Climate-Related Weather Events, Natural Hazards, Financial Hardship, and Health Outcomes in South Asia: A Scoping Review

Background: The increasing frequency and severity of climate-related extreme weather events and natural hazards pose catastrophic risks to rural and financially deprived communities across South Asia. These shocks exacerbate financial hardship and have adverse health consequences, particularly where health systems are poorly resourced. Yet these links remain poorly understood. This scoping review examines the relationship between climate shocks and natural hazards, financial hardship, and health outcomes in South Asia. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2026 were searched across PubMed, Environmental Impact, Google Scholar, and UNDP and WHO Southeast Asia e-databases. A total of thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Findings: Studies originated predominantly from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Climate shocks and hazards drove financial hardship through income loss, asset depletion, and forced displacement, with cascading health consequences, including psychological distress and suicidal ideation, particularly among men, pregnant women, survivors of violence, and elderly women, alongside food insecurity, chronic disease mismanagement, and delayed or foregone healthcare due to affordability barriers. Conclusions: Building on our conceptual framework that shows the links between climate and natural hazards, financial hardship, and adverse health impacts, social protection and financial safety nets in climate-vulnerable regions may help buffer households, particularly for elderly, female-headed households, and reproductive-aged women. We also highlight an important gap: the concentration of findings in Bangladesh warrants more country-specific evidence to inform local health action and policy responses that support health and community resilience.