Citation

Thiamwong L, Kim D, Emrich CT. J. Psychosoc. Nurs. Ment. Health Serv. 2024; 62(8): 2-4.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Healio)

DOI

10.3928/02793695-20240711-01

PMID

39110904

Abstract

Population aging, escalating global temperatures, and health disparities are not just pressing but urgent issues in public health of the current century (Deivanayagam et al., 2023). The World Health Organization (WHO; 2022) has identified mental health as a priority for action on climate change, and the risk of death and illness from heatwaves is one of the eight significant risks related to climate change, especially in vulnerable minority populations (McCarthy, 2001), including older adults (Rony & Alamgir, 2023). Heat significantly increases the frequency of psychiatric emergencies, morbidity, and mortality attributable to mental illness (Walinski et al., 2023). The potential increase in heat-related mental illnesses in older adults is a cause for immediate concern, as even their mental performance and memory, leading to weakness, dizziness, and increased risk of falls, is adversely affected by mild dehydration (Liu et al., 2021).

Health Disparities in Extreme Heat and Mental Health Problems Among Older Adults

Disparities in heat-related illnesses by race, socioeconomic status, and the built environment have been documented in the United States (Eisenman et al., 2016; Medina-Ramón et al., 2006; Zanobetti et al., 2013). Being non-White and female was associated with an elevated risk of mortality on extremely hot days and increases in warm-month temperatures (Zanobetti et al., 2013). Older adults, people with diabetes, and Black individuals were more susceptible to extreme heat (Medina-Ramón et al., 2006; O'Neill et al., 2003). Zip code level and personal characteristics have been associated with increased susceptibility to temperature (Zanobetti et al., 2013). Areas with more significant proportions of Black, Hispanic, and Asian residents are hotter on average than areas with more White residents (Deivanayagam et al., 2023), and Black and Hispanic residents had the highest heat vulnerability index (Manware et al., 2022). As temperatures rise, mortality from heat-related illness decreases in census tracts that contain more publicly accessible cooled spaces, and social vulnerability was associated with mortality after adjusting for infrastructure variables (Eisenman et al., 2016). Therefore, disparities in heat vulnerability by individual- and community-level characteristics must be considered to promote equitable climate change adaptation policies (Manware et al., 2022). ...

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Aged; Mental Health; Health Status Disparities; *Extreme Heat/adverse effects; Problem Behavior/psychology