Chronic exposure to indoor air pollutants in association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in Chinese schoolchildren: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

While increasing studies confirmed the adverse effects of indoor air pollution (IAP) on cardiopulmonary systems, less is known about the impact of IAP on child's brain.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the associations between multiple indoor air pollutants exposures and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in Chinese schoolchildren.

METHODS

We invited 8630 individuals aged 6-12 years from an ongoing school-based cohort study across Guangzhou from April to May 2019. There are 7495 and 7245 children were respectively evaluated on the parent- and teacher-rated Conner's Rating Scale-Revised, and 7087 children were assessed on both versions. Indoor air pollutants exposures including cooking oil fumes, incense burning, home renovation, and secondhand smoke, were measured using a questionnaire reported by parents and children, and further converted into an index. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were performed to evaluate the associations between indoor air pollutants exposures and ADHD index and the presence of ADHD symptoms.

RESULTS

As reported by parents, 321 (4.3%) children had ADHD symptoms. Each of the four pollutants was positively associated with higher ADHD index and higher odds of ADHD symptoms. Children exposed to 1, 2, and ≥ 3 types of indoor air pollutants had higher ADHD index and higher odds of ADHD symptoms than those non-exposed children. For parent-reported ADHD symptoms, the odds ratios ranged from 1.24 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.92-1.67] to 2.73 (95% CI: 1.86-4.01). These associations were consistent in parent- and teacher-reported ADHD symptoms, and the combination of both.

CONCLUSION

Indoor air pollutants exposures were positively associated with higher prevalence of children's ADHD symptoms assessed by whether parents or teachers.