Gulf Coast study uncovers the surprising effects of sunshine on mental health

By Vijay Kumar MalesuJun 4 2024Reviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc. In a recent study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, a group of researchers evaluated the association of solar radiation exposure with depression and psychological distress among residents in the United States Gulf states.

About the study The present Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study investigates the health effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It includes 32,608 adults aged 21 and older who participated in oil spill response or trained for potential work. Participants, primarily from the Gulf region, were enrolled between March 2011 and March 2013. Home visits, completed by 11,119 participants, included biological sample collection, functional measures, anthropometrics, and mental health screenings.

Associations between mental health status and solar radiation exposures were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models, adjusting for demographic, lifestyle factors, temperature, and humidity. Sensitivity and stratified analyses were performed to evaluate effect modifications. Statistical analyses used R version 4.2.1, with significance defined as p < 0.05.

Seasonal variation was more apparent for distress than depression. During Spring and Summer, the PRs for distress increased with higher levels of SRAD7 and SRAD30, whereas in Fall, both depression and distress showed non-significant decreases with increasing SRAD7. Specifically, in Spring, PRs for SRAD7 ranged from 1.28 to 2.29, and in Summer, from 1.09 to 1.67. In Fall, PRs for depression ranged from 0.70 to 0.88, and for distress, from 0.63 to 0.92.

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