Abstract
Climate change is a global challenge which is likely to affect the mankind in substantial ways. Not only climate change is expected to affect physical health, it is also likely to affect mental health. Increased frequency of disasters with climate change can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder, adjustment disorder, and depression. Changes in climate may require population to migrate, which can lead to acculturation stress. It can also lead to increased rates of physical illnesses, which secondarily would be associated with psychological distress. Using a qualitative approach, this research explores the mental health status of migrant women in two urban slum areas in Dhaka city. The purpose of this study is to perform a review of existing secondary data and present mental health scenario of climate migrant women among slum dwellers and amplified gaps in knowledge regarding psychological health care system in Bangladesh. It is found that there is a lack of mental health preparedness and response in majority parts in the country specially the city slum, where aid cannot be reached to the sufferers. The paper concludes with a discussion of what can and should be done to tackle the expected mental health issues consequent to climate change and migration.
Highlights
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is one of the fastest growing megacities in the world
The city comprises approximately 14 million inhabitants [2] with more than 300,000 new migrants, mainly the rural poor, moving to Dhaka each year [3] [4]. As most of these new immigrants initially concentrate in slums, Dhaka's population growth led to an increase in the proportion of slum dwellers from 20% in 1996 to 37% in 2005, which presents a daunting challenge for local health authorities [1, 5]
Individuals who have been exposed to life threatening situations are at a considerable risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [6, 7]
Summary
The capital of Bangladesh, is one of the fastest growing megacities in the world. The city comprises approximately 14 million inhabitants [2] with more than 300,000 new migrants, mainly the rural poor, moving to Dhaka each year [3] [4] As most of these new immigrants initially concentrate in slums, Dhaka's population growth led to an increase in the proportion of slum dwellers from 20% in 1996 to 37% in 2005, which presents a daunting challenge for local health authorities [1, 5]. Individuals who have been through the experience of climate related natural disaster are at a higher risk of developing PTSD, and at a greater risk of developing acute stress reaction and adjustment disorder [11, 12]. The present narrative review discusses the current mental health scenario of climate migrant women among slum dwellers in Dhaka city
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