# Potential Associations Between Psychological Distress and Ambient Air Quality Among Secondary School Teachers in New Jersey

## TL;DR

This study explores how air quality might affect the mental health of New Jersey secondary school teachers, finding a link between PM2.5 levels and psychological distress.

## Contribution

The study is one of the first to examine the association between ambient air quality and psychological distress in teachers using an ecological design.

## Key findings

- Prior 30-day PM2.5 exposure showed a significant negative correlation with K6+ scores (−0.32, p = 0.04; −0.48 with PM2.5 AQI, p = 0.002).
- Wind speed had a positive association with K6+ scores (0.33, p = 0.03).
- Events like wildfires and weather conditions were found to influence air quality and potentially psychological distress.

## Abstract

Public health relevance—How does this work relate to a public health issue?
Both the physical and mental health of the teachers of the world’s children have received renewed attention due to the COVID-19 pandemic plus other societal factors.This is an initial environmental epidemiology study with an ecological design to inform future collaborative research on mental health and the effects of ambient/outdoor environmental factors.

Both the physical and mental health of the teachers of the world’s children have received renewed attention due to the COVID-19 pandemic plus other societal factors.

This is an initial environmental epidemiology study with an ecological design to inform future collaborative research on mental health and the effects of ambient/outdoor environmental factors.

Public health significance—Why is this work of significance to public health?
To date, there are few studies of how acute or short-term exposure to ambient or outdoor air pollutants (subject to regulation) potentially affect mental health or psychological distress.This study provides recommendations for future research on ambient/outdoor air pollution and the mental health of secondary school teachers, and potentially their adolescent students.

To date, there are few studies of how acute or short-term exposure to ambient or outdoor air pollutants (subject to regulation) potentially affect mental health or psychological distress.

This study provides recommendations for future research on ambient/outdoor air pollution and the mental health of secondary school teachers, and potentially their adolescent students.

Public health implications—What are the key implications or messages for practitioners, policy makers and/or researchers in public health?
This study’s analyses suggested the estimates of prior 30-day PM2.5, as affected by specific events like wildfires and weather factors, showed a significant negative correlation with K6+ scores.This study supports the need for more longitudinal research on how particulate matter affects neurological diseases and mental health via indicators or symptoms of psychological distress.

This study’s analyses suggested the estimates of prior 30-day PM2.5, as affected by specific events like wildfires and weather factors, showed a significant negative correlation with K6+ scores.

This study supports the need for more longitudinal research on how particulate matter affects neurological diseases and mental health via indicators or symptoms of psychological distress.

Cross-sectional surveys of psychological distress using the Kessler-6 tool (K6+) were conducted among training cohorts per year of New Jersey (NJ) secondary school teachers between January 2022 and December 2024. Data downloaded for 12–18 annual virtual synchronous live session training date ranges related to specified teacher cohorts, consisting of 30 calendar days prior to its date to relate to K6+ questions (575 unique participants across 42 total live sessions). Utilizing data from federal/state air quality monitoring stations (AQMS), we constructed a database of estimated exposures to ambient/outdoor air quality. Cohorts were broken down by school district (SD) and paired with AQMS based on approximate geographic proximity for each SD’s school’s physical address utilizing NJ-GeoWeb. Once addresses were reported and associated with two AQMS, associated reviewed daily criteria pollutant data (2021–2024) were retrieved for particulate matter (PM, PM10 and PM2.5) and ozone. Data were averaged for relevant stations. Analyses suggested prior 30-day PM2.5 showed a significant negative correlation with K6+ scores, −0.32 with PM2.5 concentration (p = 0.04) and −0.48 with PM2.5 AQI (p = 0.002); however, wind speed had a positive association, 0.33, with K6+ scores (p = 0.03). These results suggested how specific events and meteorological conditions affected ambient air quality for only some of the prior 30 days yet still potentially influenced K6+ scores for some cohorts, e.g., large wildfires then prevailing winds. More research with improved exposure assessment is warranted. This initial environmental epidemiology study with ecological design can inform future collaborative research and practice work on mental health and the effects of environmental factors.