Do social economic status modify the association between air pollution and depressive or anxiety symptoms? A big sample cross-sectional study from the rural areas of Central China.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Fewer studies have examined the relationship between air pollution and depressive or anxiety symptoms in rural residents. Social economic status (SES), as an important indicator of the current state of socioeconomic development, we know little about how it modifies the relationship between air pollution and symptoms of depression or anxiety. METHODS: The patient health questionnaire (PHQ-2) and generalized anxiety scale (GAD-2) were used to learn about the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the social economic status of the participants was categorized into two levels lower and higher, and a binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between air pollution and residents' symptoms of depression or anxiety. RESULTS: A total of 10,670 adults were enrolled in this study, of which a total of 1292 participants suffered from depressive symptoms and 860 suffered from anxiety symptoms. Short-term exposure to PM2.5 and O3, singly or in combination, may be associated with the onset of depression symptoms, and there was a significant interaction between SES and exposure to PM2.5 or O3. Residents of areas with higher SES may have a lower risk of suffering from anxiety symptoms after O3 exposure compared to participants living in lower SES. LIMITATIONS: The study was a cross-sectional study, which may have lowered the quality level of the evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term PM2.5 and O3 exposure may be associated with an increased prevalence risk of depressive symptoms. Higher levels of SES may reduce the adverse effects of air pollution on depressive or anxiety symptoms.