Study Shows Alarming Impact of Climate Change on Health

A new study published in Climate (August 2025) highlights the wide-ranging health implications of climate change for rural agrarian communities in Kilifi County, Kenya. Researchers conducted 16 focus group discussions with community members—teenagers, young adults, and older adults—and found that climate-driven stressors such as droughts and floods are damaging livelihoods. This, in turn, is fueling food insecurity, poor nutrition, and reduced access to health services.
Participants also reported a rise in mental health challenges: economic hardship has contributed to anxiety, substance use, and even suicidal ideation, especially among young women. The study links these psychosocial impacts to disrupted education, migration, and altered family dynamics driven by environmental stress.
In Mukuru informal settlement, Nairobi, another study finds that residents already perceive climate change as a serious health threat.Commonly reported risks include respiratory diseases (from heat and air pollution), vector-borne infections, waterborne illnesses, and malnutrition. These perceptions are backed by a survey where over 90% of respondents expressed concern over climate-related health impacts.
Additionally, a BMC Psychiatry study involving 2,652 Kenyan high school students found a significant association between climate change-related experiences (like worry about rising temperatures or changing seasons) and mental health issues, including reported suicidal tendencies. The authors argue that climate change is not just an environmental problem but a growing mental health crisis for young people.