Climate Change Anxiety Among Individuals with and Without Chronic Illnesses: The Roles of Exposure, Awareness, and Coping Strategies

Yaira Hamama-Raz () and Shiri Shinan-Altman
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Yaira Hamama-Raz: School of Social Work, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel
Shiri Shinan-Altman: The Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-14

Abstract: Climate change poses a significant threat to individuals with chronic illnesses, yet research on the psychological effects of climate change among this population remains scarce. This study’s aim was to compare levels of climate change anxiety among individuals without chronic illnesses, with cardiovascular disease, and with respiratory disease, and to examine the roles of exposure, awareness, and coping strategies in predicting anxiety. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 522 Israeli adults recruited from a national online panel, including groups with and without chronic illnesses. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing climate change exposure, awareness, coping strategies, and anxiety. Analyses revealed that individuals with cardiovascular disease reported higher levels of climate change anxiety than those without a chronic illness or with respiratory disease. Across groups, greater climate change exposure and greater use of problem-focused coping were associated with higher climate change anxiety, whereas meaning-focused coping and awareness were not significant predictors. Additionally, climate change exposure predicted anxiety only among participants with respiratory disease. These findings underscore the differential psychological impact of climate change based on health status, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address climate change anxiety among vulnerable populations.

Keywords: awareness; climate change exposure; climate change anxiety; coping strategies; chronic illness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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