TY - JOUR
T1 - Mitigating the impact of air pollution on dementia and brain health
T2 - Setting the policy agenda
AU - Castellani, Brian
AU - Bartington, Suzanne
AU - Wistow, Jonathan
AU - Heckels, Neil
AU - Ellison, Amanda
AU - Van Tongeren, Martie
AU - Arnold, Steve R.
AU - Barbrook-Johnson, Pete
AU - Bicket, Martha
AU - Pope, Francis D.
AU - Russ, Tom C.
AU - Clarke, Charlotte L.
AU - Pirani, Monica
AU - Schwannauer, Matthias
AU - Vieno, Massimo
AU - Turnbull, Rachel
AU - Gilbert, Nigel
AU - Reis, Stefan
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded, in part, by the following grants:, ● InSPIRE: A policy and research consortium to mitigate the impact that places have on air quality and brain health, particularly dementia, across the life course. (1 Apr 2022–31 Dec 2022) Economic and Social Research Council, Impact Acceleration Account, United Kingdom, RI200191, £15k. ● InSPIRE: developing a policy consortium to address the social determinants of clean air and brain health. (1 Nov 2021–31 Mar 2022) Economic and Social Research Council, Impact Acceleration Account, United Kingdom, RI200189, £6.5k. ● InSPIRE - Consortium Development Grant. (1 May 2020–17 Dec 2020) Medical Research Council, United Kingdom, RF010140, RF050391, RF200182, £41k.
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - Background: Emerging research suggests exposure to high levels of air pollution at critical points in the life-course is detrimental to brain health, including cognitive decline and dementia. Social determinants play a significant role, including socio-economic deprivation, environmental factors and heightened health and social inequalities. Policies have been proposed more generally, but their benefits for brain health have yet to be fully explored. Objective and methods: Over the course of two years, we worked as a consortium of 20+ academics in a participatory and consensus method to develop the first policy agenda for mitigating air pollution's impact on brain health and dementia, including an umbrella review and engaging 11 stakeholder organisations. Results: We identified three policy domains and 14 priority areas. Research and Funding included: (1) embracing a complexities of place approach that (2) highlights vulnerable populations; (3) details the impact of ambient PM2.5 on brain health, including current and historical high-resolution exposure models; (4) emphasises the importance of indoor air pollution; (5) catalogues the multiple pathways to disease for brain health and dementia, including those most at risk; (6) embraces a life course perspective; and (7) radically rethinks funding. Education and Awareness included: (8) making this unrecognised public health issue known; (9) developing educational products; (10) attaching air pollution and brain health to existing strategies and campaigns; and (11) providing publicly available monitoring, assessment and screening tools. Policy Evaluation included: (12) conducting complex systems evaluation; (13) engaging in co-production; and (14) evaluating air quality policies for their brain health benefits. Conclusion: Given the pressing issues of brain health, dementia and air pollution, setting a policy agenda is crucial. Policy needs to be matched by scientific evidence and appropriate guidelines, including bespoke strategies to optimise impact and mitigate unintended consequences. The agenda provided here is the first step toward such a plan.
AB - Background: Emerging research suggests exposure to high levels of air pollution at critical points in the life-course is detrimental to brain health, including cognitive decline and dementia. Social determinants play a significant role, including socio-economic deprivation, environmental factors and heightened health and social inequalities. Policies have been proposed more generally, but their benefits for brain health have yet to be fully explored. Objective and methods: Over the course of two years, we worked as a consortium of 20+ academics in a participatory and consensus method to develop the first policy agenda for mitigating air pollution's impact on brain health and dementia, including an umbrella review and engaging 11 stakeholder organisations. Results: We identified three policy domains and 14 priority areas. Research and Funding included: (1) embracing a complexities of place approach that (2) highlights vulnerable populations; (3) details the impact of ambient PM2.5 on brain health, including current and historical high-resolution exposure models; (4) emphasises the importance of indoor air pollution; (5) catalogues the multiple pathways to disease for brain health and dementia, including those most at risk; (6) embraces a life course perspective; and (7) radically rethinks funding. Education and Awareness included: (8) making this unrecognised public health issue known; (9) developing educational products; (10) attaching air pollution and brain health to existing strategies and campaigns; and (11) providing publicly available monitoring, assessment and screening tools. Policy Evaluation included: (12) conducting complex systems evaluation; (13) engaging in co-production; and (14) evaluating air quality policies for their brain health benefits. Conclusion: Given the pressing issues of brain health, dementia and air pollution, setting a policy agenda is crucial. Policy needs to be matched by scientific evidence and appropriate guidelines, including bespoke strategies to optimise impact and mitigate unintended consequences. The agenda provided here is the first step toward such a plan.
KW - air pollution
KW - brain health
KW - complex systems theory
KW - dementia
KW - public policy
KW - social and health inequalities
U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114362
DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114362
M3 - Review article
C2 - 36130664
AN - SCOPUS:85138810809
SN - 0013-9351
VL - 215
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
IS - Pt 2
M1 - 114362
ER -