The people affected by the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria in 2009 have progressively recovered but their mental health still suffers even today, according to a long-term study of 1000 survivors.
The short-term effect of disaster on mental health is widely known, but there is little data on how an individual's recovery is affected by social and community changes over time.
In findings relevant to those who experienced the October 2013 fires in the Mountains, the report found that social ties really matter, and have a “protective” effect on wellbeing.
As a survivor's membership of groups increased, so did their mental health. But there was a point where being signed up to too many groups became detrimental to their psychological state.
Anger could be a barrier to recovery but also motivational. But if regular, explosive bursts of anger were still a regular pattern years after the fires it was associated with poorer mental health.
The majority of those affected by Black Saturday were “resilient” in the aftermath, but a sizeable minority - about twice the number in a normal population - reported mental health problems severe enough to need professional support, the report found.
It also noted a delayed onset in problems like post-traumatic stress disorder.
The study, Beyond Bushfires, was undertaken by Melbourne University and community agencies including the Australian Red Cross and primary health care networks.