Abstract
Background: Climate change has intensified extreme weather phenomena, with cold waves posing significant yet underexamined mental health risks for vulnerable older adults. While the psychological impacts of heat waves have been extensively studied, the relationship between cold waves and health 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 health. 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 themes indicated that inadequate home heating and chronic disease amplified vulnerability, while social engagement and indoor physical activity buffered adverse impact.
Discussion: Findings support a coordinated policy interventions that include enhancing access to healthcare resources, facilitating intergenerational living arrangements, improving home heating and establishing warm community spaces, and promoting indoor social and physical programming. This comprehensive approach addresses 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 health. 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 themes indicated that inadequate home heating and chronic disease amplified vulnerability, while social engagement and indoor physical activity buffered adverse impact.
Discussion: Findings support a coordinated policy interventions that include enhancing access to healthcare resources, facilitating intergenerational living arrangements, improving home heating and establishing warm community spaces, and promoting indoor social and physical programming. This comprehensive approach addresses 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 | The Gerontologist |
| Publication status | Submitted - 2025 |