Burning Away the Odds. Climate Change, Changes in Behavior and Mental Health: A Qualitative Study With Older Adults

Abstract Climate change is increasingly influencing older adults’ mental health and well-being, exposing critical vulnerabilities and challenges. The two main objectives of this study were (1) to explore older adults’ experiences of climate change and 2) to analyze how climate change affected older adults’ mental health and self-reported changes in behavior. A qualitative study involving 876 older adults from three nationalities (Brazilian, English, and Portuguese) was conducted, utilizing semi-structured interviews to gather data. Content analysis revealed five main themes for the first objective: (1) Immediate health events (88.2%), (2) More dependence on health care providers (79.4%), (3) Increased family burden (76.1%), (4) Difficulty in accessing relief and service points (63.7%), and (5) Increased risk of falls (59.8%). Regarding mental health, three themes emerged: (1) Anxiety and distress (86.1%), (2) Emotional trauma (77.9%), and (3) Emotional outbursts (52.5%). Finally, the following changes of behavior were indicated: (1) Disruption in sleep behavior (57.9%), (2) Increased aggressive behavior (45.1%), and (3) Deficient diet (42.7%). These findings emphasize the importance of integrating improved healthcare access with supportive measures to mitigate the mental health and behavioral challenges faced by older adults during and after climate change events.