Higher Traffic-Related Air Pollution Exposure Tied to Depression

Reproductive health may be the pathway linking traffic-related air pollution
to depression

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is associated with depression in women, possibly via reproductive health, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in Menopause.

Anwesha Pan, Ph.D., from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues examined whether TRAP is associated with depressive symptoms. The analysis included data from 688 healthy reproductive-age women participating in the Ovarian Aging Study.

The researchers found that greater exposure to TRAP was significantly related to more depressive symptoms (b = 0.779). Depressive symptoms were also significantly associated with lower individual socioeconomic status (SES), longer menstrual cycle length, and a change in menstrual cycle length. Variance in depressive symptoms was attributable to TRAP (1.2 percent), demographics (1.0 percent), SES (1.4 percent), general health (0.3 percent), and reproductive health (2.0 percent). The effects of TRAP on depressive symptoms were mediated by menstrual cycle length, a marker of reproductive health status (indirect effect: b = 0.064).

“Findings showed that exposure to TRAP is associated with depression, along with SES and reproductive health factors, and that reproductive health may be a pathway through which TRAP relates to depression,” the authors write. “Future studies are needed to clarify the direction of association between these constructs using longitudinal data and incorporating more detailed assessments to help delineate these pathways.”

One author disclosed ties to relevant organizations.

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