Perceptions Towards Climate Change and Environmental Resilience Among Adults Living With Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study.
Yui Matsuda, Ashley Falcon, Isabella Gukeisen and 3 others
PMID 41286565WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with mental illness saw climate change as real, but many felt their own actions would not matter.
They placed responsibility on corporations and governments, and said seminars or news were the biggest cues to act.
Key findings
01Adults with mental illness recognised climate change as important, but many placed its personal impact in the future or on future generations.
02Participants described barriers: the problem felt too large, their own actions seemed ineffective, and responsibility was placed on corporations, government or missing local infrastructure.
03Participants named small actions they do, can do or will do, such as carrying trash, recycling, saving water and getting oil changes, but many doubted those actions would make a difference.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used a convenience sample from one South Florida community organisation, so the findings may not apply to adults with mental illness elsewhere. Diagnoses were self-reported, and the paper does not give detailed clinical information about participants. One participant left after consent, so 19 completed; this small number limits transferability. Focus groups can promote conformity, so some views may reflect group pressure rather than private beliefs. Data were collected once, immediately after a climate seminar, so responses may have been shaped by that event. No intervention was tested and no clinical outcome was measured.
Declared interests
No funding or conflict-of-interest declaration is stated. One co-author had prior non-research involvement with the recruitment organisation, and participants received university logo items.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the authors' suggestions for nursing education as evidence that such education works. The study tested no intervention and measured no clinical outcome; it reports perceptions from adults in one community organisation.