Q&A with Dr. Vivian Pun Vital Strategies’ air pollution epidemiologist in the Environmental Health Division
The health effects of air pollution reach far beyond the respiratory system, or even our physical health. Air pollution also impacts our mental health. We spoke to Dr. Vivian Pun, epidemiologist in Vital Strategies’ Environmental Health Division, to learn more about her work. Vivian’s research, Association of Ambient Air Pollution with Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Older Adults, was one of the first studies to observe a relationship between air pollution and mental health. The study was recently included in a newly curated collection of articles compiled by the prestigious Environmental Health Perspectives in their 2019 Journal Impact Factor.
“I studied air pollution’s impact on cardio-respiratory illnesses during my doctorate work, and upon graduation I joined the research team at Northeastern University in Massachusetts, U.S. “
“We found that long term exposure to PM2.5 levels was significantly associated with moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms, respectively.”
“As COVID-19 continues to spread, stretching global healthcare systems and exacerbating mental health issues, it’s never been more important to clean the air and protect millions if not billions of people.”
What does this mean in terms of the impact of air pollution on any given population?
Findings from our study and other literature suggest that breathing in PM2.5 may impact the mental health of individuals, especially those with preexisting cardiopulmonary diseases such as stroke and heart failure, and those living in communities of low socioeconomic status, high poverty and unemployment rate. These observations may be attributed to a biological mechanism, that people with preexisting conditions or those within a lower socioeconomic status may be in poorer health than people without such conditions. Observations can also be attributed to a behavioral mechanism, that people with such health conditions and socioeconomic background experience more stress.
The links between air pollution and mental disorders have important public health implications. While our study was conducted in areas with low levels of pollution (yearly average of 10 ug/m3), millions of people live in areas where air pollution levels are several times higher than this. Individuals living in areas with high levels of air pollution may be more likely to experience mental health illness. For example, physical and mental health impacts might be more pronounced for individuals in China, where the yearly air pollution level is 53 ug/m3. As COVID-19 continues to spread, stretching global healthcare systems and exacerbating mental health issues, it’s never been more important to clean the air and protect millions if not billions of people.
“It is imperative that governments raise awareness and address mental health stigma, generate mental health policies and legislation to support and improve existing mental health systems, and ensure better access to mental health services and treatments.”