1. Coping styles and mental health outcomes of community members affected by black summer 2019–20 bushfires in Australia.
- Author
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Usher, Kim, Durkin, Joanne, Douglas, Lesley, Coffey, Yumiko, and Bhullar, Navjot
- Subjects
RESEARCH ,PSYCHIATRIC nursing ,OCCUPATIONAL roles ,STATISTICS ,HEALTH services accessibility ,NURSING ,CROSS-sectional method ,RESEARCH methodology ,SELF-evaluation ,POST-traumatic stress disorder ,MENTAL health ,COMMUNITIES ,SEASONS ,AVOIDANCE (Psychology) ,PEARSON correlation (Statistics) ,T-test (Statistics) ,CRONBACH'S alpha ,SEX distribution ,MENTAL depression ,NURSES ,QUESTIONNAIRES ,SCALE analysis (Psychology) ,DISEASE prevalence ,PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation ,STATISTICAL correlation ,STATISTICAL sampling ,ANXIETY ,VICTIMS ,DATA analysis software ,WILDFIRES ,PUBLIC opinion ,PSYCHOLOGICAL stress ,PSYCHOLOGICAL resilience - Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate coping styles, posttraumatic stress, and mental health symptoms among a sample of community members affected by 2019–20 Australian bushfires. Using a convenience sampling approach, an online survey was used to assess a range of coping strategies, posttraumatic stress and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among the affected community members of Black Summer bushfires. The results revealed that study participants reported moderate symptoms of depression and stress, and severe levels of anxiety. Additionally, participants reported use of both approach and avoidance coping strategies following the bushfire event as well as experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress, such as having intrusive thoughts and symptoms of avoidance and hyperarousal. Despite the durability of many individuals, others remain affected by the event and there is evidence there may be longer term mental health consequences of the bushfires for some people. Given these findings, it is imperative that mental health services be readily available for people in the bushfire‐affected areas. Mental health nurses have an important role to play in supporting individuals affected by disasters. Awareness of the short‐ and long‐term impacts of disasters on the mental health of people is paramount for mental health nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
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