Citation

Vardoulakis S, Matthews V, Bailie RS, Hu W, Salvador-Carulla L, Barratt AL, Chu C. Med. J. Aust. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Australian Medical Association, Publisher Australasian Medical Publishing)

DOI

10.5694/mja2.51595

PMID

35717626

Abstract

As the flood waters are receding in parts of New South Wales and Queensland and new forecasts of heavy rain are released, important questions emerge about the resilience of the Australian health system, and ultimately of our communities, to the intensifying extreme events we have experienced in recent years in the context of climate change.

Unprecedented floods in Northern Rivers, NSW, and in south-east Queensland have caused deaths and devastation and disrupted health and other services and facilities. Deaths from drowning, injuries, poisonings and infections are typically the immediate health impacts of floods.1 However, these direct impacts are only the tip of the health iceberg. Flood-affected communities in Australia and other parts of the world have experienced long-lasting mental health effects, such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder...

Language: en

Keywords

Disasters; Environment; Climate change; Emergencies; Community health services; Infectious diseases; Mental health services