Temporal relationships between food insecurity, water insecurity, and generalized anxiety among rural Kenyans: seeking to clarify a climate-related syndemic

BackgroundIncreased water and food insecurity are one mechanism through which climate change can undermine global mental health. Understanding correlations between mental health and resource insecurity is imperative to support local adaptive responses to climate change. ObjectiveWe investigate temporal relationships between food insecurity, water insecurity, and generalized anxiety within rural Kenyans (n=152 adults) during a period of erratic rainfall. MethodUsing refined existing scales of food and water insecurity and generalized anxiety, we assess temporal relationships between these factors using cross-lagged panel analysis of survey data collected in October 2021 and October 2022 among participants in a community empowerment program. ResultsFood and water insecurity demonstrated significant, positive, reciprocal cross-lagged correlations. Generalized anxiety demonstrated significant, positive, reciprocal cross-lagged correlations with water insecurity. Food insecurity was not correlated with generalized anxiety within or between panels. ConclusionsSupporting climate adaptation requires understanding temporal relationships between mental health and water and food security. Anxiety may reduce capacities to adapt to water insecurity, as well as be reduced by water insecurity. Food security may increase the capacity of households to adapt to water insecurity, though further research is required to establish causation and mechanisms for all observed temporal correlations in this study.