Climate Change Adaptation: Mental Health Governance

Brandon Hey (B.A.)Studio [Y] Fellow, MaRS Discovery District

OverviewFood for ThoughtLiterature Review MethodsAnalysisKey FindingsSystems MapDiscussion

Photo: Collapsed House due to erosion, Nunatsiavut, Canada

Food for Thought“Climate change represents the biggest public health

challenge of the 21st century (Constello, 2009)”“Climate change is likely to emerge as one of the

greatest threats to mental health in circumpolar and global regions” (Cunsolo-Willox, 2015; Swim et al., 2010)

Photo (Left): Flooded village after Japanese Tsunami (2011)

Food for Thought“More work is necessary to understand the

effects of climate change and extreme weather events on mental health status, to determine how to mitigate these effects, and to overcome the barriers to utilization and delivery of mental health services following extreme weather events.” –pg.38, Portier et al., 2013

“The emerging evidence of negative psychological consequences of climate change can be regarded as early indicators of mental health impacts that may eventually be experienced across the globe via direct and indirect mechanisms.” –Ashlee Cunsolo Willox, 2014

Photo (right): Farmer from Gujarat, India suffering from the effects of multi-year drought

Literature Review Anthropogenic climate change presents a multitude of

human health challenges; leads to vector-borne disease outbreaks, loss of economic assets & compromised food security

Following a natural disaster, PTSD increases as much as 25.6% of a given population; 48.6% of population experiences acute anxiety (Shukla, 2013; Stanke, 2012)

Solastalgia: emotional loss following disruptive access to one’s homeland; found for climate-related MH problems across cases (Australia, Nunavut, New Orleans; Albrecht et al., 2009)

Climate change adaptation solutions thus far are technocratic & engineering focused

Psychosocial consequences are gaining precedent but are ignored municipally and nationally (American Psychological Association & EcoAmerica, 2014; Berry et al., 2010; World Health Organization, 2014 )

MethodLiterature Review (IPCC, 2007; World Health

Organization, 2014)Semi-structured Interviews (N=12)Questions posed, based upon user-type: Public Health Organizations, Office of Emergency Management, Canadian Red Cross, Environmental, clinical and community psychologists

Online Survey (Google Forms) (N=6)Systems Map

Analysis(N=12) Semi-structured

interviews, thematically analyzed, coded and quantified

Surveys had insufficient sample size (N=6)

Compared survey responses to Interview answers

Photo (Below): Asphalt melting in New Delhi, India

Key Findings

• Vulnerability• Psychological Denial• Siloism• Resilience• Engagement• Artistic Processes

6 Meta-themes, 21 sub themes

Key Findings Cont’d Vulnerability Mental Health Organizations

are overburdened (N=5)

Psychological Denial Hinders the support and action of relevant practitioners (policy, medical, PH, EM) (N=5)

Siloism Need to enhance communication and collaboration between sectors (N=9)Prevalent among MH and other embedded agencies (N=5)

Key Findings Cont’d Resilience Need to establish right

service delivery mechanisms (N=3)Need vehicle that fosters self-transformation/resilience (N=6)

Engagement Fosters resilience->via reduced isolation Includes personal preparedness workshops and family reunification plans (N=4)

Artistic Processes Prompts engagement/action (N=4)Articulates concern in a healthy manner (N=3)

Systems Map

DiscussionPsychological consequences pose significant

challenges due to oversight, lack of dedicated support from public health and medical communities.

The City of Toronto has yet to put a psychosocial response plan in place

Mental health professionals are not brought to the table in the development of climate change adaptation strategies.

Mental health agencies can offset their burdens through greater coordination of services.

A “bridging organization,” could serve as a viable mechanism to coordinate activity among formal and informal actors.

References Albrecht, G., Sartore, G.M., Connor, L., Higginbotham, N., Freeman,

S., Kelly, B., … B., Stain. (2007). Solastalgia: The distress caused by environmental change. Australian Psychiatry, 15 (Suppl.), S95-S98.

Berry, H., Butler, J., Burgess, C. (2010). Mind, body, spirit: Co-benefits for mental health from climate change adaptation and caring for country in remote Aboriginal Australian communities. New South Wales Public Health Bulletin, 21(6), 139-145.

Constello, A. (2009). Managing the health effects of climate change. The Lancet, 373, 1693-7333.

Portier, C.J., Thigpen, T. K., Carter, S.R., Dilworth, C.H., Grambsch, A.E., Gohlke, J. … Whung, P.Y.(2010). A Human Health Perspective On Climate Change: A Report Outlining the Research Needs on the Human Health Effects of Climate Change. Research Triangle Park, NC: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. doi:10.1289/ehp.1002272. Retrieved from: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/materials/a_human_health_perspective_on_climate_change_full_report_508.pdf

References Shukla, J. (2013). Extreme weather events and mental health:

Tackling the psychosocial challenge. ISRN Public Health, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/127365.

Stanke, C., Murray, V., Amlot, R., Nurse, J., & Williams, R. et al., (2012). The effects of flooding on mental health: Outcomes and recommendations from a review of the literature. PLOS Currents Disasters, doi: 10.1371/4f9f1fa9c3cae.

• World Health Organization. (2014). Health-Related Consequences of Climate Change. Nordic World Health Assembly. Retrieved from: http://norwho.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/NORWHO2014FINALDECLARATION-2.pdf

ContactBrandon Hey (B.A.)

Studio [Y] Fellow, MaRS Discovery District

bhey@marsdd.com (226) 203-3224