The Journal of Affective Disorders published a study that showed that adults aged 19 to 40 and 15% of participants who had been living in the same metropolitan area for 20 years or more were more likely to experience moderate depressive symptoms. This study was conducted by South Korea, which found that each increase in the average annual atmospheric temperature increased the average temperature by 1°C.
Thehörte: Global warming is a global warming phenomenon characterized by rising sea levels, changing climate conditions, and more frequent occurrences of bad weather, People see more heat due to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation (which both contribute to an increase in CO2 emissions) – which are major contributors to global warming and disruption caused by heat trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere.
According to estimates, the average global atmospheric temperature by 2023 is shown to be 1.45°C higher than pre-industrial levels. These temperature increases result in more frequent exposure to high heat conditions, which can have negative effects on both physical and mental health. For example, exposure to high temperatures or heat waves causes heat stress. Nevertheless, the effects of heat waves on mental health are not well understood.
Horim A. Hwang and colleagues examined the association between the increase in annual average temperature and the occurrence of depression among Koreans living in the country. They analyzed data from the Korea Community Health Survey, a nationwide survey conducted every year since July 1, 2001, and includes responses from all regions of the country.
This study used data from 219,187 individuals living on the mainland of the Korean Peninsula (excluding islands), as well as data from Google Earth Engine (GEE) ERA5-Land Daily Aggregated Data and the Korea Meteorological Administration’s database to analyze the trend of temperature change from the 1961-1990 average in Korean districts.
In urban areas, the average annual temperature in 2021 was 1.2°C higher than the 1961-1990 average, and it was 11.9°C in the reference period, while in rural areas it remained unchanged.
However, the numbers were not perfect in all districts; some had higher revisions and others had lower ones; overall, at the national level, areas with higher average annual temperatures were slightly less likely to be eligible for moderate to moderately severe depressive symptoms (6% lower for every 1°C increase) than areas with lower average annual temperatures.
Residents of the district with a higher temperature increase since the reference period (1961-1990) were more likely to have moderate depressive symptoms, with a 13% increase for every 1°C increase. This was particularly high in urban areas where the increase was 22%. This was particularly high for adults aged 19 to 40, and for 15% of participants who had lived in the same metropolitan area for 20 years or more.
According to the authors, one study found that an increase in the average temperature difference is associated with an increase in the likelihood of moderate depressive symptoms in adults aged 40 and younger living in urban areas. This study also found that an increase in the average temperature difference is associated with an increase in the likelihood of depressed mood in all adults, regardless of their age.
The research indicates a fascinating relationship between weather conditions and depression. Nevertheless, the study design does not allow for causal inferences. While it may be possible that weather conditions affect mental health, the reported increase in average temperature was small and concentrated in urban areas, and other factors may also contribute to depressive symptoms and temperature changes in urban areas.
Horim A. Hwang, Ayoung Kim, Whanhee Lee, Hyeon Woo Yim, and Sanghyuk Bae jointly authored a study titled “The association between temperature increase and depressive symptoms as a result of climate change in Korea.”