Abstract
Background: Climate change has intensified extreme weather phenomena, with cold waves posing significant yet underexamined mental health risks for vulnerable older populations. While the psychological impacts of heat waves have been extensively studied, the relationship between cold waves and depression among older adults remains critically understudied.
Methods: This mixed-methods study investigated the association between cold waves and depression among adults aged 60 and above in China's Yangtze River Delta region (Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai). Quantitative data were drawn from 3,970 participants in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Statistical analyses identified protective factors against cold wave-associated depression. An explanatory qualitative component involving two focus groups with 11 older Shanghai residents provided contextual understanding of the quantitative findings.
Results: Quantitative results showed that comprehensive medical insurance coverage and intergenerational co-residence significantly mitigated depression during cold waves. Qualitative insights revealed indoor exercise as a key resilience strategy and identified insufficient heating infrastructure as a major vulnerability factor.
Conclusions: The findings support targeted policy interventions, including expanding medical insurance coverage, facilitating intergenerational living arrangements, improving thermal infrastructure, and promoting accessible indoor community spaces. This comprehensive approach addresses both immediate psychological impacts and broader social determinants, offering a transferable framework for protecting older adults’ mental health in the context of increasing climate extremes globally.
Methods: This mixed-methods study investigated the association between cold waves and depression among adults aged 60 and above in China's Yangtze River Delta region (Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai). Quantitative data were drawn from 3,970 participants in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Statistical analyses identified protective factors against cold wave-associated depression. An explanatory qualitative component involving two focus groups with 11 older Shanghai residents provided contextual understanding of the quantitative findings.
Results: Quantitative results showed that comprehensive medical insurance coverage and intergenerational co-residence significantly mitigated depression during cold waves. Qualitative insights revealed indoor exercise as a key resilience strategy and identified insufficient heating infrastructure as a major vulnerability factor.
Conclusions: The findings support targeted policy interventions, including expanding medical insurance coverage, facilitating intergenerational living arrangements, improving thermal infrastructure, and promoting accessible indoor community spaces. This comprehensive approach addresses both immediate psychological impacts and broader social determinants, offering a transferable framework for protecting older adults’ mental health in the context of increasing climate extremes globally.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | BMC Public Health |
| Publication status | Submitted - 2025 |