Community-Engaged Approaches to Climate Change and Mental Health (2025-2026)

Climate change poses growing risks to mental health through exposure to extreme weather events, rising temperatures and environmental disruption. While the physical impacts of climate events such as hurricanes and heat waves are well documented, less attention has been given to how these events affect individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, who may be particularly vulnerable to psychological stress following climate-related disasters.

This project team explored how climate events influence mental health outcomes among individuals with existing mental health conditions in the United States, with the goal of informing future interventions and community partnerships in Durham and North Carolina. Team members designed and conducted a systematic review examining how climate events — including hurricanes, wildfires and other severe weather — affect individuals with pre-existing mental health diagnoses.

Team members developed inclusion and exclusion criteria and screened more than 10,000 abstracts across multiple databases to identify relevant studies. Early findings suggest that while many publications acknowledge the vulnerability of people with pre-existing mental health conditions following climate events, relatively little empirical research measures how outcomes differ for this population. 

In parallel, the team began engaging community stakeholders and medical professionals to explore how research findings could inform clinical guidance and community-based interventions aimed at strengthening resilience among vulnerable populations. The project also provided training in evidence synthesis methods and foundational knowledge about climate change and mental health.

Timing

Fall 2025 – Spring 2026

Team Outputs

Community Engaged Approaches to Climate Change and Mental Health (Team profile)

So Many Studies, So Little Evidence: Community-Engaged Approaches to Climate Change and Mental Health (Poster presentation at the Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase, April 15, 2026)

Systematic review on climate events and mental health outcomes among individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions

Screened dataset of more than 10,000 abstracts on climate change and mental health

Community partner engagement with Durham-area stakeholders and medical professionals

Manuscript in progress

See related team, Community-Engaged Approaches to Climate Change and Mental Health (2026-2027)