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Journals / Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 48 Sayı: 4

Climate Awareness, and the Impact of Extreme Heatwaves on Mental Health among Turkish Youth

Türk Gençlerinde İklim Farkındalığı ve Aşırı Sıcak Hava Dalgalarının Ruh Sağlığı Üzerine Etkileri

Hatice Ünver(Marmara Üniversitesi Pendik Eğitim Araştırma Hastanesi)0000-0003-2067-9770
Sümeyye Sarıbaş Akmehmet(MARMARA ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TIP FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0002-0194-9774
Neşe Perdahlı Fiş(MARMARA UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE)0000-0002-4806-0876
Pages
631–638
Publication Date
2026-06-09
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These results provide a foundational step for future research and clinical interventions aimed at supporting adolescent mental health well-being in a changing climate.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Climate change significantly impacts adolescent health, yet research on subjective experiences remains scarce.
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Key Findings & Data:The sample consisted of 208 treatment-naive participants (145 girls, 63 boys) aged 11–18 years.
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Conclusion & Impact:These results provide a foundational step for future research and clinical interventions aimed at supporting adolescent mental health well-being in a changing climate.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:İklim değişikliği · Ergenler · Gençlik

Abstract

Climate change significantly impacts adolescent health, yet research on subjective experiences remains scarce. This study aimed to evaluate climate change awareness and the specific mental health symptoms associated with extreme heatwaves among Turkish adolescents. This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic. The sample consisted of 208 treatment-naive participants (145 girls, 63 boys) aged 11–18 years. Data were collected via a researcher-developed 25-item self-report questionnaire assessing climate awareness, mental health symptoms during heatwaves, and perceptions of mitigation measures. Regarding the perceived impact of climate change on daily life, 13.5% reported "quite" or "much" impact, while 27.4% reported a moderate effect. When asked if climate change could cause mental health symptoms, only 40.9% (n=85) responded affirmatively, while 47.1% (n=98) remained unsure. The most prevalent mental health symptoms attributed to extreme heatwaves were irritability, sleep disturbances, and anhedonia. Appetite problems were significantly more common in girls than in boys (z= -3.289, p= 0.001). Furthermore, 55.8% (n=116) of the participants perceived current climate change mitigation efforts as inadequate. Despite methodological limitations, the findings suggest that adolescents experience a range of mental health symptoms during extreme heatwaves. The high level of uncertainty regarding the link between climate and mental health underscores the need for targeted awareness programs. These results provide a foundational step for future research and clinical interventions aimed at supporting adolescent mental health well-being in a changing climate.

Özet

İklim değişikliği ergen sağlığı üzerinde önemli etkilere sahiptir; ancak öznel deneyimlere ilişkin araştırmalar halen sınırlıdır. Bu çalışma, Türk ergenler arasında iklim değişikliği farkındalığını ve aşırı sıcak dalgalarıyla ilişkili spesifik ruh sağlığı semptomlarını değerlendirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Kesitsel ve tanımlayıcı nitelikteki bu araştırma, bir çocuk ve ergen psikiyatrisi polikliniğinde yürütülmüştür. Örneklem, 11-18 yaş aralığında, daha önce tedavi almamış 208 katılımcıdan (145 kız, 63 erkek) oluşmaktadır. Veriler; iklim farkındalığını, sıcak dalgaları sırasında yaşanan ruhsal semptomları ve önleme faaliyetlerine yönelik algıları ölçen, araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilmiş 25 maddelik bir öz-bildirim formu aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. İklim değişikliğinin günlük yaşam üzerindeki algılanan etkisi sorulduğunda, katılımcıların %13.5'i "çok" veya "oldukça fazla", %27.4'ü ise "orta derecede" etkilendiğini belirtmiştir. İklim değişikliğinin ruhsal semptomlara yol açıp açmayacağı sorusuna katılımcıların yalnızca %40.9'u (n=85) "evet" yanıtını verirken, %47.1'i (n=98) emin olmadığını ifade etmiştir. Aşırı sıcak hava dalgalarıyla ilişkilendirilen en yaygın ruhsal belirtiler; irritabilite, uyku sorunları ve anhedoni olarak saptanmıştır. İştah sorunlarının kızlarda erkeklere oranla anlamlı derecede daha sık görüldüğü belirlenmiştir (z= -3.289, p= 0.001). Ayrıca, katılımcıların %55.8'i (n=116) mevcut iklim değişikliği önleme çabalarını yetersiz bulmaktadır. Metodolojik kısıtlılıklara rağmen bulgular, ergenlerin aşırı sıcak hava dalgaları sırasında çeşitli ruhsal semptomlar yaşadığını göstermektedir. İklim ve ruh sağlığı arasındaki bağlantıya ilişkin yüksek düzeydeki belirsizlik, hedefe yönelik farkındalık programlarına duyulan ihtiyacı vurgulamaktadır. Bu sonuçlar, değişen iklim koşullarında ergenlerin ruhsal iyilik hallerini desteklemeye yönelik gelecekteki araştırmalar ve klinik müdahaleler için temel bir basamak teşkil etmektedir.

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Cite This Article

Ünver, H., Akmehmet, S. S., Fiş, N. P., *, H. Ü. (2026). Climate Awareness, and the Impact of Extreme Heatwaves on Mental Health among Turkish Youth. Osmangazi Tıp Dergisi, Cilt: 48 Sayı: 4, 631–638. https://doi.org/10.20515/otd.1754923

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