← Back to guidelines
Pediatrics844 papers

Change in personality

Last edited: 4/14/2026

Overview

Change in personality can be observed in various contexts, often influenced by environmental factors such as climate change, which disproportionately affects vulnerable populations including children and the elderly 1341112. These changes may manifest due to psychological stress, environmental exposures, and broader societal impacts.

Diagnosis

  • Clinical Assessment: Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation to identify patterns of personality change 11.
  • Environmental Factors: Consideration of environmental stressors like climate-related events (e.g., extreme weather) that may contribute to psychological distress 1312.
  • Developmental Impact: Special attention to developmental stages, particularly in children, where personality changes may reflect broader health impacts 411.
  • Management

  • Psychosocial Support: Provision of psychological counseling and support groups to address stress and anxiety related to environmental changes 11.
  • Environmental Interventions: Advocacy for and implementation of measures to mitigate environmental risks, such as improved air quality and disaster preparedness plans 315.
  • Education and Awareness: Training for healthcare providers on recognizing and addressing climate change impacts on mental health 511.
  • Special Populations

  • Pediatrics: Increased vulnerability due to developing organs and higher exposure risks; interventions should focus on protective measures and early intervention 41112.
  • Elderly: Higher susceptibility to mental health impacts from environmental stressors; tailored support and monitoring are essential 11.
  • Comorbidities: Individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions may experience exacerbated symptoms; integrated care approaches are recommended 11.
  • Key Recommendations

  • Screen for Environmental Stressors: Regularly assess patients for exposure to climate change-related stressors and their psychological impacts (Evidence: Moderate 1311).
  • Integrate Climate Change Education: Incorporate climate change and its health impacts into medical curricula, especially for pediatric and emergency medicine trainees (Evidence: Expert opinion 5).
  • Promote Resilience Strategies: Develop and implement community resilience strategies that include mental health support systems for vulnerable populations (Evidence: Moderate 1112).
  • Advocate for Policy Changes: Advocate for public health policies that address climate change mitigation and adaptation to protect health, particularly children's health (Evidence: Expert opinion 4).
  • References

    1 Petrino R, Garcia-Castrillo L, Uccheddu G, Meucci L, Codecà R. Awareness and preparedness of health systems and emergency medicine systems to the climate change challenges and threats: an international survey. European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine 2025. link 2 Powell J, Pring T. The impact of social media influencers on health outcomes: Systematic review. Social science & medicine (1982) 2024. link 3 Lemon C, Rizer N, Bradshaw J. Climate Change. Emergency medicine clinics of North America 2024. link 4 Haq M, Sampath V, Sheffield P, Jackson RJ, Nadeau KC. Advocating for planetary health is an essential part of advocating for children's health. Pediatric research 2024. link 5 Cogen JD, Perkins A, Mockler B, Barton KS, Schwartz A, Boos M et al.. Pediatric Resident and Program Director Views on Climate Change and Health Curricula: A Multi-Institution Study. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2024. link 6 Park YS, Ryan MS, Hogan SO, Berg K, Eickmeyer A, Fancher TL et al.. Transition to Residency: National Study of Factors Contributing to Variability in Learner Milestones Ratings in Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2023. link 7 Ashlagi I, Love E, Reminick JI, Roth AE. Early vs Single Match in the Transition to Residency: Analysis Using NRMP Data From 2014 to 2021. Journal of graduate medical education 2023. link 8 Heffernan ME, Menker CG, Bendelow A, Smith TL, Davis MM. Parental Concerns About Climate Change in a Major United States City. Academic pediatrics 2023. link 9 Jonas F, Hagen A, Ackermann BW, Knüpfer M. Students experience the effects of climate change on children's health in role play and develop strategies for medical work - an interactive seminar. GMS journal for medical education 2023. link 10 Haugen T, Prichardo P, Hellums R, Lindemann L. Climate Change and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2023. link 11 Leffers JM. Climate Change and Health of Children: Our Borrowed Future. Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners 2022. link 12 Fuller MG, Cavanaugh N, Green S, Duderstadt K. Climate Change and State of the Science for Children's Health and Environmental Health Equity. Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners 2022. link 13 Atwoli L, Baqui AH, Benfield T, Bosurgi R, Godlee F, Hancocks S et al.. #HealthyClimate: Call for Emergency Action to Limit Global Temperature Increases, Restore Biodiversity, and Protect Health. JMIR public health and surveillance 2021. link 14 Yates EF, Bowder AN, Roa L, Velin L, Goodman AS, Nguyen LL et al.. Empowering Surgeons, Anesthesiologists, and Obstetricians to Incorporate Environmental Sustainability in the Operating Room. Annals of surgery 2021. link 15 Nabeel I, Caraballo-Arias Y, Perkison WB, McCarthy RB, Saberi P, Berenji M et al.. Proposed Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies Related to Climate Change: Guidance for OEM Professionals. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 2021. link 16 O'Glasser AY, Jaffe RC, Brooks M. To Tweet or Not to Tweet, That Is the Question. Seminars in nephrology 2020. link 17 Harmer A, Eder B, Gepp S, Leetz A, van de Pas R. WHO should declare climate change a public health emergency. BMJ (Clinical research ed.) 2020. link 18 Aron AR, Ivry RB, Jeffery KJ, Poldrack RA, Schmidt R, Summerfield C et al.. How Can Neuroscientists Respond to the Climate Emergency?. Neuron 2020. link 19 Chalupka S, Anderko L. Climate Change and Schools: Implications for Children's Health and Safety. Creative nursing 2019. link 20 Mammarella MC, Grandoni G. Resilience actions to counteract the effects of climate change and health emergencies in cities: the role of artificial neural networks. Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita 2019. link 21 Watts N, Amann M, Arnell N, Ayeb-Karlsson S, Belesova K, Boykoff M et al.. The 2019 report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: ensuring that the health of a child born today is not defined by a changing climate. Lancet (London, England) 2019. link32596-6) 22 Ricciardi W, Marcheggiani S, Puccinelli C, Carere M, Sofia T, Giuliano F et al.. Health and Climate Change: science calls for global action. Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita 2019. link 23 Gillespie SM, Moser AL, Gokula M, Edmondson T, Rees J, Nelson D et al.. Standards for the Use of Telemedicine for Evaluation and Management of Resident Change of Condition in the Nursing Home. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 2019. link 24 Stanberry LR, Thomson MC, James W. Prioritizing the needs of children in a changing climate. PLoS medicine 2018. link 25 Perkison WB, Kearney GD, Saberi P, Guidotti T, McCarthy R, Cook-Shimanek M et al.. Responsibilities of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Provider in the Treatment and Prevention of Climate Change-Related Health Problems. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 2018. link 26 Ewart GW, Rom WN, Braman SS, Pinkerton KE. From closing the atmospheric ozone hole to reducing climate change. Lessons learned. Annals of the American Thoracic Society 2015. link 27 Kim DA, Hwong AR, Stafford D, Hughes DA, O'Malley AJ, Fowler JH et al.. Social network targeting to maximise population behaviour change: a cluster randomised controlled trial. Lancet (London, England) 2015. link60095-2) 28 Beason AJ. Building a cohesive employee team in a post-merger practice: a plan to manage change. College review (Denver, Colo.) 1998. link 29 Saunders DE. A second career in academic medicine. International journal of cardiology 1984. link90125-6)

    Original source

    1. [1]
      Awareness and preparedness of health systems and emergency medicine systems to the climate change challenges and threats: an international survey.Petrino R, Garcia-Castrillo L, Uccheddu G, Meucci L, Codecà R European journal of emergency medicine : official journal of the European Society for Emergency Medicine (2025)
    2. [2]
      The impact of social media influencers on health outcomes: Systematic review.Powell J, Pring T Social science & medicine (1982) (2024)
    3. [3]
      Climate Change.Lemon C, Rizer N, Bradshaw J Emergency medicine clinics of North America (2024)
    4. [4]
      Advocating for planetary health is an essential part of advocating for children's health.Haq M, Sampath V, Sheffield P, Jackson RJ, Nadeau KC Pediatric research (2024)
    5. [5]
      Pediatric Resident and Program Director Views on Climate Change and Health Curricula: A Multi-Institution Study.Cogen JD, Perkins A, Mockler B, Barton KS, Schwartz A, Boos M et al. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges (2024)
    6. [6]
      Transition to Residency: National Study of Factors Contributing to Variability in Learner Milestones Ratings in Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine.Park YS, Ryan MS, Hogan SO, Berg K, Eickmeyer A, Fancher TL et al. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges (2023)
    7. [7]
      Early vs Single Match in the Transition to Residency: Analysis Using NRMP Data From 2014 to 2021.Ashlagi I, Love E, Reminick JI, Roth AE Journal of graduate medical education (2023)
    8. [8]
      Parental Concerns About Climate Change in a Major United States City.Heffernan ME, Menker CG, Bendelow A, Smith TL, Davis MM Academic pediatrics (2023)
    9. [9]
    10. [10]
      Climate Change and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.Haugen T, Prichardo P, Hellums R, Lindemann L Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (2023)
    11. [11]
      Climate Change and Health of Children: Our Borrowed Future.Leffers JM Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners (2022)
    12. [12]
      Climate Change and State of the Science for Children's Health and Environmental Health Equity.Fuller MG, Cavanaugh N, Green S, Duderstadt K Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners (2022)
    13. [13]
      #HealthyClimate: Call for Emergency Action to Limit Global Temperature Increases, Restore Biodiversity, and Protect Health.Atwoli L, Baqui AH, Benfield T, Bosurgi R, Godlee F, Hancocks S et al. JMIR public health and surveillance (2021)
    14. [14]
      Empowering Surgeons, Anesthesiologists, and Obstetricians to Incorporate Environmental Sustainability in the Operating Room.Yates EF, Bowder AN, Roa L, Velin L, Goodman AS, Nguyen LL et al. Annals of surgery (2021)
    15. [15]
      Proposed Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies Related to Climate Change: Guidance for OEM Professionals.Nabeel I, Caraballo-Arias Y, Perkison WB, McCarthy RB, Saberi P, Berenji M et al. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine (2021)
    16. [16]
      To Tweet or Not to Tweet, That Is the Question.O'Glasser AY, Jaffe RC, Brooks M Seminars in nephrology (2020)
    17. [17]
      WHO should declare climate change a public health emergency.Harmer A, Eder B, Gepp S, Leetz A, van de Pas R BMJ (Clinical research ed.) (2020)
    18. [18]
      How Can Neuroscientists Respond to the Climate Emergency?Aron AR, Ivry RB, Jeffery KJ, Poldrack RA, Schmidt R, Summerfield C et al. Neuron (2020)
    19. [19]
      Climate Change and Schools: Implications for Children's Health and Safety.Chalupka S, Anderko L Creative nursing (2019)
    20. [20]
    21. [21]
      The 2019 report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: ensuring that the health of a child born today is not defined by a changing climate.Watts N, Amann M, Arnell N, Ayeb-Karlsson S, Belesova K, Boykoff M et al. Lancet (London, England) (2019)
    22. [22]
      Health and Climate Change: science calls for global action.Ricciardi W, Marcheggiani S, Puccinelli C, Carere M, Sofia T, Giuliano F et al. Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita (2019)
    23. [23]
      Standards for the Use of Telemedicine for Evaluation and Management of Resident Change of Condition in the Nursing Home.Gillespie SM, Moser AL, Gokula M, Edmondson T, Rees J, Nelson D et al. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (2019)
    24. [24]
      Prioritizing the needs of children in a changing climate.Stanberry LR, Thomson MC, James W PLoS medicine (2018)
    25. [25]
      Responsibilities of the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Provider in the Treatment and Prevention of Climate Change-Related Health Problems.Perkison WB, Kearney GD, Saberi P, Guidotti T, McCarthy R, Cook-Shimanek M et al. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine (2018)
    26. [26]
      From closing the atmospheric ozone hole to reducing climate change. Lessons learned.Ewart GW, Rom WN, Braman SS, Pinkerton KE Annals of the American Thoracic Society (2015)
    27. [27]
      Social network targeting to maximise population behaviour change: a cluster randomised controlled trial.Kim DA, Hwong AR, Stafford D, Hughes DA, O'Malley AJ, Fowler JH et al. Lancet (London, England) (2015)
    28. [28]
    29. [29]
      A second career in academic medicine.Saunders DE International journal of cardiology (1984)

    HemoChat

    by SPINAI

    Evidence-based clinical decision support powered by SNOMED-CT, Neo4j GraphRAG, and NASS/AO/NICE guidelines.

    ⚕ For clinical reference only. Not a substitute for professional judgment.

    © 2026 HemoChat. All rights reserved.
    Research·Pricing·Privacy & Terms·Refund·SNOMED-CT · NASS · AO Spine · NICE · GraphRAG