ACCLIMATE

The Assessing the risk of Climate Change on popuLatIon Mental and physicAl healTh outcomEs - ACCLIMATE - study is a collaboration between Dr. Shabab Wahid and Dr. Wameq Raza of the World Bank in the climate vulnerable nation of Bangladesh. ACCLIMATE seeks to examine the role of emotional dysregulation and sleep disruption as potential mediating mechanisms between climate related stressors such as heat and humidity and adverse mental health outcomes. The study will also examine if climate related stressors are connected to higher risk of suicide, and if such stressors have a role in synergistic interactions between mental health conditions and a range of physical illnesses. The study will utilize survey methods to develop a nationally representative panel dataset to examine these research areas. The ACCLIMATE project builds on previous research that established an association between elevated temperature and humidity and depression and anxiety in Bangladesh.

An Unsustainable Life: The Impact of Heat on Health and the Economy of Bangladesh is a publication for this project that examines the intersection of climate change, public health, and economic stability in Bangladesh. It focuses on: (1) assessing the physiological and psychological toll of heat exposure on vulnerable populations, such as agricultural and garment workers; (2) analyzing the broader economic impacts of heat-related productivity losses; and (3) identifying policy interventions to mitigate these effects. By advancing knowledge in this critical area, the project aims to inform equitable climate and health policies for Bangladesh and similar contexts globally.

Read the publication here

tags: Shabab Wahid | Wameq A. Raza