Air pollution linked to depressive symptoms in adolescents
Higher ozone levels predicted increase in depressive symptoms over time,
study finds

Date:
March 14, 2022
Source:
American Psychological Association
Summary:
Exposure to ozone from air pollution has been linked to an
increase in depressive symptoms for adolescents over time, even
in neighborhoods that meet air quality standards, according to
new research.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Exposure to ozone from air pollution has been linked to an increase in depressive symptoms for adolescents over time, even in neighborhoods
that meet air quality standards, according to new research published by
the American Psychological Association.


========================================================================== Ozone is a gas that is produced when various pollutants from motor vehicle exhaust, power plants and other sources react to sunlight. Higher ozone
levels have been linked to various physical ailments, including asthma, respiratory viruses and premature death from respiratory causes. This
study is the first to link ozone levels to the development of depression symptoms in adolescents over time. Those symptoms may include persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, difficulty with concentration,
sleep disturbances and thoughts about suicide.

"I think our findings really speak to the importance of considering air pollution's impact on mental health in addition to physical health,"
said lead researcher Erika Manczak, PhD, an assistant professor of
psychology at the University of Denver.

The researchers analyzed data from a previous study about early life
stress with 213 adolescent participants (aged 9 to 13 years old) in
the San Francisco Bay area. The researchers compared data about the adolescents' mental health over a four-year period with Census tracts
for their home addresses and air quality data for those tracts from the California Environmental Protection Agency.

Adolescents who lived in areas with relatively higher ozone levels showed significant increases in depressive symptoms over time, even though the
ozone levels in their neighborhoods didn't exceed state or national air
quality standards. The findings weren't affected by the participants'
sex, age, race, household income, parental education or socioeconomic characteristics of their neighborhoods. The research was published online
in Developmental Psychology.

"It was surprising that the average level of ozone was fairly low
even in the communities with relatively higher ozone exposure,"
Manczak said. "This really underscores the fact that even low levels
of ozone exposure have potentially harmful effects." Ozone and other components of air pollution can contribute to high levels of inflammation
in the body, which has been linked to the onset and development of
depression. Adolescents may be especially sensitive to these effects
because they spend more time outdoors.

The study included a relatively small sample size from one area of the
United States. The findings are correlational so it can't be proven that
ozone levels caused an increase in depressive symptoms, only that there
is a link between them. It's also possible that other components of air pollution besides ozone could be a factor.

Because air pollution disproportionately affects marginalized communities, ozone levels could be contributing to health disparities, Manczak said.

Communities also should consider ways to reduce ozone exposure, such
as holding youth sporting events indoors when necessary and limiting
driving during peak hours of air pollution alerts. Investment in clean and renewable energy sources that reduce air pollution also could be helpful.

"I believe state and federal air quality standards should be stricter,
and we should have tighter regulations on industries that contribute to pollution," Manczak said. "Our findings and other studies suggest that
even low levels of ozone exposure can pose potentially serious risks to
both physical and mental health."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by
American_Psychological_Association. Note: Content may be edited for
style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Erika M. Manczak, Jonas G. Miller, and Ian H. Gotlib. Census Tract
Ambient Ozone Predicts Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms in
Adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 2022 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001310 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220314095659.htm

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