Poor air quality can both trigger and aggravate lung and heart conditions, as well as affecting child development. It can even lead to neurological and mental health problems. However, the precise mechanisms by which air pollution affect human health are not well understood.

To promote interdisciplinary dialogue and better research based on a critical summary of evidence on air quality and health, with an emphasis on mental health, and to do so with a special focus on bioaerosols as a common but neglected air constituent.

A rapid narrative review and interdisciplinary expert consultation, as is recommended for a complex and rapidly changing field of research.

The research methods used to assess exposures and outcomes vary across different fields of study, resulting in a disconnect in bioaerosol and health research. We make recommendations to enhance the evidence base by standardising measures of exposure to both particulate matter in general and bioaerosols specifically. We present methods for assessing mental health and ideal designs. There is less research on bioaerosols, and we provide specific ways of measuring exposure to these. We suggest research designs for investigating causal mechanisms as important intermediate steps before undertaking larger-scale and definitive studies.

We propose methods for exposure and outcome measurement, as well as optimal research designs to inform the development of standards for undertaking and reporting research and for future policy.

The physical health comorbidities and premature mortality experienced by people with mental illness has led to an increase in exercise services embedded as part of standard care in hospital-based mental health services. Despite the increase in access to exercise services for people experiencing mental illness, there is currently a lack of guidelines on the assessment and triage of patients into exercise therapy.

To develop guidelines for the pre-exercise screening and health assessment of patients engaged with exercise services in hospital-based mental healthcare and to establish an exercise therapy triage framework for use in hospital-based mental healthcare.

A Delphi technique consisting of two online surveys and two rounds of focus group discussions was used to gain consensus from a multidisciplinary panel of experts.

Consensus was reached on aspects of pre-exercise health screening, health domain assessment, assessment tools representing high-value clinical assessment, and the creation and proposed utilisation of an exercise therapy triage framework within exercise therapy.

This study is the first of its kind to provide guidance on the implementation of exercise therapy within Australian hospital-based mental healthcare. The results provide recommendations for appropriate health assessment and screening of patients in exercise therapy, and provide guidance on the implementation and triage of patients into exercise therapy via a stepped framework to determine (a) the timeliness of exercise therapy required and (b) the level of support required in the delivery of their exercise therapy.

Poor air quality is associated with poor health. Little attention is given to the complex array of environmental exposures and air pollutants that affect mental health during the life course.

We gather interdisciplinary expertise and knowledge across the air pollution and mental health fields. We seek to propose future research priorities and how to address them.

Through a rapid narrative review, we summarise the key scientific findings, knowledge gaps and methodological challenges.

There is emerging evidence of associations between poor air quality, both indoors and outdoors, and poor mental health more generally, as well as specific mental disorders. Furthermore, pre-existing long-term conditions appear to deteriorate, requiring more healthcare. Evidence of critical periods for exposure among children and adolescents highlights the need for more longitudinal data as the basis of early preventive actions and policies. Particulate matter, including bioaerosols, are implicated, but form part of a complex exposome influenced by geography, deprivation, socioeconomic conditions and biological and individual vulnerabilities. Critical knowledge gaps need to be addressed to design interventions for mitigation and prevention, reflecting ever-changing sources of air pollution. The evidence base can inform and motivate multi-sector and interdisciplinary efforts of researchers, practitioners, policy makers, industry, community groups and campaigners to take informed action.

There are knowledge gaps and a need for more research, for example, around bioaerosols exposure, indoor and outdoor pollution, urban design and impact on mental health over the life course.