AI Insight
This study analyzed data from 277 Chinese cities between 2011-2023 and found that improvements in air quality significantly reduce public attention to depressive emotions. The relationship is partially mediated by unemployment rates, while healthcare workforce allocation and public fiscal expenditure help buffer the negative psychological effects of poor air quality. The effects vary significantly across different types of cities, being strongest in eastern and central regions, cities experiencing population loss, and resource-dependent cities in mature or declining stages.
Why it matters
These findings suggest that environmental policies targeting air quality improvement may have meaningful co-benefits for public mental health. The results indicate that coordinating environmental protection measures with social support systems and healthcare resources could enhance population-level psychological well-being, particularly in vulnerable urban contexts.
Understand the Science
Depressive emotions have emerged as a critical public health concern, with their etiology closely linked to the natural environment, particularly air quality. Grounded in environmental stress theory and social support theory, this study utilizes panel data from 277 prefecture-level cities in China spanning 2011–2023 to theoretically analyze and empirically examine the effects of air quality on public attention to depressive emotions and the underlying mechanisms. The findings reveal that: First, improvements in air quality significantly reduce public attention to depressive emotions, a conclusion that remains robust across multiple robustness tests. Second, the unemployment rate serves as a partial mediator between air quality and public attention to depressive emotions, while healthcare workforce allocation and public fiscal expenditure effectively buffer the adverse psychological impacts of air quality deterioration. Third, the influence of air quality on public attention to depressive emotions exhibits significant urban heterogeneity, being more pronounced in eastern and central regions, cities with net population outflows, and mature and declining resource-based cities. By examining environmental public goods and social support systems, this study provides novel empirical evidence for understanding the relationship between air quality and public mental health, offering valuable insights for promoting synergy between environmental policies and social security policies.