Maternal and Childhood Ambient Air Pollution Exposure and Mental Health Symptoms and Psychomotor Development in Children: An Australian Population-Based Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence indicates early life exposure to air pollution, a suspected neurotoxicant, is negatively associated with children's neurodevelopment. OBJECTIVES: ) on emotion and behaviour, and early development in children <13 years. METHODS: estimates since 1996 were obtained from a land-use regression model. Maternal residential proximity to roadways were used as a proxy measure of exposure to traffic-related air pollution. Child outcomes were maternal-rated emotional and behavioural problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ, aged 2-12 years, n = 5471 children) and developmental delay in communication and gross motor skills (Ages and Stages Questionnaire; ASQ, aged 1-66 months, n = 1265 children). Defined exposure periods were early life exposure ('during pregnancy' and 'first year of life') and 'children's lifetime exposure'. Ambient air pollution was divided into tertiles and logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratio (OR) for each child outcome, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: exposure or living within 200 m of major roads was associated with emotional and behaviour problems or developmental delay across any exposure periods. CONCLUSION: may be associated with emotional and behavioural problems and delays in gross motor skills, but most associations were null. Due to the limited number of longitudinal studies on low-exposure settings, further studies with more temporally refined exposure assessment are warranted.