Atmospheric pollution related to adolescent mental health problems



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Urban air pollution is associatedResearchers report that psychotic experiences in adolescents are at greater risk.

A study published in JAMA Psychiatry included 2,063 British teenagers whose health was followed from birth to 18 years. Nearly one-third of them said they had at least one psychotic experience, ranging from a mild feeling of paranoia to a severe psychotic symptom 12

Researchers linked air pollution data to where they spent most of their time – at home, at school, or at work.

Compared to teenagers who lived in areas with the lowest pollution, those living in the most polluted areas were between 27% and 72% more likely to have psychotic experiences, depending on the type of pollutant. exposure to two pollutants, nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxides, accounted for 60% of the association.

The study took into account the family's psychiatric history, maternal psychosis, substance abuse, socio-economic status, neighborhood social characteristics, and other factors, but it is an observational study that does not prove causality.

"From this study, we can not say that air pollution causes psychosis," said lead author Helen L. Fisher, research psychologist at King's College London . "The study only says that these things usually happen together."

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