Research on climate change and mental health in immigrants is urgently needed: A systematic scoping review

Globally, climate change is an imminent threat to physical and mental health. Climate-related disasters are predicted to increase in frequency, impacting the stability of and access to social systems and public infrastructure, adversely affecting health and well-being. Immigrant populations may be particularly vulnerable to climate change-related mental health impacts. The bidirectional relationship between climate change and migration infers that climate change-related health threats will further influence increasing migration rates. However, there is limited research that explores mental health risk factors and adaptation and mitigation strategies associated with climate change for immigrants.

A scoping review was conducted based on a systematic searching strategy. The study aimed to identify and synthesise existing evidence to better understand the impact of climate change on the mental health of immigrant populations, and provide recommendations for future research and practice.

Findings are limited by the quality and depth of existing literature on the topic, as only eight original publications were identified for inclusion in the scoping review, all of which were either qualitative by design or perspective pieces. There is a paucity of evidence on the mental health outcomes of immigrant populations, limiting the recommendations for improving climate-related disaster preparedness and response efforts for immigrants.

Future research and the development of data collection systems that capture health indicators of immigrants are needed to assess immigrant vulnerability to climate-related mental health outcomes.