title: Mental health implications for older adults after natural disasters--a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Natural disasters affect the health and well-being of adults throughout the world. There is some debate in the literature as to whether older persons have increased risk of mental health outcomes after exposure to natural disasters when compared with younger adults. To date, no systematic review has evaluated this. We aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the impact of natural disasters on the mental health and psychological distress experienced by older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A meta-analysis was conducted on papers identified through a systematic review. The primary outcomes measured were post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorder, and psychological distress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified six papers with sufficient data for a random effects meta-analysis. Older adults were 2.11 times more likely to experience PTSD symptoms and 1.73 more likely to develop adjustment disorder when exposed to natural disasters when compared with younger adults.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the global rise in the number of older adults affected by natural disasters, mental health services need to be prepared to meet their needs following natural disasters, particularly around the early detection and management of PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Academic Clinical Unit,Metro South Division of Mental Health Service,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lie
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Academic Clinical Unit,Metro South Division of Mental Health Service,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: Dan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Siskind
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine,The University of Queensland,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martin-Khan
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine,University of Western Sydney,Sydney,New South Wales,Australia.
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raphael
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Academic Clinical Unit,Metro South Division of Mental Health Service,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crompton
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Academic Clinical Unit,Metro South Division of Mental Health Service,Brisbane,Queensland,Australia.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kisely
mesh_terms: D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004190:Disasters; D005852:Geriatric Psychiatry; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services; D017594:Publication Bias; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: mental health; meta-analysis; natural disaster; older persons; post-traumatic stress disorder