Associations of road traffic noise and its frequency spectrum with prevalent depression in Taichung, Taiwan

The relationship between air pollution and depression and anxiety disorders - A systematic evaluation and meta-analysis of a cohort-based study

OBJECTIVE

To explore the correlation between air pollution and the onset of depression and anxiety disorders, to draw more comprehensive and integrated conclusions, and to provide recommendations for maintaining mental health and developing policies to reduce mental health risks caused by air pollution.

METHODS

Meta-analysis of cohort study articles exploring the relationship between air pollution and depression or anxiety disorders included in Pubmed, Web Of Science, CNKI, and Wan Fang database before October 31, 2022, and subgroup analysis of the association between air pollution and depression and anxiety disorders regarding the air pollutants studied, the study population, and Publication bias analysis and sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 25 articles meeting the criteria were included in this study, including 23 articles examining the relationship between air pollution and depression and 5 articles examining the relationship between air pollution and anxiety disorders. The results of the meta-analysis were based on the type of pollutant and showed that there was a high degree of heterogeneity among the studies on the relationship between air pollution and depression and a significant heterogeneity among the studies on PM2.5 and the risk of anxiety disorders (I2 = 71%, p < .01), so a random-effects model was selected for the analysis. CO, O3, and SO2 and depression onset had combined RR values of 1.10 (1.00, 1.20), 1.06 (0.87, 1.29), 1.17 (1.06, 1.31), 1.19 (0.90, 1.58), 1.03 (0.99, 1.07), and 1.09 (0.97, 1.24), respectively, and PM2.5 and anxiety The combined RR value for morbidity was 1.10 (0.99, 1.22). The results of sensitivity analysis showed that the combined results were stable and reliable. The results of Egger regression method test showed that none of them had significant publication bias (p > .05).

LIMITATION

Combined exposure to air pollutants on depression and anxiety, further studies by other researchers are needed in the future.

CONCLUSIONS

PM2.5 and NO2 exposure, especially long-term exposure, may be associated with the onset of depression, and no association was found for the time being between PM10, CO, O3, SO2 exposure and depression and PM2.5 exposure and anxiety disorders.

Subjective Complaints and Coping Strategies of Individuals with Reported Low-Frequency Noise Perceptions

Background: Subjective everyday hindrances associated with low-frequency noise (LFN) can be high; however, there is still a lot unknown about experienced complaints. This study aims to investigate (1) subjective complaints and (2) coping strategies of individuals reporting everyday hindrances from LFN. Methods: Cognition, depressive symptoms, sleeping, fatigue, stress, and coping questionnaires were administered to participants sampled for their LFN complaints (LFN1 = 181), LFN complainants derived from a community sample (LFN2 = 239), and a comparison group without LFN complaints (CG = 410). Results: Individuals reporting LFN perceptions reported complaints in all domains and showed a higher proportion of above average symptom severity compared to the CG. Most complaints were reported by the LFN1 group, the least by the CG. However, on some sleeping, fatigue, and stress-related variables, a similar or even higher symptom severity was observed in the LFN2 group. Further, all groups used a similar combination of multiple coping strategies, although the LFN1 group scored higher on support seeking. Conclusions: There might be differences in the complaint severity between different LFN subgroups and future investigations of primary and secondary complaints are necessary. Also, more research about the use and success of coping strategies for LFN-related hindrances are needed for clear conclusions.