Climate Anxiety in the Philippines: Current Situation, Potential Pathways, and Ways Forward

The mental health repercussions of the climate crisis are observed annually in the Philippines, one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries. This paper explores these repercussions by examining the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. It shows that mental health problems persisted beyond the typhoon's immediate aftermath among a large number of survivors. Since the mental health system was fragile, the affected community improved their mental health services through the help of local and international non-governmental organisations. Nonetheless, several challenges must be addressed as the country faces the climate crisis.

Climate change and mental health in the Philippines

Climate-related events unevenly affect society, worsening mental health disparities among vulnerable populations. This paper highlights that lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queers, and other individuals identifying as sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+) could be considered a climate-vulnerable population in the Philippines, one of the most climate-vulnerable countries. As such, this paper elucidated that LGBTQ+ Filipinos can be marginalized in climate response efforts due to their sexual orientation and gender minority identities. According to the minority stress theory, discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals may predispose them to mental health problems. Thus, there is a need to institute an LGBTQ+ inclusive mental health response for climate-related events to address discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals and uphold their mental health.

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Gender in Climate Change: Safeguarding LGBTQ+ Mental Health in the Philippine Climate Change Response From a Minority Stress Perspective.

Safeguarding youth health in climate-vulnerable countries.

Food and Physical Activity Environment in the US-Affiliated Pacific Region: The Children's Healthy Living Program.

An agenda for climate change and mental health in the Philippines.

Green and blue spaces (GABS) are vital components of sustainable and healthy communities. Evidence suggest that GABS positively affect population health and wellbeing. However, few studies examine GABS influence on childhood obesity. This systematic review investigates the impact of GABS on childhood obesity particularly on children's physical activity and eating behavior. The search protocol identified 544 studies from PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science. A two-tier screening process document using the PRISMA flow diagram identified 16 studies which underwent quality analysis using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tools. Data were interpreted using thematic analysis and narrative synthesis. Selected studies show varying sociodemographic characteristics of sampled populations located in urban and rural settings. The influence of GABS on children's physical activity and eating behaviour depends on the type, location, proximity, density, facilities, and activity types that interplay with gender, ethnicity, and parent-child relationship. The review demonstrates the significant effect of GABS on children's physical activity and eating behaviour. GABS provide children with safe venues for socialisation and long, intensive, and enjoyable physical activity; and influence children's perceptions on vegetable consumption supporting healthier eating behaviour. These spaces have the potential to eradicate childhood obesity if policy, social, economic, environmental, and organisational considerations are addressed.

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"Kids Get in Shape with Nature": A Systematic Review Exploring the Impact of Green Spaces on Childhood Obesity.

Background: Nature-based social prescribing programmes such as "bluespace prescription" may promote public health and health improvement of individuals with long-term conditions. However, there is limited systematically synthesised evidence that investigates the contexts and mechanisms of Bluespace Prescription Programmes (BPPs) that could inform programme theories for policy and practice.

Methods: We conducted a realist review by searching six databases for articles published between January 2000 and February 2020, in English, about health and social care professionals providing referral to or prescription of blue space activities with health-related outcomes. We developed themes of contextual factors by analysing the contexts of BPPs. We used these contextual factors to develop programme theories describing the mechanisms of BPP implementation. Our study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020170660).

Results: Fifteen studies with adequate to strong quality were included from 6,736 records. Service users had improvements on their physical, mental, social health, and environmental knowledge after participating in BPPs referred to or prescribed by health and social care professionals. Patient-related contextual factors were referral information, free equipment and transportation, social support, blue space environments, and skills of service providers. Intervention-related contextual factors were communication, multi-stakeholder collaboration, financing, and adequate service providers. Programme theories on patient enrolment, engagement, adherence, communication protocols, and long-term programme sustainability described the mechanisms of BPP implementation.

Conclusion: BPPs could support health and social care services if contextual factors influencing patients and intervention delivery are considered for implementation. Our findings have implications in planning, development, and implementation of similar nature-based social prescribing programmes in health and social care settings.

Keywords: sustainable healthcare, social prescribing, blue spaces, bluespace prescriptions

https://medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.15.21264908v1.full.pdf

Julius Cesar Alejandre

Papers

An agenda for climate change and mental health in the Philippines.

"Kids Get in Shape with Nature": A Systematic Review Exploring the Impact of Green Spaces on Childhood Obesity.

Understanding the contexts and mechanisms of bluespace prescription programmes implemented in health and social care settings: a realist review