Air quality and mental health: evidence, challenges and future directions

AbstractPoor air quality is associated with poor health. Little attention is given to the complex array of environmental exposures and air pollutants that impact mental health during the life course. By gathering expertise across the air pollution and mental health fields, we summarise the findings of a rapid scoping discussion, to identify knowledge gaps and methodological challenges.. We summarise the key scientific findings, and identify knowledge gaps and methodological challenges. We propose future research priorities and the optimal methods to address them. There is emerging evidence of associations between poor air quality, both indoors and outdoors, and poor mental health and specific mental disorders. Evidence of critical periods in exposures among children and adolescents highlights the need for for more longitudinal data as the basis of early prevention policies. Particulate matter, including bioaerosols, are implicated, but form part of a complex exposome influenced by; geography, deprivation, socio-economic conditions, and biological and individual vulnerabilities. Critical knowledge gaps need to be addressed so that dedicated actions can be taken to design interventions for mitigation and prevention, reflecting ever-changing sources of air pollution. In the interim, the existing evidence base can help motivate the efforts of researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, industry, community groups, and campaigners to raise awareness and take informed action. Such work necessarily requires collaboration between a wide range of specialists. There are knowledge gaps and a need for a more substantial evidence base, for example, around bioaerosols exposure, indoor and outdoor pollution, and the mental health impacts over the life course.