The Lancet Public Health, May 2025

Long-term mental health trajectories across multiple exposures to climate disasters in Australia: a population-based cohort study

Climate disasters, such as floods, cyclones, and bushfires, present risks to mental health. Previous studies have shown that disaster exposure can be linked with a period of acute distress, and a considerable proportion of exposed populations are likely to develop mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, and depressive symptoms after disasters.

Disasters also have broader societal impacts relevant to mental health, including environmental change, economic change, and changes in health system functioning. These post-disaster mental health effects are shaped by social determinants at both the individual and community levels.