Urban heat island impacts on mental health in middle-aged and older adults
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background
Urban heat island (UHI), attributed to rapid urbanization, might be a latent modifiable risk factor for human health, yet little is known about whether UHI puts a strain on public mental health. This study aimed to assess the effect of the summer UHI on mental health.
Methods
Leveraging 338,363 urban residents from the UK Biobank, this study estimated the associations of summer UHI effect with incidence risks of mental disorders, substance use disorder, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder using both time-independent and time-dependent Cox regression models with full adjustment for possible confounders. Furthermore, the effect of UHI on related psychiatric symptoms and brain microstructure were explored through logistic regression models and multiple linear regression models, respectively.
Results
In this study, summer UHI was significantly associated with the elevated risks of psychiatric disorders. The hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval (CI) from the time-dependent Cox model was 1.04 (95% CI, 1.03–1.05) for mental disorders, 1.12 (1.11–1.14) for substance use disorder, 1.08 (1.06–1.10) for depressive disorder, and 1.06 (1.04–1.08) for anxiety disorder per standard deviation of UHI intensity, respectively. Subgroup analyses showed that females and individuals with hypertension or coronary artery disease were more vulnerable to the UHI effect on mental health. The detrimental effects on psychiatric symptoms and white matter microstructure were also observed.
Conclusion
The study suggested UHI could be an environmental stressor and induce a heavier burden on mental health. The effective mitigation of urban heat stress could benefit both public health and sustainable development.
Urban heat island (UHI), attributed to rapid urbanization, might be a latent modifiable risk factor for human health, yet little is known about whether UHI puts a strain on public mental health. This study aimed to assess the effect of the summer UHI on mental health.
Methods
Leveraging 338,363 urban residents from the UK Biobank, this study estimated the associations of summer UHI effect with incidence risks of mental disorders, substance use disorder, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder using both time-independent and time-dependent Cox regression models with full adjustment for possible confounders. Furthermore, the effect of UHI on related psychiatric symptoms and brain microstructure were explored through logistic regression models and multiple linear regression models, respectively.
Results
In this study, summer UHI was significantly associated with the elevated risks of psychiatric disorders. The hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval (CI) from the time-dependent Cox model was 1.04 (95% CI, 1.03–1.05) for mental disorders, 1.12 (1.11–1.14) for substance use disorder, 1.08 (1.06–1.10) for depressive disorder, and 1.06 (1.04–1.08) for anxiety disorder per standard deviation of UHI intensity, respectively. Subgroup analyses showed that females and individuals with hypertension or coronary artery disease were more vulnerable to the UHI effect on mental health. The detrimental effects on psychiatric symptoms and white matter microstructure were also observed.
Conclusion
The study suggested UHI could be an environmental stressor and induce a heavier burden on mental health. The effective mitigation of urban heat stress could benefit both public health and sustainable development.
Date Issued
2025-05-01
Date Acceptance
2025-04-14
Citation
Environment International, 2025, 199
ISSN
0160-4120
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Journal / Book Title
Environment International
Volume
199
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
10.1016/j.envint.2025.109470
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
109470
Date Publish Online
2025-04-19