WEDNESDAY, June 19, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Most Americans believe climate change is harming their mental health, according to results of a new poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
In a survey of more than 2,200 adults conducted in late May, 53% of respondents said they believe the effects of global warming are affecting Americans’ mental health, up from 48% of those asked in a similar survey conducted in 2022.
High temperatures, wildfires and hurricanes don’t just disrupt our peace of mind: The poll found that 39% say climate change is also affecting their access to food, and 37% say it is negatively impacting their personal finances, family (36%), housing (34%), neighborhood (25%), job or career (26%) and education (24%).
Age mattered: “The majority of respondents aged 18-34 said climate change was affecting their mental state. [53 percent] Physical Health [52 percent]Meanwhile, less than a quarter [<25 percent] “Thirty percent of adults age 65 and older say climate change is affecting every aspect of their lives,” the APA said in a news release.
With regard to race, Black and Hispanic Americans were more likely than whites to agree that climate change will affect their mental health (27, 26 and 21 percent, respectively).
In this election year, a majority of Americans (54%) also say they are concerned about how the government is dealing with the threat of climate change, with about a fifth (21%) saying they are “very concerned” about the government’s response.
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