Impacts of extreme weather events on the psychosocial health and wellbeing of young Australians — The Association Specialists
  1. Schedule
  2. Oral Presentations - Climate, environment and human health 1
  3. Impacts of extreme weather events on the psychosocial health and wellbeing of young Australians

Impacts of extreme weather events on the psychosocial health and wellbeing of young Australians (24233)

Erin Mathieu 1 2 , Trishala Sharma 1 2 , Timothy Schlub 1 , Tiago Canelas 3 , Timothy Chaston 2 4 , Luise Kazda 1 2
  1. The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  2. Healthy Environments And Lives (HEAL) Network, Sydney
  3. The University of Cambridge, Cambridge
  4. The Univeristy of Canberra, Canberra

Background:
Adolescence is a critical developmental period characterised by heightened sensitivity to environmental stressors due to concurrent biological, psychological, and social changes. Climate change–related exposures, including extreme heat, heavy rainfall, air pollution, and bushfire smoke, are becoming more frequent and may pose significant risks to adolescents’ psychosocial health and wellbeing. Despite growing concern from parents, educators, and clinicians, Australia lacks longitudinal evidence examining these impacts and how contextual factors such as greenspace access, urbanicity, and socioeconomic position may modify risk.

Methods:
This study investigates longitudinal associations between climate change–related environmental exposures and psychosocial health outcomes among young Australians aged 14–22 years. Data are drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children and linked with high‑resolution environmental data on temperature, rainfall, humidity, air pollution, greenspace, and urban land cover derived from CARDAT, the Bureau of Meteorology, Google Earth Engine, and ESA WorldCover. Outcomes include quality of life and mental health. Multilevel mixed‑effects regression models are used to assess associations and test effect modification by individual‑ and area‑level factors.

Results:
Analyses are currently underway. Results will quantify associations between extreme weather exposures and psychosocial health outcomes, and identify subgroups at heightened risk. Findings will be completed in time for conference presentation.

Conclusion:
This interdisciplinary project will generate critical new evidence on the impacts of climate change on adolescent wellbeing in Australia. By identifying modifiable protective and risk factors, the findings will inform climate‑resilient, equitable policies and interventions across health, education, and urban planning, supporting young people to thrive in a changing climate.