Experiences of bushfire and effects on women’s mental health
Synopsis
Bushfires regularly occur on a large scale in
Australia which can cause significant adverse impacts on the physical and
mental health of people living in affected areas. The current literature on
mental health related to bushfires is limited. This proposed study will use
longitudinal data from the 1973-78 Cohort to investigate the associations
between pre-disaster socio-demographic and mental health characteristics and
the experiences and mental health consequences of bushfires. It aims to
identify the characteristics of the most vulnerable groups to the psychological
impacts of natural disasters to inform policies and programs.