Climate Change and Its Impact: A Narrative Review of Risk Factors for Eco-Anxiety

Abstract

Climate is associated with severe distress to public health and is a growing concern for the current generation. This growing awareness of climate change causes “eco-anxiety”, a phenomenon defined by severe distress caused by problems related to the environment. This narrative review aims to identify the risk factors for eco-anxiety. For this narrative review, electronic databases such as Google Scholar, National Digital Library, Elsevier OA, PsycINFO, Frontiers in Psychology, BMC Psychology, Taylor & Francis, Springer, and PubMed were searched including forward and backward citations for studies found on these databases. A comprehensive synthesis of findings from articles revealed a multitude of risk factors contributing to the onset and amplification of eco-anxiety. Common themes include socio-economic status, geographical location, psychological factors, gender, age, exposure to climate-related events, social and cultural factors, and environmental concern and engagement