Environmental change and floods: the long-ignored effects of displacement on mental health
2024

Effects of Floods on Mental Health in Pakistan

publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Akram Sara, Mushtaq Shama

Hypothesis

The study aims to ascertain the correlation between floods, caused by environmental shifts, and their influence on mental well-being in Pakistan, specifically focusing on the experiences of susceptible communities.

Conclusion

The study found that climate change-induced floods significantly impact mental health, particularly among vulnerable populations in Pakistan.

Supporting Evidence

  • Floods in Pakistan have caused significant mental health issues, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
  • Vulnerable populations are particularly affected by the psychological impacts of climate-induced displacement.
  • Existing literature indicates a strong correlation between natural disasters and mental health disorders.

Takeaway

Floods caused by climate change can make people very sad and anxious, especially those who are already struggling, like the elderly and children.

Methodology

The study conducted a systematic review of existing literature on the mental health impacts of floods in Pakistan.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the exclusion of non-English papers and incomplete data from some studies.

Limitations

The study faced difficulties in obtaining complete texts for several studies and the diversity of included reviews limited meta-analytic comparisons.

Participant Demographics

The study focuses on vulnerable populations, including socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, older adults, individuals with disabilities, and children.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3389/fpubh.2024.1434123

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