Schizophrenia Significantly Raises Death Risk During Heat Waves, Research Shows

People living with schizophrenia are at dramatically higher risk of dying during heat waves compared to those with other medical conditions. Several factors combine to make this population especially vulnerable, including side effects of antipsychotic medications that impair the body's ability to regulate temperature. Many individuals with schizophrenia also face social isolation, poverty, and limited access to cooling resources, compounding their exposure to extreme heat. As climate change drives more frequent and intense heat events globally, experts warn this mental health population faces a growing and underrecognized public health crisis.