In a study by Umeå University Sweden (2016), researchers investigated associations between air pollution exposure and child and adolescent mental health. Statistical analyses were undertaken using the records of medicines prescribed for mental illnesses, demographic and socioeconomic data and finally airborne pollution (NO₂, PM10 and PM2.5) model data. In total, participant data from more than 500,000 under-18s were used in this study.

The findings of the research, indicate:

• Children and adolescents in areas with higher air pollution concentrations were statistically more likely to have a dispensed medication for a psychiatric disorder
• Relatively small increases in air pollution (10 µg/m³ in NO₂) were associated with a statistically significant increase in treated psychiatric problems

“The severe impact of child and adolescent mental health problems on society, together with the plausible and preventable association of exposure to air pollution, deserves special attention.”