Effect of the environmental factors on mental health in the general population using a multi-exposure approach

Mental disorders are among the top 10 global health burdens. While environmental exposures have been proven to impact depression, most studies have focused on single exposures. This PhD project will assess the combined effects of multiple environmental factors (e.g. air pollutants, noise and climate), using Geographical Information System (GIS) spatial analysis, on depressive symptoms in the Luxembourg population study and investigate differences by socioeconomic status. Exposure-wide association study (ExWAS) and deletion-substitution-addition (DSA) variable selection will be used for this multiexposure approach.

Understanding the role of the external exposome on depressive symptoms will help target public health strategies to address environmental conditions, reduce socioeconomic inequalities and improve mental health and quality of life.