Impact of air pollution on mental health in bangladesh: a comparison between Dhaka and Rajshahi.

Depression and anxiety rates were significantly higher in highly polluted Dhaka compared to less polluted Rajshahi.

• 57.3% of Dhaka residents reported depression and anxiety compared to 37.4% in Rajshahi
• The study used the DASS-21 scale to measure mental health outcomes
• A cross-sectional design with 2,717 total participants was employed
• 1,431 participants were from Dhaka and 1,286 from Rajshahi

Stress rates were higher in Dhaka than in Rajshahi.

• 48.3% of Dhaka residents reported stress compared to 32.1% in Rajshahi
• Rajshahi also had lower anxiety rates at 38.3% compared to Dhaka's 57.3%
• Stress was measured using the DASS-21 scale
• Dhaka is described as a highly polluted urban center while Rajshahi has lower pollution levels

High PM2.5 exposure was associated with a substantially higher prevalence of moderate to severe mental health issues.

• 57.3% of individuals with high PM2.5 exposure experienced moderate to severe mental health issues versus 37.4% in lower exposure groups
• PM2.5 was among the environmental pollutants assessed via secondary sources and surveys
• Similar trends were observed with other pollutants including PM10, NO2, CO, SO2, and O3
• Analysis methods included multiple linear regression, multilevel analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM)

Higher exposure to multiple air pollutants was strongly associated with increased depression, anxiety, and stress.

• Pollutants assessed included PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone
• The associations were examined adjusting for factors such as age, income, and residence
• Both secondary source data and self-reported exposure surveys were used to assess pollutant exposure
• Analysis incorporated descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression, multilevel analysis, and SEM

Self-reported exposure and perceived air quality were significant predictors of mental health distress.

• Dhaka residents experienced more severe distress compared to Rajshahi residents
• Self-reported exposure was used alongside objective pollutant measurements as a predictor variable
• Perceived air quality was included as a significant predictor in the analytical models
• The study used a cross-sectional approach with the DASS-21 scale for mental health assessment