Joint Research with Seoul National University Analyzing Over 210,000 People
Increased Stress Hormones and Abnormalities in Thermoregulation Center Detected
A study has found that heatwaves negatively affect not only physical health but also mental health.
On the 18th, Yonhap News reported this fact by citing a paper recently published in the official journal of the International Society for Affective Disorders (ISAD), the Journal of Affective Disorders, by a joint research team from the Department of Preventive Medicine at Catholic University College of Medicine, the Graduate School of Public Health at Seoul National University, and the Department of Biomedical Convergence Engineering at Pusan National University. The research team analyzed the relationship between rising temperatures and the risk of depression among 219,187 participants in the Community Health Survey (2021).
Citizens visiting Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul on a tropical night are cooling off by playing in the water. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
First, the research team investigated how much higher the annual average temperature of the participants' residential areas was compared to the normal temperature over the past 30 years (1961?1990), then examined the effect of this difference on each respondent's depressive symptoms. As a result, it was found that for every 1-degree increase in the annual average temperature of the residential area compared to the past normal temperature, the response rate reporting depressive symptoms increased by 13%. The research team concluded that the temperature rise in specific areas due to climate change appears to influence an increase in residents' depressive symptoms.
There are also previous research findings that heatwaves affect hospital admissions due to mental illnesses.
A research team from the Graduate School of Public Health at Seoul National University published in 2018 in the international journal Science of the Total Environment that exposure to high temperatures increases hospital admissions due to worsening mental health. The team analyzed the correlation between heatwaves and mental illnesses in six major cities in South Korea (Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, Busan, Gwangju) from 2003 to 2013. In this study, temperatures in the top 1%?29.4℃ or higher?were defined as heatwaves, and the impact on 166,579 emergency room admissions for mental illnesses was assessed. The results showed that 14.6% of patients were affected by heatwaves. Notably, among those aged 65 and older, this rate was 19.1%, 4.5 percentage points higher than the average, confirming that older adults are relatively more vulnerable to high temperatures compared to younger people.
The proportion of mental illnesses presumed to be caused by heatwaves was highest for anxiety at 31.6%, followed by dementia at 20.5%, schizophrenia at 19.2%, and depression at 11.6%. Regarding these results, the research team analyzed that excessive exposure to high temperatures causes the body to exceed its thermoregulation limits, leading to increased stress hormones and abnormalities in the thermoregulatory center, which negatively affect mental health. Furthermore, excessive heat and humidity increase the risk of developing depression.
According to the Disease Control and Prevention Agency’s heat-related illness emergency room surveillance system, 3,505 cases of heat-related illnesses occurred from May 20 to September 10 this year. This is the highest number since 4,526 cases were recorded in 2018, which was noted as the "worst heatwave." It is estimated that 32 people died from heat-related illnesses this year.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to analyze the impact of climate crises such as heatwaves and cold spells on mental health and incorporate the findings into policy. On the 15th, the National Center for Mental Health under the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced a bid for a research project titled "Analysis of Mental Health Impacts Due to Climate Crisis and Development of Assessment Tools." The National Center for Mental Health stated, "Mental health and psychosocial problems are worsening due to climate change, and the degree of impact may vary depending on health, income level, age, and other factors. Especially, individuals with mental illnesses or those at high risk for mental health issues are more sensitive to the climate crisis and are likely to be affected in various ways." The center plans to produce research results by October next year and use them as basic data for developing related indicators and policies.
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