ReviewAnnals of general psychiatry2026
Impacts of climate change on mental health and its underlying mechanisms: an umberella review.
Review in Annals of general psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundClimate change represents a major global health challenge with potential implications for mental health. Exposure to climate-related stressors is associated with an elevated risk of psychiatric disorders, including trauma- and stressor-related disorders (e.g., PTSD), depressive disorders, and anxiety disorders. Vulnerable populations-including children, women, older adults, individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, and communities in low-income or disaster-prone regions-may be disproportionately affected. This umbrella review synthesizes current evidence on the mental health impacts of climate change, focusing on clinically relevant outcomes and underlying mechanisms.
methodsA systematic literature search was conducted across Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for systematic reviews published between January 2014 and October 2024. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment were performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist, which evaluates methodological rigor, clarity of research questions, and appropriateness of data synthesis. Only English-language systematic reviews scoring ≥ 5/11 on the JBI checklist-reflecting moderate to high methodological quality-were included. Non-systematic reviews and studies without accessible full texts were excluded. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251133963).
resultsClimate change may affect mental health through both direct and indirect pathways. Direct impacts include elevated risk or worsening of PTSD, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and suicidal behaviors, which may be precipitated or exacerbated by climate-related stressors. Indirect effects operate via socioeconomic disruptions, such as food insecurity, forced migration, poverty, and weakened social networks. Psychological responses described as eco-anxiety and solastalgia further illustrate the range of mental health outcomes associated with environmental changes.
conclusionClimate change is associated with clinically relevant psychiatric outcomes across established diagnostic categories. The mechanisms underlying these associations involve complex neurobiological, socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural pathways. These findings underscore the importance of targeted psychiatric interventions, including cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma focused therapies, resilience-building, strengthening social support, promoting adaptive coping strategies, and enhancing preparedness of mental health services. Prioritizing vulnerable populations for psychiatric assessment, prevention, and intervention is essential. Integrating these strategies into clinical practice and public health planning is critical to support evidence-based mental health care.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.