Air Pollution Tied to Higher Risk for Suicide

THURSDAY, Sept. 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Air pollution is associated with an increased risk for death by suicide, attempted suicide, and suicidal thoughts, according to a review published online Sept. 15 in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

Sophie Marie Jones, Ph.D., from Queen”s University Belfast in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to identify studies investigating the relationship between environmental exposures (air, noise, light, and water pollution) and death by suicide, attempted suicide, or suicidal ideation.

Based on 45 studies (29 in the meta-analysis and 16 in a narrative review), the researchers found that short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) ≤2.5 μm (13 studies; odds ratio, 1.0139) and PM ≤10 μm (seven studies; odds ratio, 1.0100) and long-term exposure to PM ≤2.5 μm (six studies; odds ratio, 1.5254) and nitrogen dioxide (seven studies; odds ratio, 1.3173) had significant positive associations with the risk for suicide, attempted suicide, and suicidal ideation. In the narrative review, potential positive associations were seen for other air pollutants (including sulfur dioxide and ozone) and noise pollution. Evidence was inconsistent for water and light pollution, and a meta-analysis was not possible.

“These findings bring to attention the critical importance of recognizing environmental exposures as modifiable risk factors within suicide prevention efforts,” the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text