Medical Xpress April 4, 2025
Exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke was associated with increased visits to emergency departments (ED) for mental health conditions, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“Wildfire smoke isn’t just a respiratory issue—it affects mental health, too,” said corresponding author Kari Nadeau, John Rock Professor of Climate and Population Studies and chair of the Department of Environmental Health. “Our study suggests that—in addition to the trauma a wildfire can induce—smoke itself may play a direct role in worsening mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and mood disorders.”
The study is published in JAMA Network Open.
The study is the first to isolate the short-term impact of wildfire-specific...
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