Effect of noise and green space exposure on depression, anxiety and stress among the Lebanese population.

Higher green space exposure was significantly associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress.

• Associations were found for proximity to greenery, views of natural environments, and more frequent visits to green spaces.
• All associations were statistically significant at p < 0.05.
• The study used the Arabic versions of validated scales: PHQ-9 for depression, GAD-7 for anxiety, and PSS-10 for stress.
• The cross-sectional study included 653 participants aged 18-65 years from the Lebanese population.

Greater noise exposure at home or work was significantly associated with higher depression, anxiety, and stress scores.

• Noise-related symptoms including sleep disturbance, irritability, and difficulty concentrating were associated with higher scores across all three mental health domains.
• All associations between noise exposure and mental health outcomes were statistically significant at p < 0.001.
• Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.
• The study was cross-sectional in design, using an online survey distributed across the Lebanese population.

Multiple linear regression showed that some noise-related symptoms were consistently associated with higher depression, anxiety, and stress.

• Noise-related symptoms were consistently predictive across all three mental health outcome measures in regression models.
• The regression analysis controlled for socio-demographic variables assessed in the questionnaire.
• Sample size for regression analyses was drawn from the 653 total participants who completed the questionnaire.
• The specific noise-related symptoms examined included sleep disturbance, irritability, and difficulty concentrating due to noise.

The study population consisted of 653 Lebanese participants completing a cross-sectional online survey assessing environmental and mental health factors.

• Participants were aged 18-65 years.
• The questionnaire assessed socio-demographics, green space exposure, noise exposure, and mental health.
• Mental health was measured using Arabic versions of the validated PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PSS-10 scales.
• The study design was cross-sectional, limiting causal inference.

The authors concluded that increasing access to green spaces and reducing noise pollution may serve as effective public health interventions to decrease depression, anxiety, and stress among Lebanese residents.

• The authors recommend that urban planning and public policy integrate these findings into mental health promotion strategies.
• Environmental exposures were described as playing 'a critical role in shaping the mental health' of the population studied.
• The study identified both green space and noise as modifiable environmental factors relevant to mental health outcomes.
• The findings were framed within the context of Lebanon, where these factors remain underexplored.