Indigenous mental health in a changing climate: a systematic scoping review of the global literature
Indigenous Peoples globally are among those who are most acutely experiencing the mental health impacts of climate change; however, little is known about the ways in which Indigenous Peoples globally experience climate-sensitive mental health impacts and outcomes, and how these experiences may vary...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab68a9 |
| _version_ | 1797747594638655488 |
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| author | Jacqueline Middleton Ashlee Cunsolo Andria Jones-Bitton Carlee J Wright Sherilee L Harper |
| author_facet | Jacqueline Middleton Ashlee Cunsolo Andria Jones-Bitton Carlee J Wright Sherilee L Harper |
| author_sort | Jacqueline Middleton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Indigenous Peoples globally are among those who are most acutely experiencing the mental health impacts of climate change; however, little is known about the ways in which Indigenous Peoples globally experience climate-sensitive mental health impacts and outcomes, and how these experiences may vary depending on local socio-cultural contexts, geographical location, and regional variations in climate change. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine the extent, range, and nature of published research investigating the ways in which global Indigenous mental health is impacted by meteorological, seasonal, and climatic changes. Following a systematic scoping review protocol, three electronic databases were searched. To be included, articles had to be empirical research published since 2007 (i.e. since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report); explicitly discuss Indigenous Peoples and describe factors related to climatic variables and mental health. Descriptive data from relevant articles were extracted, and the articles were thematically analyzed. Fifty articles were included for full review. Most primary research articles described research in Canada (38%), Australia (24%), and the United States of America (10%), with the number of articles increasing over time. Mental health outcomes such as strong emotional responses, suicide, depression, and anxiety were linked to changes in meteorological factors, seasonality, and exposure to both acute and chronic weather events. The literature also reported on the ways in which the emotional and psychological impacts of climate were connected to changing place attachment, disrupted cultural continuity, altered food security and systems, forced human mobility, and intangible loss and damages. This review highlights global considerations for Indigenous mental health in relation to climate change, which can support Indigenous-driven initiatives and decision-making to enhance mental wellness in a changing climate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:52:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-70a6a3355c154ce2b3e5ee44610be11c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:52:51Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-70a6a3355c154ce2b3e5ee44610be11c2023-08-09T15:03:50ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262020-01-0115505300110.1088/1748-9326/ab68a9Indigenous mental health in a changing climate: a systematic scoping review of the global literatureJacqueline Middleton0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2424-0183Ashlee Cunsolo1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6695-3486Andria Jones-Bitton2Carlee J Wright3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7063-8013Sherilee L Harper4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7298-8765Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph , 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, CanadaLabrador Institute of Memorial University , 219 Hamilton River Road, PO Box 490, Stn. B, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, A0P 1E0, CanadaDepartment of Population Medicine, University of Guelph , 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, CanadaSchool of Public Health, University of Alberta , 116 St. and 85 Ave., Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2R3, CanadaDepartment of Population Medicine, University of Guelph , 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada; School of Public Health, University of Alberta , 116 St. and 85 Ave., Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2R3, CanadaIndigenous Peoples globally are among those who are most acutely experiencing the mental health impacts of climate change; however, little is known about the ways in which Indigenous Peoples globally experience climate-sensitive mental health impacts and outcomes, and how these experiences may vary depending on local socio-cultural contexts, geographical location, and regional variations in climate change. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine the extent, range, and nature of published research investigating the ways in which global Indigenous mental health is impacted by meteorological, seasonal, and climatic changes. Following a systematic scoping review protocol, three electronic databases were searched. To be included, articles had to be empirical research published since 2007 (i.e. since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report); explicitly discuss Indigenous Peoples and describe factors related to climatic variables and mental health. Descriptive data from relevant articles were extracted, and the articles were thematically analyzed. Fifty articles were included for full review. Most primary research articles described research in Canada (38%), Australia (24%), and the United States of America (10%), with the number of articles increasing over time. Mental health outcomes such as strong emotional responses, suicide, depression, and anxiety were linked to changes in meteorological factors, seasonality, and exposure to both acute and chronic weather events. The literature also reported on the ways in which the emotional and psychological impacts of climate were connected to changing place attachment, disrupted cultural continuity, altered food security and systems, forced human mobility, and intangible loss and damages. This review highlights global considerations for Indigenous mental health in relation to climate change, which can support Indigenous-driven initiatives and decision-making to enhance mental wellness in a changing climate.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab68a9Indigenous healthclimate changemental healthweatherseasonalityintangible loss and damage |
| spellingShingle | Jacqueline Middleton Ashlee Cunsolo Andria Jones-Bitton Carlee J Wright Sherilee L Harper Indigenous mental health in a changing climate: a systematic scoping review of the global literature Environmental Research Letters Indigenous health climate change mental health weather seasonality intangible loss and damage |
| title | Indigenous mental health in a changing climate: a systematic scoping review of the global literature |
| title_full | Indigenous mental health in a changing climate: a systematic scoping review of the global literature |
| title_fullStr | Indigenous mental health in a changing climate: a systematic scoping review of the global literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Indigenous mental health in a changing climate: a systematic scoping review of the global literature |
| title_short | Indigenous mental health in a changing climate: a systematic scoping review of the global literature |
| title_sort | indigenous mental health in a changing climate a systematic scoping review of the global literature |
| topic | Indigenous health climate change mental health weather seasonality intangible loss and damage |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab68a9 |
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