Implications of global climate change to persons with mental illness

Global climate change, that is, generally increasing global temperatures, are now widely accepted as imminent, whether they are man-made or the result of natural climate fluctuations. The potential impact on public health has been the subject of some study, but the potential impacts on mental health (including substance abuse) have largely been neglected, particularly on vulnerable populations suffering from these disorders. Initial review of literature shows that most studies related to climate change and mental health appear to date from the 1980's or earlier, suggesting that recent research in this field is limited. Nevertheless, taken together these investigations suggest that rising temperatures may have significant implications for fetal brain development, attention spans, crime rates, and even drug abuse. To be presented are findings of a review of literature establishing the implications of climate change to mental health. The review will cover identification of areas in which persons suffering from mental illness and substance abuse are most vulnerable, possible implications for mental health service demand and utilization, and research implications to establish readiness of mental health agencies and providers for extreme climatic changes.