Socio-ecological factors associated with eco-anxiety following the 2023 wildfires among Northern and Indigenous youth in the Northwest Territories, Canada: cross-sectional findings

BackgroundEco-anxiety is an emerging mental health concern among adolescents, particularly in regions affected by climate-related disasters.In 2023, widespread wildfires disrupted communities in Canada's Northwest Territories (NWT).This study examined associations between wildfire exposure severity, socio-ecological factors, and eco-anxiety among adolescents in the NWT. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey with adolescents aged 13 to 18 across secondary schools in the NWT during the 2023-2024 school year.Structural equation modelling examined pathways linking social factors (gender, sexual orientation, and Indigenous identity), living conditions (rural residence and caregiver status), structural conditions (food insecurity and wildfire exposure severity), and eco-anxiety.Self-esteem, a psychosocial resource, was examined as a moderator of the association between wildfire exposure severity and eco-anxiety. ResultsParticipants included 290 adolescents with a mean age of 13.7 years, most identifying as Indigenous and living in rural communities.SEM showed that greater wildfire exposure severity (=0.25,p<0.001) and food insecurity (=0.21,p<0.001) were associated with higher ecoanxiety.Girls, LGBQ+ youth, and rural youth reported higher eco-anxiety.Indigenous identity were indirectly associated with eco-anxiety through food insecurity and wildfire exposure severity.Higher self-esteem was associated with lower eco-anxiety, and the relationship between wildfire exposure and eco-anxiety was weaker among youth with higher self-esteem. DiscussionEco-anxiety among adolescents in the NWT is shaped by climate-related disruption and social conditions.These findings highlight the importance of recognising eco-anxiety as a meaningful form of distress in northern and Indigenous contexts, addressing psychosocial resources and material conditions when supporting youth mental health following climate-related disasters.