Ambient air pollution exposure and depressive symptoms: Findings from the French CONSTANCES cohort

Mohammad Javad Zare Sakhvidi; Antoine Lafontaine; Emeline Lequy; Claudine Berr; Kees de Hoogh; Danielle Vienneau; Marcel Goldberg; Marie Zins; Cédric Lemogne; Bénédicte Jacquemin

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2022.107622

Ambient air pollution exposure and depressive symptoms: Findings from the French CONSTANCES cohort

Environ Int. 2022 Dec:170:107622. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107622. Epub 2022 Nov 8.

Affiliations

¹ Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France.
² Université Paris Cité, Unité "Cohortes en Population" INSERM, Université Paris Saclay, UVSQ, UMS 011 Paris, France.
³ University of Montpellier, INM, Inserm U1198 Neuropeps team, Montpellier, France; Memory Research and Resources Center, Department of Neurology, Montpellier, France.
⁴ Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
⁵ Université Paris Cité, INSERM U1266, Institut de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences de Paris, F-75014 Paris, France; Service de Psychiatrie de l'adulte, AP-HP, Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu, F-75004 Paris, France.
⁶ Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail) - UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France. Electronic address: benedicte.jacquemin@inserm.fr.

PMID: 36384066
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107622

Abstract

Background and aim: Few studies have reported the association between air pollution exposure with different dimensions of depression. We aimed to explore this association across different dimensions of depressive symptoms in a large population.

Methods: Data from the enrollment phase of the French CONSTANCES cohort (2012-2020) were analyzed cross-sectionally. Annual concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter < 2.5 µm (PM_2.5), black carbon (BC), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) from the land-use regression models were assigned to the residential addresses of participants. Total depressive symptoms and its four dimensions (depressed affect, disturbed interpersonal relations, low positive affect, somatic complaints) were measured using Centre of Epidemiologic Studies Depression questionnaire (CES-D). We reported results of negative binomial regression models (reported as Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for an interquartile range (IQR) increase in exposure), for each pollutant separately. Stratified analyses were performed by sex, income, family status, education, and neighborhood deprivation.

Results: The study included 123,754 participants (mean age, 46.50 ± 13.61 years; 52.4 % women). The mean concentration of PM_2.5, BC and NO₂ were 17.14 µg/m³ (IQR = 4.89), 1.82 10^-5/m (IQR = 0.88) and 26.58 µg/m³ (IQR = 17.41) respectively. Exposures to PM_2.5, BC and NO₂ were significantly associated with a higher CES-D total (IRR = 1.022; 95 % CI = 1.002: 1.042, IRR = 1.027; 95 % CI = 1.013: 1.040, and IRR = 1.029; 95 % CI = 1.015: 1.042 respectively), and with depressed affect, and somatic complaints. For all pollutants, a higher estimate was observed for depressed affect. We found stronger adverse associations for men, lower-income participants, low and middle education groups, those living in highly deprived areas, and single participants.

Conclusion: Our finding could assist the exploration of the etiological pathway of air pollution on depression and also considering primary prevention strategies in the areas with air pollution.

Keywords: Black carbon; CONSTANCES cohort; Depression; Mental health; Nitrogen dioxide; Particulate matter.

MeSH terms

Adult
Air Pollution* / adverse effects
Depression* / epidemiology
Female
France
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Nitrogen Dioxide / adverse effects
Particulate Matter / adverse effects
Soot / adverse effects

Substances

Particulate Matter
Soot
Nitrogen Dioxide