Mental health and pollution

Medically confirmed comorbidities are significantly associated with the chances of having a lower respiratory tract infection. Individuals with allergies are 171.4 percent more likely to have experienced a lower respiratory tract infection than those without. Moreover, those with allergies living in locations with major construction and persistent traffic have a 42.8 percent higher chance of having a lower respiratory tract infection than individuals with allergies in the comparator area. The same is true for respondents with allergies living close to brick kilns—these individuals report 29.9 percent lower odds of having a lower respiratory tract infection than those living in locations with major construction and persistent traffic. respondents with comorbidities such as diabetes, heart conditions, and experience of a stroke have greater odds of experiencing a lower respiratory tract infection by 62.7 percent, 73.6 percent, and 68.2 percent, respectively. The likelihood among individuals with these comorbidities of having a lower respiratory tract infection is higher among respondents living near major construction sites with persistent traffic. (See appendix B table B.11.)

Overall, exposure to PM2.5 is associated with experiencing a lower respiratory tract infection. age plays a large determining role in the vulnerability to such infections. among the age groups, children (0 to 5 years) and the elderly (65 or more years) are more vulnerable than adults (20 to 64 years), with the elderly likely to have this condition more than children. It is worthwhile to note that children living near sites with major construction and persistent traffic are far more vulnerable to lower respiratory tract infections than children living in any other location. People with comorbidities such as allergies, diabetes, heart conditions, or stroke have considerably higher odds of having a lower respiratory tract infection than those without. at the same time, individuals with allergies, diabetes, or heart conditions living near major construction sites with persistent traffic are more susceptible to the infection than those living elsewhere.

This section discusses the prevalence of depression among respondents using a two-week recall. Depression levels were measured using the WhO-5 screening questionnaire and expressed as levels exceeding the threshold of 50.

Figure 3.17 shows the prevalence of depression across the study sites. Depression is most reported in locations with persistent traffic and areas of major construction and traffic (13.7 percent), while the lowest rates are reported among those living near brick kilns (11.2 percent).

Figure 3.18 shows the prevalence of depression across demographic characteristics. It is important to note that the age categorizations used to analyze depression are more granular than for the rest of the report, mostly driven by the fact that the WhO-5 is validated for those above 15 years of age and that the underpinning drivers of depressive symptoms vary by age groups. In line with expectations, depression increases with age, with those 65 years or older being particularly susceptible. Females are more depressed than men, 13.7 percent compared to 11.8 percent. The trends of increased depression with increasing age and a higher prevalence among females are in line with experiences in other countries, as documented in existing literature.