Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is one of the fastest growing megacities in the world. In 2005; approximately 3.4 million out of the city's 12.6 million inhabitants were living in slums 12. Today, the city comprises approximately 14 million inhabitants 2 with more than 300,000 new migrants, mainly the rural poor, moving to Dhaka each year 34. As most of these new immigrants initially concentrate in slums, Dhaka's population growth led to an increase in the proportion of slum dwellers from 20% in 1996 to 37% in 2005, which presents a daunting challenge for local health authorities 15.

Climate related disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and bush-fires are often associated with stress-related psychiatric disorders. Individuals who have been exposed to life threatening situations are at a considerable risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 67. The symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks of the event, increased arousal and avoidance of cues to the memory of the event. In many cases, the symptoms of PTSD may have a delayed onset, months to years after the experiencing of threatening disaster situation 89. Development of PTSD is associated with impairment in the quality of life and significant subjective distress 10.

Individuals who have been through the experience of climate related natural disaster are not only at a higher risk of developing PTSD, but also at a greater risk of developing acute stress reaction and adjustment disorder 1112. These disorders are anxiety spectrum disorders which can subside over a period of time with rehabilitations and/or treatment. Other stress exacerbated disorder includes development of acute and transient psychosis and relapse of bipolar disorder. Faced with the loss of home, environment, social structures and loved ones, an individual may develop a bereavement (grief reaction) or depression. The depression is likely to be more pronounced in those who live in small rural communities, than those living in big cities 13. As the impact of climate change seems to be increasing over the time period, it is likely that a greater proportion of the population would be impacted by the mental health consequences of climate change related disasters 14.

Although the number of mental health professionals in Bangladesh is significantly inadequate, Govt. of Bangladesh has positive policy regarding the training of graduate doctors and civil surgeons, health assistance, nurses and religious leaders is a welcoming step towards wider acceptance of the magnitude of psychological problems after disaster and provide support service to reduce mental stress and trauma. The change in the approach of psychological support to reduce mental stress and trauma first came in 1996, when a NGO named as “Social Assistance and Rehabilitation for Physically Vulnerable (SARPV, 1996)” reporting 66% of tornado affected people in Tangail district were psychologically traumatized 1516. In 2011, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) organized a pilot training with BRAC Bangladesh to establish a system of enhancing the capacities of communities in psychological first aid to be able to manage victims immediately after disaster. However, as it was a pilot training program so there is no permanent footstep in this arena 17.

The lack of data on the burden of disease morbidity and mental health status in slums hampers the efficient allocation of health care initiatives and the provision of appropriate disease prevention services 18. Given that psychological well-being is associated with physiological well-being 19, assessing the factors that describe the mental well-being of poor populations residing in urban slums is urgently needed.

Attention has been drawn to the variety of health impact of climate change. Global climate change is likely to be associated with spread of vector borne diseases, injuries and deaths due to extreme weather conditions such as floods, storms, and cyclones, thermal injury due to exposure to heat, risk of spread of water-borne infections due to floods and coastal water warming, and reduction in regional crop yields leading to malnutrition 2021222324. The impact of global climate change on health is likely to be substantial. Mental health comprises an important component of health and is also likely to be affected by global climate change. The present narrative review discusses the current mental health scenario of climate migrant women among slum dwellers in Dhaka city.