Abstract
Mental health problems are a leading cause of disability in both developed and developing countries, and the consequences of mental health disorders for individuals, families, and society as a whole could be severe and costly. To supplement relevant research and provide insightful policy suggestions to families, government and societies, this study investigates the nexus between natural disasters and mental health for middle-aged and older adults in rural China. Based on data of 8721 observations from the 2014 China Family Panel Studies, we estimate the effects of natural disasters on mental health using ordinary least squares and propensity score matching. Our findings suggest that natural disasters have a significant negative effect on middle-aged and older adults’ mental health in the case of rural China. This effect is heterogeneous depending on individuals’ education level and their agricultural production status. Finally, individuals’ happiness and life satisfaction are shown to be the potential mechanism through which the effect of natural disasters on mental health operates.
Highlights
Mental health problems are a leading cause of disability in both developed and developing countries, and the consequences of mental health disorders for individuals, families, and society as a whole could be severe and costly
This paper reveals that natural disasters could affect mental health through the influence of happiness and life satisfaction
We investigate the causal relationship between natural disasters and mental health in the case of middle-aged and older adults in rural
Summary
Mental health problems are a leading cause of disability in both developed and developing countries, and the consequences of mental health disorders for individuals, families, and society as a whole could be severe and costly. To supplement relevant research and provide insightful policy suggestions to families, government and societies, this study investigates the nexus between natural disasters and mental health for middle-aged and older adults in rural China. Natural disasters, which are a possible result of global warming, play a crucial role in the relationship between humans and nature For this reason, natural disasters have been widely studied, with researchers exploring their impact on society and aspects such as household finance, poverty, family violence, the macroeconomy, and energy consumption [1–6]. Exploring the causes of mental health problems is crucial for the well-being of individuals, their families, and society as a whole
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