Overview

• A Columbia University analysis of 83 plans across 24 countries found that 76 percent broadly mention mental health but only 31 percent specify heat-related psychological impacts and 22 percent outline concrete interventions.
• Low- and middle-income nations largely omit mental health safeguards in their heat policies, with India as the sole exception despite disproportionate exposure in the Global South.
• Most Heat-Health Action Plans prioritize physical measures like hydration and cooling centers while overlooking key psychological stressors such as displacement, economic pressure and sleep disruption.
• Researchers advocate multi-level interventions that combine clinical care with community support tactics, including cool sleeping environments and neighbor check-in systems, to reduce isolation during extreme heat events.
• Experts call for urgent integration of mental health risk assessments into heatwave early warning systems to trigger timely support and protect vulnerable populations.