Exploring the Nexus: Climate Change, Poverty, and Mental Health

Climate change, poverty, and mental health are interconnected drivers of vulnerability that reinforce one another through complex social and environmental pathways. This narrative review synthesises evidence from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar and comprises relevant research published in English between 1990 and 2025. Many people worldwide who are exposed to dangerous air pollution live in low- and middle-income nations, where economic hardships worsen climate-related challenges. Climate change exacerbates global economic difficulties and heightens poverty by increasing disease prevalence, causing forced migration, and destroying livelihoods. Additionally, communities repeatedly hit by climate disasters experience growing rates of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, with the most vulnerable groups suffering the most severe psychological effects. New findings from South and Southeast Asia also indicate that rising temperatures are increasingly linked to negative mental health effects, highlighting climate stress as an escalating public mental health issue. However, data remain fragmented, with few longitudinal or intersectional studies and limited economic assessments from low- and middle-income countries. The review underscores the need for integrated, equity-centred climate and mental health policies, cross-sectoral collaboration, and stronger health system resilience to mitigate these cascading risks.