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Research suggests air pollution and suicide link

A first of its kind large-scale study looking at US populations has identified a higher prevalence of suicide cases in areas of poor air quality.

Results published by the National Bureau of Economic Research looking at deaths between 2003 and 2010 has found that PM2.5 — fine particulate matter — levels of 1μg/m3 is associated with an almost 0.5% increase in daily suicides. 

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Over the course of one month, PM2.5 levels at that measurement would lead to a 50% increase in suicide-related hospitalisations. This backs up previous studies, including research undertaken by Air Quality News, suggesting strong links between air pollution and mental health problems. 

Among other issues, PM2.5 is known to have properties that can increase levels of cytokines, the neurotransmitters produced in response to infection and inflammation which also have known ties to depression, and suicide. Ambient pollution is associated with brain inflammation, which has the ability to disrupt mood regulation. 

Understanding this, researchers at Washington DC’s American University conducted research to better understand the impact of air pollution on mood. This involved taking daily suicide count data for individual counties and cross referencing this with air quality data, wind direction used as an instrument for pollution exposure.

Local employment, population, weather, holidays, area, month and time of week were controlled within the work. In addition to increases in daily suicides and monthly hospitalisations, depressive symptoms were also heightened among the overall populations, according to self-reporting, at times when PM2.5 levels increased. 

Image: Dan Meyers

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