More research is needed to determine how climate change influences mental disorders among children in low- and middle-income countries Reviews of research provide convincing evidence of a relationship between climate-related disasters and increased mental disorders among adults living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Similar reviews have not been conducted on children living in LMICs. This scoping review was designed to address this gap in the literature. Its aims were twofold: (1) “to determine how exposure to climate change and climate-related disasters influences the presence of mental disorders among children in LMICs; and (2) “to identify and summarize existing gaps in this area of literature.” The review was based on the understanding that the outcomes could eventually be helpful in developing specific adaptation policies and mental health interventions for children living in LMICs.
Studies included in this review were (a) published between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2019 and (b) focused on children (age 18 or less) in LMICs who had a climate change disaster exposure and a mental disorder outcome. Only 23 studies were identified, indicating that the literature in this area was sparse. The included studies represented six LMICs: China, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Namibia, and Dominica. Most of the studies (14) were conducted in China. The number of studies conducted in the other countries ranged from 1 to 3. All studies considered the association between a climate-related disaster exposure and a mental disorder outcome; none explored broader climate change-related exposures (such as gradual changes in temperature and precipitation).
The mental health concerns of interest included depression, post-traumatic stress, acute stress, substance use and addiction, bipolar, schizophrenia, suicidal behavior, and non-suicidal self-injury. Of these, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (reported in 21 studies) and depression (reported in 8 studies) were the most common. Estimated prevalence of PTSD ranged from 2% to 83%; for depression, from 2% to 66%. Studies varied widely in terms of samples size, outcome measurements, and follow-up length. Twenty-two of the studies were based on quantitative data only; one used data from a mixed-methods design. While sample sizes ranged from 64 to over 7000, most had a sample size of several hundred.
Results of this review indicate that children living in LMICs are at risk of mental health disorders. The research base is, however, insufficient to draw firm conclusions regarding the relationship between climate-related disasters and mental disorders. Only a few of the studies in the review actually tested the association between these two factors, and none of the studies compared mental disorders between groups who were exposed to a climate-related disaster and groups who were not exposed. These results highlight the need for more well-designed studies on this topic. “Improvements in the quality and quantity of research will create an evidence base to support policy and interventional efforts for reducing the negative mental health effects of climate change.”
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