Extreme heat has been found to significantly raise the likelihood of young people being admitted to hospitals for mental health issues, as per a comprehensive Australian study. The research, led by the University of Sydney and involving 720,000 hospital admissions in New South Wales from 2001 to 2022, revealed that during extreme temperature spikes, the risk of admissions doubled in warmer months and tripled in cooler months. The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, predicts a potential 6% to 7.7% increase in heat-related mental health admissions by the end of the century due to rising global temperatures.
The study specifically focuses on severe cases necessitating hospitalization, including conditions like depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, eating disorders, and self-harm, while excluding emergency and outpatient visits. Researchers noted a swift surge in admissions following heatwaves, indicating a likely physiological response possibly tied to factors such as sleep disturbances, stress, altered brain function, and heightened impulsivity or substance use. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating psychological risks into heat-health planning and policies, according to the Guardian Australia.
