Living Near Oil and Gas Activity Linked to Poor Mental Health Among People Trying to Conceive
Published on July 15, 2024
A first-of-its-kind study suggests that living within six miles of active oil and gas production may lead to depressive symptoms during the preconception period, raising awareness about the environmental risk factors that this understudied population faces.
Published in the American Journal of Public Health, the study utilized data from participants in the SPH-based Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO) and found that people who lived within roughly six miles of active oil and gas development had greater development of moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms, compared to people living 12 to 31 miles away from this activity.