New study links air pollution to death by suicide, suicidal thoughts

A review of available evidence has linked exposure to air pollutants with an increased risk of death by suicide or suicidal thoughts with particulate matter PM25 and PM10 and nitrogen dioxide NO2 posing the greatest risksThe findings published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health underscore the need to consider environmental exposures as potentially modifiable risk factors in suicide prevention strategies researchers saidThe team from Queens University Belfast in the UK analysed results from 29 studies that looked at the effects of air pollution exposure on suicide and suicidal thoughtsThe interplay of individual biological and contextual factors means that suicide prevention is really a public health issue they saidHowever while the effect of environmental exposures on mental health outcomes such as depression or anxiety has been extensively studied the potential role of environmental factors on the risk of suicide is less well understood the researchers saidThis metaanalysis shows statistically significant positive associations between shortterm exposure to PM25 and PM10 longterm exposure to PM25 and NO2 and risk of death by suicide attempted suicide and suicide ideation the authors wrotePositive links might exist for other air pollutants including sulphur dioxide and ozone and noise pollution the team addedThe results highlight the importance of considering environmental exposures as modifiable risk factors in suicide prevention they saidThe researchers explained that air pollutants and water polluted with arsenic lead lithium or nitrate have been linked to neurological effects including chronic inflammation and nerve damage which can impair brain function and influence mood and stress resilienceFurther traffic and other environmental noise and light pollution has been suggested in studies to increase stress levels through a disruption of the body clock they saidBen Mullins professor at Curtin Universitys school of population health in Australia said the study has undertaken one of the first metaanalyses exploring the link between air pollution and suicideIt is well known that many air pollutants specifically many metals may cause wideranging neurological effects including depression anxiety etc Therefore a link between air pollutant exposure and mental health disorders including suicide is not unexpected Mullins not involved with the study saidHowever the effect sizes in the included studies were relatively small and the authors did not adequately address confounding factors or other explanatory variables Mullins saidThe professor added For example other studies have found stronger links between weather and climate extremes and suicide These extremes are however in turn often associated with air pollution eventsMore work to decouple these effects as well as socioeconomic or other confounders is needed in order to better understand this important issue including causation mechanisms and potential mitigation Mullins saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever