Influence of climate change on adolescents and young adults’ mental health in Southern Africa: Scoping review

Abstract

Background: Prioritising the mental health of adolescents and young adults during climate change is essential to their overall wellbeing. In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) included preventing and treating non-communicable diseases and mental health conditions as part of the 10 global health issues to track. Evidence regarding the effect of climate change on mental health conditions in Southern Africa is lacking.
Aim: This scoping review aims to document the influence of climate change on adolescents and young adults’ mental health.
Setting: The review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).
Methods: There were 14 electronic bibliographic databases that were searched together with a grey literature search. Two reviewers independently screened and appraised identified articles. All relevant data were extracted and mapped according to three categories: (1) type of climate change, (2) impact and loss experience and (3) health promotion interventions.
Results: We identified seven studies showing the influence of climate change on adolescents and young adults’ mental health in Southern Africa. Three (n = 3), 50%, of the studies appear to indicate the influence of climate change on mental health as being more long-lasting signified by symptoms of traumatisation.
Conclusion: Higher rates of depression were associated with the type of climate disaster such as those found in those who experienced drought and floods.
Contribution: Our review also highlighted a gap for future studies indicating health promotion interventions as being mostly social support and minimal indication of health system interventions. Future research may be necessary to provide multi-sectorial interventions of support.