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

Abstract

Background: Tracking populations through increasingly frequent climate disasters and understanding what contributes to mental health risks is crucial for adaption and planning for a climate changed world. We aimed to examine mental health trajectories after consecutive climate-related disasters and assess differences in mental health outcomes by temporal proximity to previous disasters and risk profiles. Methods: Using longitudinal population-based Australian data from 2009 to 2019, people who experienced home damage from at least one disaster (flood, bushfire, or cyclone) were included in the exposure population and tracked from pre-disaster to post-disaster years after each exposure. Cumul..