Associations of traffic-related air pollution and greenery with academic outcomes among primary schoolchildren

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is preliminary evidence that greenery/greenspace around schools may be positively associated with children's cognitive development and academic outcomes, whereas traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) may have a detrimental effect. Few studies have examined pathways between both exposures and academic outcomes. This study aimed to assess associations between greenery, road traffic density (a proxy for TRAP) surrounding primary (elementary) schools, and academic achievement of primary schoolchildren in Melbourne, Australia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined mean academic scores in Years 3 and 5 for primary schools (n = 851) in Greater Melbourne. Scores were from the..