Psychological health declined during the post-monsoon season in communities impacted by sea-level rise in Bangladesh

Abstract

Sea level rise affects the long-term psychological health of coastal communities. However, research on long-term and seasonal impacts on vulnerable communities’ psychological health is limited. Here, we explore the effect of sea-level rise on the psychological health of the coastal population in Satkhira and Khulna districts of southwest Bangladesh across two seasons: before monsoon (March to April) and post-monsoon months (October to November) in 2021. We leveraged the longitudinal research that involved 1144 participants. We collected data on psychological health using established scales for distress, depression, anxiety, and stress and also measured environmental factors and resource losses. Results indicate that psychological health, particularly distress, depression, anxiety, and stress, increased during the post-monsoon months in communities more vulnerable to sea-level rise. Highly vulnerable communities showed increased psychological distress post-monsoon. Environmental stressors and resource loss escalated during the post-monsoon period, especially in moderate and highly vulnerable communities. Our findings emphasize the urgent need for targeted support and resilience-building interventions in affected communities to alleviate the psychological health impacts of sea-level rise.