Applying Digital Technology to Understand Human Experiences of Climate Change Impacts on Food Security and Mental Health: Scoping Review (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND The global impact of climate change ranges from extreme heat and poor air quality, to extreme weather events that endanger entire ecosystems and our way of life. Increasing climate events place undue stress on communities, both indirectly via their impact on food security, as well as increasing ecoanxiety. Ubiquitous digital devices have the potential to connect community members to effectively monitor existing and emerging climate-related crises due to their ability to enable rapid response, instant communication, and knowledge sharing. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aims to identify digital apps used to capture climate change impacts on both food security and mental health to inform necessary development of digital climate change initiatives. METHODS The search strategy included review of PubMed and Web of Science databases, as well as manual grey literature searches on Google Scholar and relevant organizational (i.e., governmental, non-profit) websites to identify articles and reports published over the past decade (January 2012 to July 2023). Three separate searches were conducted to identify apps focused on climate change and: 1) food security; 2) mental health; 3) food security and mental health. Initial screening was conducted of article titles and abstracts for inclusion of key search terms, i.e., digital platforms, applications, or tools. Articles focused on climate change impacts on wildlife or agriculture (i.e., not on human food security) were excluded. Full-text screening was conducted by two reviewers to generate a final list for data abstraction to a summary table. RESULTS A total of 14 digital apps were shortlisted, including 8 articles and 6 applications found through grey literature searches. A total of 7 apps focused on climate change and food security, while 7 focused on climate change and mental health. No platforms examined the intersection of climate change, food security, and mental health. The final shortlist included studies conducted across three continents: Europe (n=3), Africa (n=1), Asia (n=1), with three studies not reporting the geographic region. Several apps were designed to enable user-user communication (n=5), build a knowledge database (n=5), collect and analyze data to generate insights (n = 3), and/or serve as educational tools (n=2). CONCLUSIONS While some apps focused on food security or mental health, there were no apps identified which took a holistic approach to assessing food systems and health outcomes associated with experiences of climate change. Given the frequency of adverse climate change-related events globally, there is an urgent need for work focused on minimizing food insecurity and mental distress. By harnessing the power of digital apps, we can empower communities to effectively respond to and navigate climate change impacts on both food security and mental health.