjusting for individual and neighbourhood covariates, the associations between distress and air pollution remained statistically significant only in Quebec. DISCUSSION: Some evidence for positive associations between psychological distress and ambient air pollution after adjusting for spatial autocorrelation was found.
Entities:
Keywords:
Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10); PM2.5; ambient air pollution; distress; fine particulate matter; ground-level ozone; nitrogen dioxide