Extreme weather events and mental health in Colorado (2012–2022)

Abstract

PurposeClimate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events (EWEs) such as drought and wildfires. EWEs are associated with increased rates of mental or behavioral health outcomes, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression. Understanding the relationship between EWEs and mental or behavioral health outcomes is vital, especially given the high rates of mental illness in Colorado (20% in adults). MethodsMental or behavioral health outcomes were measured through The Attitudes and Behaviors Survey (TABS), a statewide random survey of adults in Colorado that asks about respondents’ history of clinically diagnosed mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and PTSD. To measure the impacts of EWEs, wildfire data were collected through FIRESTAT, and drought data were collected through the U.S. Drought Monitor. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds of experiencing mental or behavioral health outcomes following EWEs across four TABS survey waves (2012, 2015, 2018, 2022). ResultsPreliminary results showed the odds of experiencing any kind of mental illness following a EWE were significantly higher (post-wildfire odds ratio [OR] = 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.34, 1.57; post-drought OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.27). Final results will include illness-specific odds following EWEs and examine the relationship in the context of other social or environmental factors, including occupation, socioeconomic status, and access to health insurance. ConclusionsEWEs associated with climate change are impacting the mental or behavioral health of Coloradans. Further investigation of these relationships is critical to informing the development of effective and context-appropriate interventions in Colorado.