Exploring the Nexus: Climate Change, Poverty, and Mental Health.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Global Health
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Climate change, poverty, and mental health are interconnected drivers of vulnerability.
• Low- and middle-income nations disproportionately face climate-related challenges exacerbated by economic hardship.
• Vulnerable populations experience severe psychological effects from climate disasters and rising temperatures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize evidence on the interconnectedness of climate change, poverty, and mental health.
• To identify research gaps in understanding these complex social and environmental pathways.
• To highlight the escalating public mental health issue of climate stress.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review of research from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.
• Inclusion of English-language research published between 1990 and 2025.
• Synthesis of evidence on social and environmental pathways linking climate change, poverty, and mental health.

Main Results:

• Climate change exacerbates poverty through increased disease, migration, and livelihood destruction.
• Communities affected by climate disasters show rising rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
• Rising temperatures are increasingly linked to negative mental health outcomes, particularly in South and Southeast Asia.

Conclusions:

• Integrated, equity-centered climate and mental health policies are crucial.
• Cross-sectoral collaboration and strengthened health system resilience are needed.
• Addressing the fragmented data and economic assessments from low- and middle-income countries is essential.