Science & Technology, Australia (Commonwealth Union) – The bushfires of 2019-2020 that took place in Australia were one of the most devastating natural disasters in the country’s history. The fires raged across vast swathes of the country, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. At their peak, the fires covered an area larger than the size of some European countries, destroying more than 18 million hectares of land, killing an estimated 1 billion animals, and claiming over 30 human fatalities.
The fires were fueled by a combination of factors, including drought, high temperatures, and strong winds, which created a perfect storm for the fires to spread rapidly. The impact of the fires was felt across the country, with many communities forced to evacuate and thousands of homes destroyed.
The response to the fires was a significant effort, with firefighters and emergency services personnel working tirelessly to contain the blazes and protect lives and property. The Australian community also rallied together to support those affected, with donations pouring in from around the world.
A long-term study led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has analyzed the mental health of older persons in Canberra when the 2019/2020 bushfires occurred.
The Government of the Australian Capital Territory commissioned 2 new reports that was published as a section of the Personality and Total Health Through Life Project (PATH), discovered that older persons in Canberra were emotionally resilient after the bushfires in 2019 and 2020 occurred.
Professor Kaarin Anstey of the UNSW, School of Psychology and NeuRA has led the PATH project, that was co-hosted by Australian National University (ANU) and UNSW, since 2006. PATH is part of a broad, continuing longitudinal study with roughly 7500 participants from the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) and the city of Queanbeyan. The project gave crucial information on mental health along with cognitive function through adulthood according to researchers.
The most recent reports from PATH explored the mental health and wellbeing of more than 1000 people between 59-87 years old from Canberra and the neighboring regions such as the New South Wales South Coast, when the 2019/2020 bushfire season occurred.
The researchers noted that while people stated their mental health was deteriorating during the bushfire period, their mental health and wellbeing bounced back fast to pre-disaster levels as the bushfires ended. This included individuals who experienced lower mental health outcomes as the bushfires occurred, such as individuals with direct exposure to the fires, still scored on a lesser range of mental distress, according to the study.
“The reports show the significant impact that natural disasters such as bushfires have on the mental health of our community, but also that most people were resilient and bounced back during the recovery period. We also found that feeling prepared for natural disasters was associated with better mental health outcomes,” explained Professor Anstey.
“These findings are likely relevant to all Australians experiencing bushfires and reinforce the value of investing in preparing the community for such events.”
ACT Minister for Mental Health Emma Davidson indicated the study highlighted the significance of those in Canberra taking care of their wellbeing as stressful events occurred.
“With the recent 20th anniversary of the 2003 bushfires, it is fitting we reflect on the mental health challenges associated with natural disasters such as bushfires,” added Minister Davidson.
“While it is encouraging to see the positive results in this report for older Canberrans, I cannot overstate how living through a natural disaster, even when you’re not directly affected by it, can have a severe impact on your physical and mental health.”
The 1st wave of data collection took place in the year 1999 and consisted of individuals between 20-64 years old, where random sampling was performed from the electoral roll of the ACT and Queanbeyan. More waves of data gathering took place roughly each 4 years.
