Editing IPCC:AR6/WGII/Chapter-9 (section)

==== 9.10.2.6 Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health ====

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Links between climate change and the environmental risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) may be direct (e.g., extreme heat exposure in people with cardiovascular disease) or indirect, such as via the global agriculture and food industry ( [[#Landrigan--2018|Landrigan et al., 2018]] ). These effects are largely unreported for Africa ( [[#Amegah--2016|Amegah et al., 2016]] ), where the burden of many NCDs is growing rapidly with increasing urbanisation and pollution ( [[#Rother--2020|Rother, 2020]] ).

Many urban poor populations have unhealthy dietary practices, which present major risks for obesity, type II diabetes and hypertension. Paradoxically, despite growing levels of undernutrition, the incidence of overweight and obesity continues to rise in Africa, particularly in children under 5 years from the northern and southern parts of the continent ( [[#FAO%20and%20ECA--2018|FAO and ECA, 2018]] ). Diabetes is increasingly prevalent and outcomes may worsen if climate change undermines health infrastructure and the range of available foods ( [[#Keeling--2012|Keeling et al., 2012]] ; [[#Kula--2013|Kula et al., 2013]] ; [[#Chersich--2019|Chersich and Wright, 2019]] ).

The relationship between cancer and climate change is complex and indirect. Changing temperature and humidity may alter the distribution of aflatoxin-producing fungi, contaminating food (grains, maize) and causing cancer (see Box 5.9 in Chapter 5; [[#Sserumaga--2020|Sserumaga et al., 2020]] ; [[#Valencia-Quintana--2020|Valencia-Quintana et al., 2020]] ). Severe storms and flooding may disrupt wastewater treatment or disposal, potentially contaminating drinking water with carcinogenic substances.

Areas with low service provision (e.g., informal settlements in Africa) suffer from increased infestations of pests such as flies, cockroaches, rats, bedbugs and lice, which may be controlled by chemical pesticides ( [[#Rother--2020|Rother et al., 2020]] ) and may become more prevalent with a changing climate ( [[#Mafongoya--2019|Mafongoya et al., 2019]] ). Inappropriate pesticide use and disposal cause endocrine disruption and increased incidences of some cancers ( [[#Rother--2020|Rother et al., 2020]] ).

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===== 9.10.2.6.1 Mental health and well-being =====

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Mental health and well-being are affected by local climate conditions and are therefore sensitive to climate change ( [[#Burke--2018b|Burke et al., 2018b]] ; [[#Obradovich--2018|Obradovich et al., 2018]] ). High temperatures are strongly associated with poor mental health and suicide in South Africa ( [[#Kim--2019|Kim et al., 2019]] ). Exposure to extreme heat directly influences emotional control, aggression and violent behaviour, escalating rates of interpersonal violence, with homicides rising by as much as 18% in South Africa when temperatures are above 30°C compared with temperatures below 20°C ( [[#Burke--2015a|Burke et al., 2015a]] ; [[#Chersich--2019b|Chersich et al., 2019b]] ; [[#Gates--2019|Gates et al., 2019]] ).

Extreme weather events are often severely detrimental to mental health ( [[#Scheerens--2020|Scheerens et al., 2020]] ), with elevated rates of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in impacted individuals ( [[#Schlenker--2010|Schlenker and Lobell, 2010]] ; [[#Nuvey--2020|Nuvey et al., 2020]] ). Youths may be at especially high risk ( [[#Barkin--2021|Barkin et al., 2021]] ).

Loss of livestock from disease or lack of pastures is strongly linked with poor mental health among farmers ( [[#Nuvey--2020|Nuvey et al., 2020]] ). Climate change impacts on mental health among refugees is concerning but remains under-researched ( [[#Matlin--2018|Matlin et al., 2018]] ).

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