Climate change and mental health in Korea: A scoping review
신지영* ･ 백주하* ･ 채수미**†
Shin, Jiyoung* Baek, Juha* and Chae, Sumi**†
Climate change can affect mental health as well as physical health. A number of studies have recently been reported in Korea to investigate the association between climate change and mental health indicators. Research conducted in Korea reflects specific environments and climate conditions in Korea, contributing to the preparation of appropriate policies suitable for the domestic environment. However, few studies have systematically reviewed studies on climate change and mental health in Korea. Therefore, this study aims to identify the existing evidence regarding the association of climate change with mental health on domestic population groups by using a scoping review and suggests the direction of future studies on climate change and mental health. The result of this scoping review showed that research on climate change and mental health has increased since 2015 compared to before 2015, and mental health issues related to temperature, natural disasters, and air pollution have been largely investigated. Considering the recent trend of rising temperatures, the effects of heat waves on physical and mental health would be even greater, and the importance of research between temperature and mental health is likely to increase. In addition, many studies have been performed to investigate the relationship of natural disasters with trauma in Korea. Since natural disasters tend to be relatively limited to specific areas, future studies should be conducted to study the mental difficulties experienced by residents in certain disaster areas and to suggest policies for recovery. Climate factors, including rising sea levels, could cause migration, geopolitical changes, and food instability, and these changes could also impact various physical and mental health. Therefore, considering various factors caused by climate change, it will be necessary to explore mediating factors that could eventually affect mental health. Finally, a follow-up study including government reports is needed to identify trends in research on climate change and mental health and to review the policies proposed in the report.
140602-09.pdf
