Some (don’t) Like it Hot. Persistent High Temperatures Increase Depression and Anxiety

We study the impact of high temperatures on milder mental health outcomes using clinical data from a large-scale program in England that provides treatment for depression and anxiety in a setting with limited opportunities for heat avoidance. Exploiting monthly temperature variations at the Clinical Commissioning Group level, we find that extreme heat, i.e. temperatures above 34℃, increase the demand for mental health support, assessments, and treatments by approximately 10%, 15%, and 12%, respectively. The effects are particularly pronounced during prolonged heat shocks, especially heat waves lasting more than ten days. The results are not affected by prior exposure to similar heat stress and are more pronounced in areas with higher socio-economic status, as proxied by housing prices. We find similar effects within the same temperature range when examining medical prescriptions for anxiolytics and antidepressants. Our back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that the monetary health costs associated with heat stress are substantial. 

This is a joint work with Giulia Martinelli (GSSI)