Health Impacts
Consequently, As shown above, the impact of this crisis on the health of the people particularly in children has been considered severe in the long run. A study done a decade after identified that children who were affected by contaminated water had higher levels of anxiety, depression, and learning disability (Magazine & Riley, 2024). These effects will persist throughout the lives, perhaps generations of Flint’s children. It can even reach a point when the full cost of lead exposure will never be known as the effects can manifest in different forms at different times, perhaps after twenty or thirty years (Masten et al., 2016). Some studies have noted that childhood lead exposure could result in such future negative outcomes as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and cognitive impairment (Maney & Sarahbeth, 2024).
Flint residents have been subjected to severe mental health impacts due to this situation. The stress and trauma that were a result of the water crisis have impacted people's psychology whereby people are now having high rates of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (Magazine & Riley 2024). The parents and caregivers have expressed guilt and helplessness for their children following negligence in such key infrastructures. The traumatized community is also characterized by the lack of trust in governance structures and the community’s struggle for justice (Ruble et al., 2019). Others are still living in fear and even doubt the quality of water they use even after one has solved the initial problem. This continuous psychological effect emphasises the need for a combination of mental health approaches in the healing process in Flint (Maney & Sarahbeth, 2024).