Dhaka, October 09, 2025: For the first time, researchers from the UK and Bangladesh have examined all available tested interventions globally that aim to support people whose mental health has been severely affected by extreme weather events linked to climate change.
This study and its findings highlight the theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day (WMHD) on 10 October 2025: “Access to services: Mental health in catastrophes and emergencies.”
In a nutshell, the study found a lack of evidence from poorer countries, those most in need of mental health support for people struggling with the effects of climate change-related natural disasters.
The researchers reviewed 26 studies reporting different types of mental health interventions: one on the overall impact of climate change, eleven on storms, nine on flooding, and five on wildfires. These studies demonstrated the effectiveness of the interventions in improving mental health outcomes.
Most of the identified interventions were conducted in high-income countries, targeted individuals, and were delivered by specialists or non-specialists using various forms of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), including face-to-face sessions, online platforms, and mobile text messaging.
The researchers found very few studies reporting interventions in low- or middle-income countries (LMICs). There was also limited evidence on interventions that focused on community and family support or on basic services for those exposed to extreme weather events.
The researchers, including lead researcher Dr. Masuma Mishu, Golam Rabbani, and Professor Rumana Huque, recommended that “there is a need for coordinated interventions that target not only individual-level specialised and non-specialised services but also involve community and family support and strengthen basic services for those exposed to climate change-related extreme weather events, especially in LMICs. Multi-sectoral coordinated interventions are needed, targeting the individual, community support, and basic services at the system level, tailored to the specific nature of extreme weather events, their impacts, and the needs and circumstances of affected populations.”
