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

Accumulating evidence indicates early life exposure to air pollution, a suspected neurotoxicant, is negatively associated with children’s neurodevelopment. To explore the role of multiple exposure periods to ambient particulate matter with diameter <2.5 μm (PM₂.₅) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) on emotion and behaviour, and early development in children <13 years. We used data from Mothers and their Children’s Health (MatCH) study, a 2016/17 sub-study from a prospective longitudinal study, the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Annual PM₂.₅ and NO₂ 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. Children exposed to moderate and high PM₂.₅ exposure, compared to low exposure, across all periods, had higher odds of emotional and behavioural problems, and gross motor delay. Children’s lifetime exposure to moderate levels of PM₂.₅ (5.9–7.1 µg/m³) was associated with 1.27 (95% confidence interval 1.03, 1.57) fold higher odds of emotional/behavioural problems. Similar associations were found for moderate PM₂.₅ levels at ‘first year of life’ in a two-pollutant model only (OR: 1.30; 1.05, 1.60). However, there was insufficient evidence to suggest that NO₂ exposure or living within 200 m of major roads was associated with emotional and behaviour problems or developmental delay across any exposure periods. We found isolated evidence that early life and childhood exposure to PM₂.₅ 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.