"Is there a Link Between Heat Waves and Mental Health Emergencies in the Emergency Department?"

Abstract

There is evidence suggesting that climate change, coupled with an increase in the frequency and severity of heatwaves, affects mental health. The aim of this study was to investigate potential associations between high temperature and the utilization of an emergency department (ED) by individuals with psychiatric disorders. A retrospective analysis of all psychiatric emergency patients from 2015 to 2022 (N=15478) was conducted and compared with local temperature data. Particularly during heatwaves, more psychiatric emergency patients presented to the ED. Beyond the results identified during heatwaves, our extensive analysis of the examined ED revealed no additional significant effects of heat on psychiatric emergencies. This contradicts findings from other studies. Other systemic influences, such as the utilization of the ED during the Covid-19 pandemic, could have modified the results.