Adolescent wellbeing and climate crisis: adolescents are responding, what about health professionals?

McGushin, Alice; Gasparri, Giulia; Graef, Viola; Ngendahayo, Christophe; Timilsina, Shashank; Bustreo, Flavia; Costello, Anthony

doi:10.1136/bmj-2022-071690

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Most of the mean scores in prosocial behaviour, were classified as “normal” having values six or above. There were some groups who had mean scores a bit below of six, but not five which is interpreted as borderline difficulties [ 27 ]. The groups with prosocial mean scores slightly under six were those: aged 14 years (mean 5.3, SD 3.1), who perceived their family financial situation quite poor (mean 5.8, SD 2.52), who received their family relations the poorest (mean 5.7, SD 2.84).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, they have defined external reality, like socio-economic ill-being, violence and war as one aspect of insecurity [ 24 ]. Climate crisis affects all domains of adolescent wellbeing, feeling hopeless and helpless [ 27 ]. Young people are considered to be at greater vulnerability to the negative effects of climate change by virtue of their developing coping capacity [ 28 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adolescents’ difficulties, strengths and feelings of insecurity: a cross-sectional descriptive survey in Finland

Kokkonen,

Athanasopoulou,

Leino-Kilpi

et al. 2023

Discov Ment Health

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The present study aimed to describe adolescents’ self-reported emotional and behavioural strengths and difficulties, as well as their insecurity feeling. In addition, the aim was to examine the association with background characteristics, and explore the association between strengths and difficulties and insecurity factors. The study was conducted among 114 secondary school pupils in Finland, using an online questionnaire. Adolescents’ emotional and behavioural difficulties and strengths, were mostly classified as normal. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire total score as well as internal and external score, were inversely associated with insecurity factors. Girls had significantly higher prosocial behavior compared to boys (P = 0.0007). The age of adolescents was found to be related to their internal difficulties (P = 0.02) and prosocial behavior (P = 0.01). Adolescent’s perception of their family relations as poor was associated with external difficulties (P = 0.04). The current results, can be helpful for mental health professionals who work with adolescents in order to implement appropriate and needs specific mental health promotion interventions at individual but also community level. Finally, more research is needed to validate measures for insecurity. This will support mental health professionals in their clinical practice by providing them with all the important factors needed to support adolescents.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescents’ difficulties, strengths and feelings of insecurity: a cross-sectional descriptive survey in Finland

Kokkonen,

Athanasopoulou,

Leino-Kilpi

et al. 2023

Discov Ment Health

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“…Climate change both directly and indirectly impacts mental health. Extreme or chronic events are most likely to impact the most vulnerable youth [ 36 , 37 ] and climate change acts as a ‘threat amplifier’ exacerbating existing health disparities, including for mental health [ 6 ]. However research on climate and mental health specifically for young people is nascent, and more robust data is needed outlining the range of psychological responses in young people, how such responses may be linked to perceived agency to engage in mitigation and adaptation behaviors, and how these factors intersect with mental health outcomes, including symptoms of generalized anxiety and stress [ 2 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Young people in particularly are growing distressed, in a recent study of 10,000 young people from ten countries (not including Mexico) over half felt sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless and guilty, 45% reported their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning, and three-quarters said they think the future is frightening [ 14 ]. Studies show that young people who take part in climate action and report higher pro-environmental behaviors have greater well-being and reduced feelings of being powerless [ 6 , 37 ]. Coping with the climate crisis can affect engagement and self-efficacy, and taking action can help [ 6 , 38 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coping with climate change: The role of climate related stressors in affecting the mental health of young people in Mexico

Pinchoff,

Regules,

Gomez-Ugarte

et al. 2023

PLOS Glob Public Health

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Young people today are predicted to experience more climate change related stressors and harms than the previous generation, yet they are often excluded from climate research, policy, and advocacy. Increasingly, this exposure is associated with experience of common mental health disorders (CMD). The VoCes-19 study collected surveys from 168,407 young people across Mexico (ages 15–24 years) through an innovative online platform, collecting information on various characteristics including CMD and experience of recent climate harms. Logistic regression models were fit to explore characteristics associated with CMD. Structural equation models were fit to explore pathways between exposure, feeling of concern about climate change, and a sense of agency (meaning the respondent felt they could help address the climate crisis) and how these relate to CMD. Of the respondents, 42% (n = 50,682) were categorized as experiencing CMD, higher among those who experienced a climate stressor (51%, n = 4,808) vs those not experiencing climate stressors (41%, n = 43,872). Adjusting for key demographic characteristics, exposure to any climate event increased the odds of CMD by 50% (Odd Ratio = 1.57; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.49, 1.64), highest for heatwaves. Specific climate impacts such as housing damage, loss of or inability to work, damage to family business, leaving school and physical health affected were adversely related to CMD, though for different climate hazards. More concern and less agency were related to CMD through different pathways, particularly for those exposed to recent events. Future research regarding the cumulative exposures to climate change, not just acute events but as an ongoing crisis, and various pathways that influence the mental health and well-being of young people must be clearly understood to develop programs and policies to protect the next generation.

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“…Due to systemic gender inequalities and their unique stages in the life course, women, children and adolescents (WCA), especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), will be forced to bear the worst consequences during their lifetimes, despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions. 1 Figure 1 depicts the impacts of climate change across the different life stages. Climate change is an intergenerational injustice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opportunities and challenges for financing women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health in the context of climate change

Anton,

Cuevas,

Hanson

et al. 2024

BMJ Glob Health

Self Cite

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Women, children and adolescents (WCA), especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), will bear the worst consequences of climate change during their lifetimes, despite contributing the least to global greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in WCA can address these inequities in climate risk, as well as generating large health, economic, social and environmental gains. However, women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health (WCAH) is currently not mainstreamed in climate policies and financing. There is also a need to consider new and innovative financing arrangements that support WCAH alongside climate goals.We provide an overview of the threats climate change represents for WCA, including the most vulnerable communities, and where health and climate investments should focus. We draw on evidence to explore the opportunities and challenges for health financing, climate finance and co-financing schemes to enhance equity and protect WCAH while supporting climate goals.WCA face threats from the rising burden of ill-health and healthcare demand, coupled with constraints to healthcare provision, impacting access to essential WCAH services and rising out-of-pocket payments for healthcare. Climate change also impacts on the economic context and livelihoods of WCA, increasing the risk of displacement and migration. These impacts require additional resources to support WCAH service delivery, to ensure continuity of care and protect households from the costs of care and enhance resilience. We identify a range of financing solutions, including leveraging climate finance for WCAH, adaptive social protection for health and adaptations to purchasing to promote climate action and support WCAH care needs.

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Adolescent wellbeing and climate crisis: adolescents are responding, what about health professionals?

Abstract: Alice McGushin and colleagues argue for recognition of the diverse ways in which climate change affects adolescent wellbeing and call for health professionals to work with them to respond to the crisis

Cited by 9 publications

References 30 publications

Adolescents’ difficulties, strengths and feelings of insecurity: a cross-sectional descriptive survey in Finland

Adolescents’ difficulties, strengths and feelings of insecurity: a cross-sectional descriptive survey in Finland

Coping with climate change: The role of climate related stressors in affecting the mental health of young people in Mexico

Opportunities and challenges for financing women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health in the context of climate change

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