Differential effects of air pollution exposure on mental health: Historical redlining in New York State

Growing evidence suggests that ambient air pollution has adverse effects on mental health, yet our understanding of its unequal impact remains limited, especially in areas with historical redlining practices. This study investigates whether the impact of daily fluctuations in ambient air pollutant levels on emergency room (ER) visits for mental disorders (MDs) varies across neighborhoods affected by redlining. Furthermore, we explored how demographic characteristics and ambient temperature may modify the effects of air pollution. To assess the disproportional short-term effects of PM_2.5, NO₂, and O₃ on ER visits across redlining neighborhoods, we used a symmetric bidirectional case-crossover design with a conditional logistic regression model. We analyzed data from 2 million ER visits for MDs between 2005 and 2016 across 17 cities in New York State, where redlining policies were historically implemented. A stratified analysis was performed to examine potential effect modification by individuals' demographic characteristics (sex, age, and race/ethnicity) and ambient temperature. We found that both PM_2.5 and NO₂ were significantly associated with MD-related ER visits primarily in redlined neighborhoods. Per 10μgm⁻³ increase in daily PM_2.5 and per 10 ppb increase in NO₂ concentration were associated with 1.04 % (95 % Confidence Interval (CI): 0.57 %, 1.50 %) and 0.44 % (95 % CI: 0.21 %, 0.67 %) increase in MD-related ER visits in redlined neighborhoods, respectively. We also found significantly greater susceptibility among younger persons (below 18 years old) and adults aged 35–64 among residents in grade C or D, but not in A or B. Furthermore, we found that positive and statistically significant associations between increases in air pollutants (PM_2.5 and NO₂) and MD-related ER visits exist during medium temperatures (4.90 °C to 21.11 °C), but not in low or high temperature. Exposures to both PM_2.5 and NO₂ were significantly associated with MD-related ER visits, but these adverse effects were disproportionately pronounced in redlined neighborhoods.