Study finds out : increased air pollution boosts chances of severe mental illness.
TOPLINE Exposure to higher levels of pollution can cause an increased risk of great psychological state issues, consistent with research published within the British Journal of Psychiatry, adding to growing research highlighting the hidden health costs of the climate crisis.
KEY FACTS
Patients with psychotic and mood disorders like bipolar, depression and schizophrenia who had greater exposure to pollution were more likely to be hospitalized or need community-based treatment for his or her conditions than those that did not, researchers from King’s College London and Imperial College London found.
Higher levels of dioxide at peoples’ homes led to a better risk of them needing psychological state treatment, the researchers found, and smaller increases were observed for other common pollutants like nitrogen oxides and particulate.
People exposed to a fifteen micrograms per kiloliter (µg/m³) increase in dioxide levels over one year, the average within the study was 40µg/m³—had an 18 per cent higher risk of being admitted to hospital and 32 per cent higher chance of needing outpatient care, the researchers found after examining the medical records of nearly 14,000 patients in London.
The researchers also found that a rise in small particulate of 3µg/m³ over a year, the average was 14.5µg/m³—led to an increased risk of seven for outpatient care and 11percent for hospital treatment.
The link remained seven years later when the scientists assessed the records of the same patients and the researchers said there does not seem to be another explanation for the phenomenon, though they do not rule one out.
The study, while supporting a selected part of London, likely applies to cities around the world, the researchers said, because the area studied reflects not only the pollution patterns for the entire of London but those in “all large cities with heavy diesel vehicular traffic .”
CRUCIAL QUOTE
“The environmental and climate emergency is additionally a psychological state emergency,” said Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. “If pollution is exacerbating pre-existing serious mental illnesses, like schizophrenia, manic depression and major depression, then improving air quality could reduce the pressure on psychological state services,” he said.
KEY BACKGROUND
While the study does not and cannot, being an observational study demonstrate a causal link between pollution and mental disease, it adds to growing research that means toxins within the air can have profound effects on our minds. Higher instances of depression, suicide and schizophrenia have been linked to air pollution. Long term exposure has been linked with reduced cognitive intelligence, especially among men. This adds to the many physical damage pollution can cause it. Might be affecting every part of the human body which ranges from breathing problems to skin issues. Beyond the physical effects, the climate crisis itself is inducing anxiety and fear in growing numbers of notably young people.
SOURCE
https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/08/27/increased-air-pollution-boosts-chances-of-severe-mental-illness-study-finds/