Natural disasters, climate change and mental health considerations for rural Australia.
This paper addresses a very salient feature of rural life and landscapes in Australia, natural disasters, and offers a psychological perspective on individual and community perceptions, responses, preparedness and planning. The convergent perspective offered reflects research and practice findings and insights from social and environmental psychology, as well as clinical, health and community psychology. The objective is to briefly characterise how these psychological approaches frame the psychological and social reality of these threats and events, and to canvas what insights and evidence-based best practice psychology have to offer allied professionals and paraprofessionals, and rural communities, as they experience and come to terms with the vagaries and extremes of the Australian environment.
Morrissey
Shirley A
SA
School of Psychology, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. s.morrissey@griffith.edu.au
Reser
Joseph P
JP
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia; D019985:Benchmarking; D002980:Climate; D003256:Community Participation; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004782:Environmental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006293:Health Promotion; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012931:Social Environment; D013240:Stereotyping