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Roche IV, Ubalde-Lopez M, Daher C, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Gascon M. The Health-Related and Learning Performance Effects of Air Pollution and Other Urban-Related Environmental Factors on School-Age Children and Adolescents-A Scoping Review of Systematic Reviews. Curr Environ Health Rep 2024; 11:300-316. [PMID: 38369581 PMCID: PMC11082043 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-024-00431-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This scoping review aims to assess the impact of air pollution, traffic noise, heat, and green and blue space exposures on the physical and cognitive development of school-age children and adolescents. While existing evidence indicates adverse effects of transport-related exposures on their health, a comprehensive scoping review is necessary to consolidate findings on various urban environmental exposures' effects on children's development. RECENT FINDINGS There is consistent evidence on how air pollution negatively affects children's cognitive and respiratory health and learning performance, increasing their susceptibility to diseases in their adult life. Scientific evidence on heat and traffic noise, while less researched, indicates that they negatively affect children's health. On the contrary, green space exposure seems to benefit or mitigate these adverse effects, suggesting a potential strategy to promote children's cognitive and physical development in urban settings. This review underscores the substantial impact of urban exposures on the physical and mental development of children and adolescents. It highlights adverse health effects that can extend into adulthood, affecting academic opportunities and well-being beyond health. While acknowledging the necessity for more research on the mechanisms of air pollution effects and associations with heat and noise exposure, the review advocates prioritizing policy changes and urban planning interventions. This includes minimizing air pollution and traffic noise while enhancing urban vegetation, particularly in school environments, to ensure the healthy development of children and promote lifelong health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Valls Roche
- ISGlobal, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona-PRBB, C/ Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Mònica Ubalde-Lopez
- ISGlobal, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona-PRBB, C/ Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carolyn Daher
- ISGlobal, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona-PRBB, C/ Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- ISGlobal, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona-PRBB, C/ Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mireia Gascon
- ISGlobal, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona-PRBB, C/ Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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Michel SKF, Atmakuri A, von Ehrenstein OS. Systems for rating bodies of evidence used in systematic reviews of air pollution exposure and reproductive and children's health: a methodological survey. Environ Health 2024; 23:32. [PMID: 38539160 PMCID: PMC10976715 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-024-01069-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Translating findings from systematic reviews assessing associations between environmental exposures and reproductive and children's health into policy recommendations requires valid and transparent evidence grading. METHODS We aimed to evaluate systems for grading bodies of evidence used in systematic reviews of environmental exposures and reproductive/ children's health outcomes, by conducting a methodological survey of air pollution research, comprising a comprehensive search for and assessment of all relevant systematic reviews. To evaluate the frameworks used for rating the internal validity of primary studies and for grading bodies of evidence (multiple studies), we considered whether and how specific criteria or domains were operationalized to address reproductive/children's environmental health, e.g., whether the timing of exposure assessment was evaluated with regard to vulnerable developmental stages. RESULTS Eighteen out of 177 (9.8%) systematic reviews used formal systems for rating the body of evidence; 15 distinct internal validity assessment tools for primary studies, and nine different grading systems for bodies of evidence were used, with multiple modifications applied to the cited approaches. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) framework, neither developed specifically for this field, were the most commonly used approaches for rating individual studies and bodies of evidence, respectively. Overall, the identified approaches were highly heterogeneous in both their comprehensiveness and their applicability to reproductive/children's environmental health research. CONCLUSION Establishing the wider use of more appropriate evidence grading methods is instrumental both for strengthening systematic review methodologies, and for the effective development and implementation of environmental public health policies, particularly for protecting pregnant persons and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie K F Michel
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 650 Charles E Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Aishwarya Atmakuri
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ondine S von Ehrenstein
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 650 Charles E Young Dr S, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Pedde M, Szpiro A, Hirth RA, Adar SD. School Bus Rebate Program and Student Educational Performance Test Scores. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e243121. [PMID: 38506806 PMCID: PMC10955349 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.3121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Students who ride older school buses are often exposed to high levels of exhaust during their commutes, which may adversely affect health and school attendance. As a result, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded millions of dollars to school districts to replace older, highly polluting school buses with newer, cleaner buses. Objective To leverage the EPA's randomized allocation of funding under the 2012-2016 School Bus Rebate Programs to estimate the association between replacing old, highly polluting buses and changes in district-average standardized test scores. Design, Setting, and Participants This study examined changes in reading and language arts (RLA) and math test scores among US school district applicants to the EPA's 2012-2016 national School Bus Rebate Programs 1 year before and after each lottery by selection status. Data analysis was conducted from January 15 to July 30, 2023. Exposure Selection to receive EPA funding to replace older school buses with newer, cleaner alternatives. Main Outcomes and Measures School district changes in RLA and math test scores among students in grades 3 through 8 before and after the EPA funding lotteries by selection status were measured using an intention-to-treat approach. Results This study included 1941 school district applicants to the 2012-2106 EPA School Bus Rebate Programs. These districts had a mean (SD) of 14.6 (33.7) schools per district, 8755 (23 776) students per district, and 41.3% (20.2%) of students with free lunch eligibility. Among the applicants, 209 districts (11%) were selected for the clean bus funding. District-average student test scores did not improve among selected districts overall. In secondary analyses, however, districts replacing the oldest, highest polluting buses (ie, pre-1990) experienced significantly greater improvements in district-average test scores in the year after the lottery for RLA and math (SD improvement in test scores, 0.062 [95% CI, 0.050-0.074] and 0.025 [95% CI, 0.011-0.039], respectively) compared with districts without replacements. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, the EPA funding was not associated with student test scores overall, but in secondary analyses, the replacement of the oldest school buses was associated with improved educational performance. These findings support prioritizing clean bus replacement of the oldest buses as an actionable way for improving students' educational performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith Pedde
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Adam Szpiro
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Richard A. Hirth
- Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Sara D. Adar
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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McGrath S, Mukherjee R, Réquia WJ, Lee WC. Wildfire exposure and academic performance in Brazil: A causal inference approach for spatiotemporal data. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167625. [PMID: 37804967 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
As the frequency and intensity of wildfires are projected to globally amplify due to climate change, there is a growing need to quantify the impact of exposure to wildfires in vulnerable populations such as adolescents. In our study, we applied rigorous causal inference methods to estimate the effect of wildfire exposure on the academic performance of high school students in Brazil between 2009 and 2015. Using longitudinal data from 8,183 high schools across 1,571 municipalities in Brazil, we estimated that the average performance in most academic subjects decreases under interventions that increase wildfire exposure, e.g., a decrease of 1.8 % (p = 0.01) in the natural sciences when increasing the wildfire density from 0.0035 wildfires/km2 (first quantile in the sample) to 0.0222 wildfires/km2 (third quartile). Furthermore, these effects considerably worsened over time. Our findings highlight the adverse impact of wildfires on educational outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean McGrath
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Rajarshi Mukherjee
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Weeberb J Réquia
- Center for Environment and Public Health Studies, School of Public Policy and Government, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Wan-Chen Lee
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Weaver EB, Gad L, Zota AR. Climate change as a threat multiplier to environmental reproductive justice. Semin Perinatol 2023; 47:151843. [PMID: 37839904 PMCID: PMC10841484 DOI: 10.1016/j.semperi.2023.151843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Legacies of racial capitalism and colonialism drive present day racial disparities in perinatal health outcomes. Climate change amplifies existing social inequalities associated with environmental exposures and reproductive health, of which BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities bear a disproportionate burden. Through case studies, this article summarizes three examples of climate justice issues with reproductive healthcare outcomes: traffic related air pollution exposure, chemical exposures in personal care products and plastics, and natural disaster frequency. We advocate for incorporation of climate justice and environmental health impact into medical school curriculum, increased prenatal screening for environmental toxins, and physician engagement with local environmental issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily B Weaver
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University New York NY 10032 United States
| | - Laila Gad
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University New York NY 10032 United States
| | - Ami R Zota
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences Mailman School of Public Health Columbia University New York NY 10032 United States.
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Bechle M, Millet DB, Marshall JD. Ambient NO 2 Air Pollution and Public Schools in the United States: Relationships with Urbanicity, Race-Ethnicity, and Income. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2023; 10:844-850. [PMID: 37840817 PMCID: PMC10569168 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Schools may have important impacts on children's exposure to ambient air pollution, yet ambient air quality at schools is not consistently tracked. We characterize ambient air quality at home and school locations in the United States using satellite-based empirical model (i.e., land use regression) estimates of outdoor annual nitrogen dioxide (NO2). We report disparities by race-ethnicity and impoverishment status, and investigate differences by level of urbanicity. Average NO2 levels at home and school for racial-ethnic minoritized students are 18-22% higher than average (and 37-39% higher than for non-Hispanic, white students). Minoritized students are less likely than their white peers to live (0.55 times) and attend school (0.58 times) in areas below the World Health Organization's NO2 guideline. Predominantly minoritized schools (i.e., >50% minoritized students) are less likely than predominantly white schools (0.43 times) to be in locations below the guideline. Income and race-ethnicity impacts are intertwined, yet in large cities, racial disparities persist after controlling for income.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew
J. Bechle
- Department
of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 201 More Hall, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Dylan B. Millet
- Department
of Soil, Water, and Climate, University
of Minnesota, 439 Borlaug
Hall, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department
of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, 201 More Hall, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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Lam PH, Zang E, Chen D, Liu R, Chen K. Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Academic Performance Among Children in North Carolina. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2340928. [PMID: 37906198 PMCID: PMC10618843 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.40928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
This cross-sectional study analyzes the association of exposure to fine particulate matter and academic performance among school age children in North Carolina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pak Hung Lam
- The Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Emma Zang
- Department of Sociology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Dieyi Chen
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Riyang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
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Chakraborty J, Aun JJ. Social Inequities in Exposure to Traffic-Related Air and Noise Pollution at Public Schools in Texas. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:5308. [PMID: 37047923 PMCID: PMC10094516 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20075308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Although children are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of vehicular pollution and spend significant portions of their time at school, previous studies have not examined or compared school-level social inequities in exposure to both traffic-related air and noise pollution in the same study area. We addressed this gap through a case study in Texas-the second-largest US state based on total population and number of children. Vehicular pollution exposure was measured using: (1) outdoor concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a widely used proxy for traffic-related air pollution; and (2) road noise estimates from the US Department of Transportation's National Transportation Noise Mapping Tool. These variables were linked to data on locations and sociodemographic characteristics of children enrolled in Texas public schools. We found children attending schools with the highest exposure to both NO2 and road noise (top 25%) were significantly more likely to be Black, Hispanic, and eligible for free/reduced lunches (socioeconomically deprived). Results from multivariable generalized estimating equations that control for spatial clustering and other relevant factors revealed that schools with greater NO2 exposure were significantly more likely to serve racial/ethnic minority and younger students, while schools with greater exposure to road noise were significantly more likely to serve socioeconomically deprived and older students. These findings underscore the urgent need to reduce both air pollution and noise exposure at school locations, especially in schools attended by higher proportions of socially disadvantaged children that are often additionally burdened with other challenges.
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Rawat N, Kumar P. Interventions for improving indoor and outdoor air quality in and around schools. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159813. [PMID: 36411671 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Students spend nearly one third of their typical day in the school environment, where they may be exposed to harmful air pollutants. A consolidated knowledge base of interventions to reduce this exposure is required for making informed decisions on their implementation and wider uptake. We attempt to fill this knowledge gap by synthesising the existing scientific literature on different school-based air pollution exposure interventions, their efficiency, suitability, and limitations. We assessed technological (air purifiers, HVAC - Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning etc.), behavioural, physical barriers, structural, school-commute and policy and regulatory interventions. Studies suggest that the removal efficiency of air purifiers for PM2.5, PM10, PM1 and BC can be up to 57 %, 34 %, 70 % and 58 %, respectively, depending on the air purification technology compared with control levels in classroom. The HVAC system combined with high efficiency filters has BC, PM10 and PM2.5 removal efficiency up to 97 %, 34 % and 30 %, respectively. Citizen science campaigns are effective in reducing the indoor air pollutants' exposure up to 94 %. The concentration of PM10, NO2, O3, BC and PNC can be reduced by up to 60 %, 59 %, 16 %, 63 % and 77 %, respectively as compared to control conditions, by installing green infrastructure (GI) as a physical barrier. School commute interventions can reduce NO2 concentration by up to 23 %. The in-cabin concentration reduction of up to 77 % for PM2.5, 43 % for PNC, 89 % for BC, 74 % for PM10 and 75 % for NO2, along with 94 % reduction in tailpipe emission of total particles, can be achieved using clean fuels and retrofits. No stand-alone method is found as the absolute solution for controlling pollutants exposure, their combined application can be effective in most of the scenarios. More research is needed on assessing combined interventions, and their operational synchronisation for getting the optimum results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidhi Rawat
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom.
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Castellani B, Bartington S, Wistow J, Heckels N, Ellison A, Van Tongeren M, Arnold SR, Barbrook-Johnson P, Bicket M, Pope FD, Russ TC, Clarke CL, Pirani M, Schwannauer M, Vieno M, Turnbull R, Gilbert N, Reis S. Mitigating the impact of air pollution on dementia and brain health: Setting the policy agenda. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 215:114362. [PMID: 36130664 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging research suggests exposure to high levels of air pollution at critical points in the life-course is detrimental to brain health, including cognitive decline and dementia. Social determinants play a significant role, including socio-economic deprivation, environmental factors and heightened health and social inequalities. Policies have been proposed more generally, but their benefits for brain health have yet to be fully explored. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS Over the course of two years, we worked as a consortium of 20+ academics in a participatory and consensus method to develop the first policy agenda for mitigating air pollution's impact on brain health and dementia, including an umbrella review and engaging 11 stakeholder organisations. RESULTS We identified three policy domains and 14 priority areas. Research and Funding included: (1) embracing a complexities of place approach that (2) highlights vulnerable populations; (3) details the impact of ambient PM2.5 on brain health, including current and historical high-resolution exposure models; (4) emphasises the importance of indoor air pollution; (5) catalogues the multiple pathways to disease for brain health and dementia, including those most at risk; (6) embraces a life course perspective; and (7) radically rethinks funding. Education and Awareness included: (8) making this unrecognised public health issue known; (9) developing educational products; (10) attaching air pollution and brain health to existing strategies and campaigns; and (11) providing publicly available monitoring, assessment and screening tools. Policy Evaluation included: (12) conducting complex systems evaluation; (13) engaging in co-production; and (14) evaluating air quality policies for their brain health benefits. CONCLUSION Given the pressing issues of brain health, dementia and air pollution, setting a policy agenda is crucial. Policy needs to be matched by scientific evidence and appropriate guidelines, including bespoke strategies to optimise impact and mitigate unintended consequences. The agenda provided here is the first step toward such a plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Castellani
- Durham Research Methods Centre, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom; Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Stockton Road, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Department of Sociology, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
| | - Suzanne Bartington
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Wistow
- Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Stockton Road, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Department of Sociology, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Neil Heckels
- Research and Innovation Services, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda Ellison
- Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing, Durham University, Stockton Road, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
| | - Martie Van Tongeren
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Steve R Arnold
- School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Pete Barbrook-Johnson
- Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom; Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Martha Bicket
- Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Francis D Pope
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Tom C Russ
- Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Division of Psychiatry, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte L Clarke
- Department of Sociology, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom; School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, United Kingdom
| | - Monica Pirani
- MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, Norfolk Place, W2 1PG, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias Schwannauer
- School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Teviot Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, United Kingdom
| | - Massimo Vieno
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0QB, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Turnbull
- Academic Health Sciences Network, North East and North Cumbria, Nuns' Moor Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 5PL, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel Gilbert
- Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Reis
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0QB, United Kingdom; University of Exeter Medical School, European Centre for Environment and Health, Knowledge Spa, Truro, TR1 3HD, United Kingdom; The University of Edinburgh, School of Chemistry, Level 3, Murchison House, 10 Max Born Crescent, The King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, United Kingdom
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Zundel CG, Ryan P, Brokamp C, Heeter A, Huang Y, Strawn JR, Marusak HA. Air pollution, depressive and anxiety disorders, and brain effects: A systematic review. Neurotoxicology 2022; 93:272-300. [PMID: 36280190 PMCID: PMC10015654 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating data suggest that air pollution increases the risk of internalizing psychopathology, including anxiety and depressive disorders. Moreover, the link between air pollution and poor mental health may relate to neurostructural and neurofunctional changes. We systematically reviewed the MEDLINE database in September 2021 for original articles reporting effects of air pollution on 1) internalizing symptoms and behaviors (anxiety or depression) and 2) frontolimbic brain regions (i.e., hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex). One hundred and eleven articles on mental health (76% human, 24% animals) and 92 on brain structure and function (11% human, 86% animals) were identified. For literature search 1, the most common pollutants examined were PM2.5 (64.9%), NO2 (37.8%), and PM10 (33.3%). For literature search 2, the most common pollutants examined were PM2.5 (32.6%), O3 (26.1%) and Diesel Exhaust Particles (DEP) (26.1%). The majority of studies (73%) reported higher internalizing symptoms and behaviors with higher air pollution exposure. Air pollution was consistently associated (95% of articles reported significant findings) with neurostructural and neurofunctional effects (e.g., increased inflammation and oxidative stress, changes to neurotransmitters and neuromodulators and their metabolites) within multiple brain regions (24% of articles), or within the hippocampus (66%), PFC (7%), and amygdala (1%). For both literature searches, the most studied exposure time frames were adulthood (48% and 59% for literature searches 1 and 2, respectively) and the prenatal period (26% and 27% for literature searches 1 and 2, respectively). Forty-three percent and 29% of studies assessed more than one exposure window in literature search 1 and 2, respectively. The extant literature suggests that air pollution is associated with increased depressive and anxiety symptoms and behaviors, and alterations in brain regions implicated in risk of psychopathology. However, there are several gaps in the literature, including: limited studies examining the neural consequences of air pollution in humans. Further, a comprehensive developmental approach is needed to examine windows of susceptibility to exposure and track the emergence of psychopathology following air pollution exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara G Zundel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Patrick Ryan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Cole Brokamp
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Autumm Heeter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Yaoxian Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Drive, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Jeffrey R Strawn
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Anxiety Disorders Research Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Hilary A Marusak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute for Child and Family Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
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12
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Armstrong-Carter E, Fuligni AJ, Wu X, Gonzales N, Telzer EH. A 28-day, 2-year study reveals that adolescents are more fatigued and distressed on days with greater NO 2 and CO air pollution. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17015. [PMID: 36220830 PMCID: PMC9553977 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20602-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This 2-year, 28-day study examined whether adolescents felt greater fatigue and emotional distress the same day and the day after air quality was worse. We linked objective daily air quality measurements to daily self-reports from 422 Mexican-American adolescents in Los Angeles County, California from 2009 to 2011 (50% girls, MAge = 15 years). A robust, within-subject analysis of 9696 observations revealed that adolescents with ongoing physical complaints reported greater fatigue and emotional distress on days that the air contained higher levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). Regardless of physical complaints, adolescents on average also reported greater fatigue the day after NO2 levels were higher. The same-day and next-day associations between air pollution and distress were mediated via daily increases in fatigue. Results were robust when controlling for day of the week, and daily temperature and humidity. Sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), PM2.5 and PM10 were not related to daily fatigue or distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Armstrong-Carter
- grid.47840.3f0000 0001 2181 7878University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA ,grid.168010.e0000000419368956Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.10698.360000000122483208University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Andrew J. Fuligni
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xiao Wu
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Nancy Gonzales
- grid.215654.10000 0001 2151 2636Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Eva H. Telzer
- grid.10698.360000000122483208University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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13
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Carver A, Molina MA, Claesen JLA, Klabbers G, Donaire D, Tham R, Cerin E, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Wheeler AJ. Vegetation and vehicle emissions around primary schools across urban Australia: associations with academic performance. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113256. [PMID: 35398084 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evolving evidence suggests that vegetation surrounding schools is beneficial to children's academic performance, however vehicle emissions are adversely related. Little is known about concurrent impacts of vegetation and vehicle emissions on academic performance. This study examined associations of vegetation and vehicle emissions near urban Australian primary schools with children's academic performance. METHODS Vegetation within schoolyards and Euclidean buffers (100, 300 and 1000 m) was assessed using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Weighted road density (WRD) was computed for each buffer as a vehicle emissions proxy. Cross-sectional associations and mediating pathways between vegetation and vehicle emissions and standardized average academic scores in Literacy (Reading, Writing, Language Conventions) and Mathematics for Grades 3 and 5 attending 3745 primary schools in urban areas (population ≥10,000) of Australia in 2018 were assessed using generalised linear models adjusted for school socio-educational status. RESULTS Significant positive associations were found between vegetation and Reading in Grades 3 and 5, Mathematics in Grade 3 (all buffers), Writing in Grade 3 (100 and 300 m), and Language Conventions in Grades 3 and 5 (most buffers). Increased vehicle emissions were negatively associated with Reading and Mathematics in Grades 3 and 5 (most buffers), and Language Conventions in Grade 3 (300 and 1000 m) and Grade 5 (100-1000 m). Within 300 m, vehicle emissions partially mediated associations between vegetation with Mathematics in Grade 3 (proportion mediated, 21%), Reading and Language Conventions in Grade 5 (15%, 37% respectively). CONCLUSIONS Our findings contribute to growing evidence that vegetation around primary schools is associated with higher achievement in Literacy and Mathematics, with partial mediation by vehicle emissions. Future studies should conduct on-site measurement of vehicle emissions and audit vegetation around schools to confirm findings and inform urban/school planners and school leaders on designing and modifying school environments to support learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Carver
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Miguel Alvarado Molina
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Joep L A Claesen
- Faculty of Health, Medicine & Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Gonnie Klabbers
- Department of Health Ethics and Society, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - David Donaire
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Division of Environmental Epidemiology (EEPI), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rachel Tham
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ester Cerin
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark Nieuwenhuijsen
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Health Ethics and Society, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu (UPF), Barcelona, Spain; CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Amanda J Wheeler
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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14
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Chakraborty J. Children's exposure to vehicular pollution: Environmental injustice in Texas, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:112008. [PMID: 34492280 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Distributive environmental justice research on children's exposure to vehicular pollution is underdeveloped and few empirical studies have been conducted in the US. This study seeks to address this gap by examining if socially disadvantaged children are disproportionately located in public school districts burdened by higher vehicular pollution in Texas-the second largest US state based on population size. Vehicular pollution exposure is measured using two variables: (1) an index developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency that combines traffic proximity and volume; and (2) outdoor concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a widely used proxy for traffic-related air pollution. These variables are linked to school district level data on socio-demographic characteristics of children obtained from the latest American Community Survey. Statistical analysis is based on multivariable generalized estimating equations that account for spatial clustering of school districts. Results reveal significantly greater traffic proximity and NO2 exposure in Texas school districts with higher percentages of children, after controlling for clustering, population density, and other socio-demographic factors. Districts exposed to higher levels of traffic proximity and NO2 exposure also contain significantly greater proportions of racial/ethnic minority, foreign-born, disabled, and socioeconomically vulnerable children. These findings highlight the urgent need to develop mitigation strategies for reducing vehicular pollution exposure, especially in districts with higher proportions of socially disadvantaged students that could be additionally burdened with limited resources. School districts represent a policy relevant analytic unit since school district boards can act as advocates for the environmental health of children and implement mitigation strategies for reducing pollution exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayajit Chakraborty
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA.
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