As climate change leads to more frequent and intense heatwaves, governments around the world have introduced Heat-Health Action Plans (HHAPs) to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths, including heat stroke and heart attacks. However, a new study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health highlights a significant oversight in these plans: while many recognize the mental health risks posed by extreme heat, few offer clear strategies to protect vulnerable groups from conditions like anxiety, depression, and even suicide.
The study, the first of its kind to evaluate the inclusion of mental health in HHAPs globally, examined 83 plans across 24 countries. While most plans (75.9 percent) acknowledged the mental health risks of heatwaves, only 31.3 percent identified specific impacts, such as increased psychiatric emergencies or heightened suicide risk. Alarmingly, just 21.7 percent outlined concrete interventions, despite growing evidence that heat exacerbates conditions like depression and schizophrenia, and triggers new mental health crises.
“While the negative effects of extreme heat on mental health are increasingly well-documented, there is a gap between recognizing the issue and implementing effective interventions,” said Robbie Parks, PhD, senior author of the study and assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia Mailman School.
The study found that many HHAPs overlooked critical factors like heat-induced displacement, economic strain, and sleep disruption, focusing instead on broad public messaging. Few plans addressed high-risk groups, such as the homeless, or proposed community-based strategies—like neighbor check-ins—that could help reduce isolation during heatwaves. Notably, India was the only low- or middle-income country to address mental health, despite these regions being disproportionately affected by extreme heat.
“People with mental health conditions face additional challenges during heatwaves,” said lead author Allison Stewart-Ruano, a doctoral candidate at Columbia Mailman School. “Effective plans need to go beyond clinical care and include community-based strategies to support vulnerable individuals. For example, ensuring access to cool sleeping spaces and training local communities to help those in need can make a real difference.”
The study emphasizes the need for a holistic approach, combining medical care with social support to address the mental health impacts of heatwaves. “Plans must bridge clinical and community efforts to reduce isolation and provide comprehensive care,” Stewart-Ruano added.
The research team included Raenita Spriggs, Katherine M. Keyes, Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne, and others from Columbia Mailman School, along with researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the World Health Organization. The study was funded by several National Institutes of Health grants.
Key Points:
- 75.9% of HHAPs acknowledge mental health risks from heatwaves, but only 31.3% specify the unique impacts, like suicide risk.
- Only 21.7% propose concrete interventions.
- Many plans overlook vulnerable groups, such as the homeless.
- India is the only low- or middle-income country to address mental health in its heat plans.
This research underlines the urgent need for comprehensive heat-health strategies that address both physical and mental health in the face of rising global temperatures.
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