Mental Health
Climate Change Training Module
Mental Health, Climate Change
and Public Health
Minnesota Climate and Health Program
Minnesota Department of Health
Environmental Impacts Analysis Unit
July 2013
625 Robert Street North
PO Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
Notice
MDH developed this presentation based on scientific
research published in peer-reviewed journals.
References for information can be found in the
relevant slides and/or at the end of the presentation.
2
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
3
Definitions
• Weather — conditions
of the atmosphere over
a short period of time
• Climate — conditions of
the atmosphere over
long periods of time (30
year standard averaging
period)
4
Definitions
• Mental health – a
state of well-being in
which every
individual realizes his
or her own potential,
can cope with the
normal stresses of
life, can work
productively and
fruitfully, and is able
to contribute to his or
her community
5
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
6
Observed Climate Changes
There have been three recent significant
observed climate trends in Minnesota:
 The average temperature is increasing
 The average number of days with a
high dew point may be increasing
 The character of precipitation is
changing
7
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
8
Temperature Changes in Minnesota
Minnesota Average Temperature
12 month period ending December
Source: Western Regional Climate Center
49
Temperature (°F)
47
45
43
41
39
37
35
Ending Year of Period
Annual Average Temperature
10-Year Running Average
9
Temperature Changes in Minnesota
Significant observations in warming pattern:
• Winter temperatures have been
rising about twice as fast as
annual average temperatures
• Minimum or overnight low
temperatures have been rising
faster than maximum or
daytime high temperatures
10
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
11
Dew Point Changes
• Dew point – a measure of
water vapor in the air
• A high dew point makes it
more difficult for sweat to
evaporate off the skin, which
is one of the main
mechanisms the body uses to
cool itself
• The number of days with high
dew point temperatures (≥
70°F) may be increasing in
Minnesota
12
Dew Point Changes
13
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
14
Changes in Precipitation
Minnesota Total Annual Precipitation
12 month period ending in December
Source: Western Regional Climate Center
40
Precipitation (inches)
35
30
25
20
15
10
Ending Year of Period
Total Annual Precipitation
10-year Running Average
15
Changes in Precipitation
Precipitation in Minnesota
is changing:
• More localized, heavy
precipitation events
• Potential to cause both
increased flooding and
drought
16
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
17
Climate Change Awareness
Understanding climate change is difficult
• Hazards are experienced differently based on
geographic location, population, and season
• Effects of climate are unknown and uncertain
• Cannot be identified by personal experience alone
We have to rely on scientific models and expert
judgment, often through the lens of mass media
18
Climate Change Awareness
19
Climate Change Awareness
• Emotional reactions to the awareness of
climate change include:
– Fear
– Sadness
– Depression
– Anxiety
– Helpless and hopeless
– Anger
20
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
21
Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
• Psychological effects of
climate change are likely
to be gradual and
cumulative
• The connection to climate
change may not always
be clear to those affected
• Manifests as two types of
stress
– Discrete
– Continuous
22
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
23
Place
• Places are “nested
collections of human
experience, locations with
which people and
communities have particular
affective relationships.”
• Ties to a place are a part of
identity
– Familiarity
– attachment
• Climate is fundamental to an
individual’s understanding of
place
24
Place
•
•
Place is a key determinant of exposure to
the impacts of climate change
Climate change may alter look and feel of
the defining attributes a place
• Solastalgia: palpable sense of dislocation and loss
that felt when changes to a local environment are
perceived as harmful
• The loss of a connection to place and sense of belonging in
that place undermines mental health
• Attachment to place is so strong that it can be a primary
driver of inaction
25
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
26
Disasters and Mental Health
• Individual vulnerabilities:
– Proximity to the disaster
– Low socioeconomic status
– Low social connectedness
– Existing mental illness
• Community vulnerabilities:
– Outdated emergency plans
– Shortage of mental health
resources at time of event
– Repeated exposure to
disaster or crisis
27
Disasters and Mental Health
• Poor mental health
outcomes are not only
attributable to
exposure to the event
– Displacement
– Unstable or unknown
housing circumstances
– Lack of access to
support services
– Loss, particularly of
employment,
possessions
28
Disasters and Mental Health
• Specific post-disaster mental health outcomes may include:
–
–
–
–
–
Confusion
Depression
Anxiety
Grief
Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Case Study: Hurricane Katrina
– Many victims have experienced stress disorders
– Very high rates of suicide attempts (78.6 times higher than baseline
rate)
– High rates of suicide completion (14.7 times higher than baseline
rate)
– High rates of depression
– Domestic violence/child abuse
29
Disasters and Mental Health
• Risk of living in
‘disaster-prone’ areas
– Cumulative mental
health impacts are
associated with the
repeated exposure to
natural disaster
– Ongoing uncertainty,
anxiety, dread can
cause a build up of
stress before disaster
occurs
30
Disasters and Mental Health
• Displacement can lead to
grief, anxiety, loss
• Fractured social networks
and community connection
• Impact on receiving
communities
– Real or perceived lack of
resources such as support
services, housing, jobs, and
natural resources
– Perceived competition for
resources can contribute to
discrimination
31
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
32
Loss
• Climate change can contribute to
several sources of loss:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Loss of bio-diversity
Loss of habitat
Extinction of species
Crop failure
Water shortage
Drought
Loss of livelihood
Forced migration/displacement and
the loss of place
– Loss of property, pets, possessions
33
Loss
• Loss can impact our sense of self and disrupt
our sense of place
• A series of losses is particularly devastating
– Distinct bereavement for each loss
– Impacts slow to dissipate without support
34
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
35
Climate Change and Violence
• As temperature rises, so does
the incidence of violence
– Increase in murders, assaults,
violent suicide, and domestic
violence when the weather is hot
– Predicted: 24,000 assaults or
murders in the US per year for
every 2° F increase in average
temperature
• Stress of experiencing natural
disaster can lead to violence
36
Mental Health Impact of Violence
Mental health conditions
significantly more common
amongst those exposed to
violence:
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Aggression and violent
behavior
• Increased risk of suicide
37
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
38
Vulnerable Populations
• Vulnerable communities
are already beginning to
experience disruptions
to the social, economic,
and environmental
determinants of mental
health
– Disaster-prone areas
– Economically dependent
on environment
39
Vulnerable Populations
• Individuals who are at increased risk of mental
health impacts of climate change include:
– Persons with pre-existing mental illness
– Persons on low incomes and/or unemployed
– Persons who experience disaster
– Victims of violence
40
Vulnerable Populations: Financial Hardship
• Financial hardships
related to climate
change
– Reduced income or
employment in climate
sensitive industries
– Increased costs of
essential goods and
services
• Disruption to food
systems
• Decrease or loss of clean
water supply
• Higher insurance rates
41
Vulnerable Populations: Children
• Children may understand and
experience the threat of climate
change very different than their
parents or grandparents
• Children so troubled by the state
of the world that they honestly
believe it will come to an end
before they get older
– The psychological impact on
children has been compared to
the impact on children worried
about nuclear arms during the
Cold War Era
• Children are more emotionally
vulnerable to increased family
violence and the occurrence of
natural disasters
42
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
43
Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
•
•
•
•
•
Ignorance
Uncertainty
Denial
Place Attachment
Perceived Behavioral
Control
44
Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Social Comparison,
Norms, Conformity, and
Perceived Equity
• Conflicting Goals and
Aspirations
• Belief in Solutions
Outside of Human
Control
45
Outline
• Climate Change in Minnesota
– Temperature
– Dew Point
– Precipitation
• Climate Change Awareness
• Mental Health Impacts of Climate Change
–
–
–
–
Place
Disasters and Mental Health
Loss
Violence
• Vulnerable Populations
• Psychological Barriers to Climate Action
• Role of Public Health
46
The Role of Public Health
• Mental/Behavioral Health Annex to All-Hazards
Plan
• Reduce the number of people with traumatic
stress reactions by rapidly restoring key
psychosocial domains
–
–
–
–
–
Safety and security
reuniting families
systems of justice
foundations for returning to work
institutions that provide meaning
47
PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
The Role of Public Health
Safety
Calm and Comfort
Connectedness
Self-empowerment
Hope
48
The Role of Public Health
• Local public health departments are not
expected to provide a full range of mental and
behavioral health
• Identify and partner with the mental health
resources available in your community before
a disaster affects your community
49
The Role of Public Health
• Well-meaning attempts to
create urgency about
climate change can lead to
denial, paralysis, apathy
• Focus on place–
understand and
communicate the local
exposures of climate
change and the response
50
The Role of Public Health
• Promote the benefits
of climate action:
– Positive coping
mechanism
– Personal meaning
and satisfaction
– Sense of control or
contribution
– Climate action has
physical health
benefits as well
51
General Resources for Public Health
Society’s Grand Challenges: Global Climate Change
American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org/science/resources/grand-challenges.aspx
“Human behavior is recognized as a main contributor to today’s climate crisis, and yet, it
is one of the least understood components of this complex problem. Learn how
psychologists are studying ways to address global climate change.”
Ambit Network at the University of Minnesota is a leader in helping communities use
research-based prevention and intervention techniques to increase children’s ability to
deal with trauma.
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/fsos/projects/ambit/default.asp
“A Public Health Approach to Prevention of Behavioral Health Conditions”
A Presentation from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA)
http://store.samhsa.gov/product/A-Public-Health-Approach-to-Prevention-of-Behavioral-HealthConditions/SMA12-PHYDE051512
This presentation discusses the public health model to prevent substance abuse and
mental health disorders. Additionally, it reviews some of the challenges in preventing
behavioral health problems and potential solutions, with an emphasis on early
intervention.
52
Disaster Behavioral Health Resources for
Public Health
Behavioral Health and Emergency Preparedness
Minnesota Department of Health, Office of Emergency Preparedness
http://www.health.state.mn.us/oep/responsesystems/behavioral.html
This website provides expanded information on Psychological First Aid, continuity of
operations, resources for responders, disaster planning, and suicide prevention.
Disaster Behavior Health Information Series
SAMHSA
A collection of resources, presentations, and toolkits pertinent to disaster behavioral
health. Resources target specific populations or relate to specific types of disaster.
http://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/dbhis/
Psychological First Aid Mobile App
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
http://www.nctsnet.org/content/pfa-mobile
PFA Mobile™ lets responders review PFA guidelines and assess their readiness to deliver
PFA in the field. The app provides additional support for successful interactions with
different survival groups.
53
Summary
• Minnesota’s climate is changing
– Increases in temperature
– Increases in high dew point temperatures
– Changing character of precipitation
• Climate change can have harmful impacts to our mental health
– Continuous stress due to a changing environment
– Discrete stress from exposure to natural disasters and other emergencies
• Certain populations are at greater risk of mental illness due to climate
change, especially individuals who:
–
–
–
–
–
live in disaster-prone areas
survive a disaster
are economically dependent on a stable climate
have pre-existing mental illness
are children
• Public health awareness, planning, and training as well as effective climate
communication can reduce the mental health impacts of climate change.
54
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by cooperative agreement 5UE1EH000738
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Special thanks to the following people for their contributions to the
creation of this training module:
Nancy Carlson
Minnesota Department of Health Office of Emergency Preparedness
Susan Littrell, LiCSW, LADC
Hennepin County Community Outreach for Psychiatric Emergencies
(COPE)
Ken Winters, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry
Chris Bray, Ph.D., LP
Ambit Network
Mary Jo Verschay
Minnesota Department of Human Services
55
Thank You
Questions?
Contact Minnesota Climate and Health Program:
651-201-4898
651-201-5759 TTY
health.climatechange@state.mn.us
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/climatechange/index.html
JULY 29, 2013
56
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