1.4cm From Drought to Distress: Examining the Mental Health Consequences of Water Scarcity in Ethiopia

1.4cm From Drought to Distress: Examining the Mental Health Consequences of Water Scarcity in Ethiopia Introduction Data Empirical Strategy Results Robustness Mechanisms Final remarks From Drought to Distress: Examining the Mental Health Consequences of Water Scarcity in Ethiopia Richard Freund (University of Cape Town) Psychology and Economics of Poverty Convening 2023 April 14, 2023 Richard Freu. [...] Richard Freund (University of Cape Town) Psychology and Economics of Poverty Convening 2023 From Drought to Distress: Examining the Mental Health Consequences of Water Scarcity in Ethiopia Introduction Data Empirical Strategy Results Robustness Mechanisms Final remarks This paper I examine the effects of the 2021 drought in Ethiopia on the anxiety and depression of young adults. [...] Richard Freund (University of Cape Town) Psychology and Economics of Poverty Convening 2023 From Drought to Distress: Examining the Mental Health Consequences of Water Scarcity in Ethiopia Introduction Data Empirical Strategy Results Robustness Mechanisms Final remarks Empirical Strategy (1) I test the effect of the 2021 drought on mental health using the following canonical difference-in-differen. [...] Mild exposure to the drought takes the value of one if the SPI >-1 and SPI < 0, while severe exposure to the drought takes the value of one if the SPI ≤ -1. [...] Changes in perceived poverty are the next most important mediator, contributing 38% and 25% of the of the indirect effects of the drought on anxiety and depression, respectively.