Extreme heat raises youth mental health admissions

A large Australian study led by the University of Sydney found that extreme heat significantly increases the risk of hospital admissions for mental health conditions among young people. Analyzing 720,000 admissions in Australia — New South Wales between 2001 and 2022, researchers found that when temperatures hit the top 1% of records, admission risk doubled in warmer months and tripled in cooler months. The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, projects heat-related mental health admissions could rise by 6% to 7.7% by the end of the century. Co-author Cybele Dey of Australia — Sydney Children s Hospitals Network noted that climate change is already impacting youth mental health. The findings highlight the need to include psychological risks in heat-health planning.