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<p>Extreme weather and climate-related disasters are increasing in frequency, posing significant risks to mental health, particularly among people with pre-existing mental health conditions. However, little is known about the extent of these impacts or how social determinants shape vulnerability. Here, using population-based longitudinal data from Australia collected over a decade, we examined the mental health effects of climate-related disasters among individuals with and without pre-existing nervous, emotional or mental health conditions. Psychological distress and risk of moderate-to-severe mental disorders were assessed using the Kessler scale. Regression models accounting for fixed effects, confounding and clustering were applied. To estimate disaster impacts, exposed individuals were matched to comparable unexposed controls using one-to-five nearest-neighbor matching based on individual and area-level characteristics measured 1 year before the disaster. We also investigated whether modifiable social determinants—including residential stability, housing affordability, social support, economic safety nets and access to mental health services—altered disaster-related mental health outcomes. The results show that extreme weather and climate events were associated with higher psychological distress levels (<i>β</i> = 4.643, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.891–8.395) and greater odds of moderate-to-severe mental disorders (odds ratio 2.233, 95% CI 1.000–4.984) among individuals with mental illness at the disaster year in comparison with a considerably smaller impact on those without. The psychological distress effects were significantly worsened when individuals with mental illness experienced residential instability (5.603, 95% CI 0.806–10.401), housing payment arrears (6.299, 95% CI 12.958–28.626), lower social support (4.775, 95% CI 0.972–8.577) or lack of mental health service contacts (6.640, 95% CI 0.576–12.703) during climate-related disasters. Findings underscore the heightened severity of mental health impacts among people with pre-existing mental illness and point to the need to integrate housing security, social support and sustained mental health services into climate disaster responses to reduce both the risk of mental disorders and climate-related inequities in this at-risk population.</p>

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Unequal mental health impacts of extreme weather and climate events

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月24日

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  • Ang Li,
  • Rebecca Bentley

摘要

Extreme weather and climate-related disasters are increasing in frequency, posing significant risks to mental health, particularly among people with pre-existing mental health conditions. However, little is known about the extent of these impacts or how social determinants shape vulnerability. Here, using population-based longitudinal data from Australia collected over a decade, we examined the mental health effects of climate-related disasters among individuals with and without pre-existing nervous, emotional or mental health conditions. Psychological distress and risk of moderate-to-severe mental disorders were assessed using the Kessler scale. Regression models accounting for fixed effects, confounding and clustering were applied. To estimate disaster impacts, exposed individuals were matched to comparable unexposed controls using one-to-five nearest-neighbor matching based on individual and area-level characteristics measured 1 year before the disaster. We also investigated whether modifiable social determinants—including residential stability, housing affordability, social support, economic safety nets and access to mental health services—altered disaster-related mental health outcomes. The results show that extreme weather and climate events were associated with higher psychological distress levels (β = 4.643, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.891–8.395) and greater odds of moderate-to-severe mental disorders (odds ratio 2.233, 95% CI 1.000–4.984) among individuals with mental illness at the disaster year in comparison with a considerably smaller impact on those without. The psychological distress effects were significantly worsened when individuals with mental illness experienced residential instability (5.603, 95% CI 0.806–10.401), housing payment arrears (6.299, 95% CI 12.958–28.626), lower social support (4.775, 95% CI 0.972–8.577) or lack of mental health service contacts (6.640, 95% CI 0.576–12.703) during climate-related disasters. Findings underscore the heightened severity of mental health impacts among people with pre-existing mental illness and point to the need to integrate housing security, social support and sustained mental health services into climate disaster responses to reduce both the risk of mental disorders and climate-related inequities in this at-risk population.