Mental health impacts of rising temperatures ‘detrimental’

Heat-health action plans must be created to help healthcare systems prepare for a ‘detrimental’ rise in mental health needs, according to the authors of new Australian research.
 
Published in Nature Climate Change, a study by the University of Adelaide has laid bare the impact climate change will have on the nation’s mental health, finding rising temperatures could increase the burden of mental and behavioural disorders (MBD) by almost 50% by 2050.
 
Using the Australian Burden of Disease database, researchers found high temperatures contributed to an annual loss of 8458 disability-adjusted life years, representing 1.8% of the country’s total MBD burden.
 
‘Our findings project a consistent upward trend in the high-temperature-attributable burden of MBDs over time,’ the study concluded.
 
‘Specifically, this burden is expected to increase by 11.0–17.2% in the 2030s and by 27.5–48.9% in the 2050s compared to the baseline.’
 
The study also discovered that warmer regions face higher risks, and that Australians aged 15–44 will be particularly impacted.
 
Those living in the Northern Territory had the highest predicted relative risk, as well as the highest average threshold temperature.
 
Meanwhile, South Australia and Victoria had the highest proportion of burden attributable to high temperature.
 
Lead author Professor Peng Bi said ‘rising temperatures are making things harder for millions’, whether a patient is living with mild distress or a serious condition.
 
‘The detrimental impacts of climate change on good mental health and emotional states have been increasingly recognised worldwide, and it’s only going to get worse unless we act,’ he said.
 
‘These results underscore the crucial role of policymakers in developing focused public health interventions to minimise the emergence of mental health impacts of climate change, given its significant human, social and financial consequences.’
 
Earlier this year, a study supported by the RACGP found more than 80% of GPs are moderately or very concerned about the effects of climate change on health.
 
However, almost the same amount of survey respondents said their practice is not doing enough to address the issue, with knowledge gaps remaining.
 
The RACGP is calling on political parties to address this growing impact of climate change, saying GPs play an important role in identifying, reducing and managing its negative health effects, but must be better supported and resourced to do so.
 
The University of Adelaide researchers are echoing those calls saying ‘immediate action’ must be taken.
 
The study suggests heat-health action plans to prepare healthcare systems for rising mental health needs, localised solutions such as community programs and green spaces, and support for vulnerable groups to ensure those most at risk get the care they need during hot periods.
 
‘Policymakers must step up with targeted, people-centred strategies to protect mental health as temperatures climb,’ Professor Bi said.
 
‘This isn’t just about health, it’s about building stronger, more resilient communities for the future.’
 
Log in below to join the conversation.

climate change environmental impacts global warming