Air pollution

Adapted from Damion Carrington

From: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/27/air-pollution-linked-to-
more-severe-mental-illness-study
August 27, 2021

Exposure to air pollution is linked to an increased severity of mental illness, according to

the most comprehensive study of its kind. The research, involving 13,000 people
in London, found that a relatively small increase in exposure to nitrogen dioxide led to a
32% increase in the risk of needing community-based treatment and an 18% increase in
the risk of being admitted to hospital.

The researchers said the findings were likely to apply to most cities in developed nations,
and cutting air pollution could benefit millions of people. “Air pollution is modifiable,
and on a big scale as well, reducing population-level exposure,” said Joanne Newbury, of
the University of Bristol, part of the research team. “We know there are interventions that
can be used, such as expanding low-emission zones. Mental health interventions at the
individual level are actually quite difficult.”

The study used the frequency of admission to hospital or visits to community doctors and
nurses as a measure of severity. The researchers calculated that a small reduction in one
pollutant alone could reduce illness and save the NHS tens of millions a year. Levels of
air pollution in London have fallen in recent years but there is no safe level, said Ioannis
Bakolis, of King’s College London, who led the research. “Even at low levels of air
pollution, you can observe this kind of very important effect.”

Recent research has shown that small increases in air pollution are linked to
significant rises in depression and anxiety. It has also linked dirty air to increased
suicides and indicated that growing up in polluted places increases the risk of mental
disorders. Other research has found that air pollution causes a “huge” reduction in
intelligence and is linked to dementia. A global review in 2019 concluded that air
pollution may be damaging every organ in the human body.
Read the given passage then respond to the following questions:
1. Identify the target audience. Give two reasons for your response
2. What is the writer’s purpose for writing the text and his main idea? Response
must be written as a single sentence
3. Identify the writer’s tone
Answers must be written in complete sentences

1. the target audience can be indicated to be health specialists because passage informs us about the effects
of air pollution which are most often observed and dealt with by doctors, therapists or any other health
specialist. also, medical professionals can use the information obtained from the research to form a diagnosis
based on the symptoms emitted by the patient who are said to be living within a highly air polluted area.

2. the main purpose and idea is that to inform persons about the physiological and physical effect of air
pollution within areas of developed countries

3. the writer's tone can be said to be informative. with the use of sufficient evidence and credible research
the writer is able to educate persons about the ongoing effect of air pollution and also within the passage
the writer has taken into detail to make the passage easy for all persons to understand by explain different
points within the passage.