New public health study shows concerning gap in media coverage around mental health: 'We found that pretty surprising'

A new study is urging mainstream media to focus more on the mental health impact of climate change, according to Medical Xpress.

What's happening?

A public health study from the University of Alberta, published in the journal Environmental Research: Health, reported on the gap in the media's reporting of the mental health impact of climate change.

The study looked at more than 1,000 articles in Canada and the United States published in English or French between 2016 and 2020. It found that there was an increase in topics related to climate-mental health from 2016 to 2019 but a sharp decrease from 2019 to 2020, most likely because of coverage relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The study also found that, although 468 different news outlets published at least one story on mental health impacts from climate disasters, there was infrequent repeat coverage. There was an average of only 2.32 articles published on climate-mental health, per the study. 

Over half of all climate-mental health coverage was in newspapers (57.7% of all articles). This is despite the fact that only about 7% of U.S. adults read national newspapers each day, according to 2022 statistics from Redline.

Of the articles that mentioned mental health, only about half included strategies to deal with its potential detrimental effects. According to Breanne Aylward of the School of Public Health, who is the author of the study: "We found that pretty surprising."

Why is climate-mental health important?

According to Aylward, climate disasters adversely affect numerous people. Weather disasters, such as wildfires, floods, and heat waves, can cause anxiety and depression among some people. Even those who are not directly affected can experience environmental anxiety — known as "eco-anxiety" — just by hearing about it through news sources. 

According to another report from Medical Xpress, 53% of U.S. adults polled said the ever-changing climate affected their mental health.

"We know climate change is already impacting mental health," Aylward said. "Focusing on the protective factors, interventions, and coping strategies people use is really important for prompting action to reduce risks in the future."

The reporting on climate-mental health was infrequent and not sustained enough, according to the findings of the study. 

"More news outlets were talking about mental health during climate events, but it wasn't a sustained conversation," Aylward said. "The volume of news coverage on climate-mental health issues starkly contrasts with overall climate change reporting."

This is important to note since climate-related weather disasters are increasing. The 18 separate $1 billion climate events in 2022 tied for the third-highest number in recorded history.

According to an international disaster database, deaths from climate-related events were up in 2023 compared to the previous year, with a 278% increase in deaths from wildfires and a 340% increase in deaths due to storms. 

What's being done about reporting on climate-mental health?

In the study, Aylward outlines what communities could do better to increase discussions of mental health. 

"More sustained news coverage that highlights a diverse range of at-risk groups and effective coping strategies could help drive action towards preventing and reducing climate-mental health risks," the study's conclusion reads.

Aylward said communities could establish spaces, such as climate cafes, as open forums. She also said that researchers focusing on the link between the climate and mental health should do better to share their findings with the media outside of just academic papers.

For the press, Aylward suggested that a wider coverage of coping strategies and mental health interventions could create a wider awareness of the public health impact and help policymakers address the issue.

The University of Alberta also established the Climate Change and Health Hub, a dedicated group of faculty, staff, and students whose aim is to address the health effects of Earth's overheating.

On an individual level, everyone can do things to prioritize their self-care. This includes focusing on what you can control, spending more time outdoors, and sharing your feelings with someone, whether a loved one or in therapy.

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