Global research warns that rising temperatures and heatwaves are increasingly endangering the mental wellbeing of young people, prompting calls for inclusive climate adaptation strategies.
A review of global research suggests that heatwaves and unusually high temperatures may pose a particular threat to the mental health of children and teenagers, with those aged 5 to 18 emerging as the most vulnerable group.
Published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, the analysis pooled findings from 23 studies and found that each 1 degree Celsius rise in daily temperature was linked with an almost 1% increase in mental health-related illness among children. The researchers also reported a 1.5% higher risk during periods of elevated temperature and a much sharper 25% rise during heatwaves.
The findings add to growing concern about the wider health effects of extreme heat on young people. An editorial in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry has noted that children are especially exposed because their bodies regulate temperature less effectively than adults’, while a separate scoping review in The Journal of Climate Change and Health found that heatwaves and extreme heat events have become more frequent over the past five decades and are expected to intensify further.
Jacqueline Stephens, an epidemiologist at Flinders University and one of the review’s authors, said heat can disrupt sleep, daily routines, learning and family life, all of which can affect emotional wellbeing. She and her co-authors argued that adolescence is a particularly sensitive period for mental health development and that hotter conditions may also worsen academic performance. The study also found the strongest risks in humid subtropical and hot-summer continental climate zones.
The researchers said the evidence points to a need for climate adaptation plans that include mental health, not just heat illness. Practical measures could include cooler classrooms, better ventilation and shaded outdoor spaces, according to Syeda Hira Fatima of the University of Canberra. Other reviews have also linked heat exposure with depression, anxiety and reduced cognitive performance, while studies of compounded drought and heatwave events suggest the strain on children’s mental health can be even greater when extreme weather patterns overlap.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
