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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Public Mental Health
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1450943
This article is part of the Research Topic Exploring Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations in Developing Countries View all 32 articles

Impact of Climate Change on Women Mental Health in Rural Hinterland Pakistan

Provisionally accepted
Umar Daraz Umar Daraz 1Younas Khan Younas Khan 2*Rula Odeh Alsawalqa Rula Odeh Alsawalqa 3Maissa N. Alrawashdeh Maissa N. Alrawashdeh 3
  • 1 University of Malakand, Chakdara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
  • 2 Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Pakistan
  • 3 The University of Jordan, Aljubeiha, Amman, Jordan

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Climate change poses significant challenges to global well-being, with rural and agricultural communities, particularly women, bearing a disproportionate burden. Understanding its impact on mental health is crucial for effective intervention. This research investigates the influence of climate change on the mental health of rural women in Malakand Division specifically in Districts Dir Upper, Lower and Shangla, Pakistan, employing quantitative methodologies to assess stress, anxiety, and community dynamics. A cross-sectional design was utilized, sampling 600 women across Dir Upper, Dir Lower, and Shangla districts. Multistage cluster sampling ensured geographic representation. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed via multiple regression, structural equation modeling, ANOVA, and logistic regression. The results shows that, climate change factorstemperature increase, extreme weather events, precipitation changes, and environmental degradation-significantly impacted rural women's mental health. Social support, community cohesion, access to resources, and cultural norms played pivotal roles. Gender disparities in mental health outcomes were evident, with women experiencing higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and lower psychological well-being. It has been concluded, that climate change exacerbates mental health challenges for rural women, necessitating integrated approaches that address environmental and psychological well-being. Strengthening community resilience, gender-sensitive mental health services, and policy interventions are imperative to mitigate adverse effects and promote sustainable development. Policymakers must prioritize gender-sensitive, community-based interventions that integrate climate adaptation with mental health support. Investments in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and livelihoods are crucial for building resilience and advancing the well-being of rural populations amidst climate change.

    Keywords: Climate Change, Rural Women, Mental Health, community dynamics, social support

    Received: 18 Jun 2024; Accepted: 15 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Daraz, Khan, Alsawalqa and Alrawashdeh. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Younas Khan, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Pakistan

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.