Perinatal Mental Health and Disasters Study

BACKGROUND The prevalence and severity of natural disasters is increasing globally (Beaglehole et al., 2018). In Australia, rural communities are regularly responding to the impact of flood, drought, bushfire, storms and most recently, pandemic. Increasing frequency of these catastrophic events means that communities often have no chance to recover before another disaster strikes. Experiencing natural disasters is often a traumatic experience, with long term as well as immediate repercussions on mental health and social emotional wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. How individuals manage the cumulative stressors depends on a complex myriad of factors including but not limited to socioeconomic resources, social connectedness, access to information, personal and structural supports, past experience of adversity and trauma and personal resilience and coping skills. There are particular population groups who may be more susceptible to and disadvantaged by the ramifications of disasters. First Nations families and communities, people with disabilities, those from non-English speaking backgrounds and people with pre-existing mental health challenges may require additional targeted supports and resources to address the impacts and promote their recovery and healing. It is also important to consider intersectionality, recognising those who face multiple barriers along with population groups who are privileged in relation to their social location. Families who are experiencing the perinatal period during a disaster are a population at risk of adverse mental health outcomes. Pregnant and birthing women have been recognised as a vulnerable group in the context of COVID-19 (Davenport, Meyer, Meah et al., 2020) however this population is far from homogenous. Disparities in income, health literacy, social supports and other social determinants mean that groups such as First Nations women, women with disabilities and women with enduring mental illness and psychiatric impairment such as schizophrenia, bi-polar and anxiety are likely to experience more detrimental effects (Truong & Allen, 2020). Research exploring the mental health challenges and experiences for women in the perinatal period from marginalised groups and their families, is urgently required, to enable a swift and efficacious targeted response. PROJECT 1 This project is aimed at exploring the experiences of Australian women in the perinatal period during times of natural disaster. The study will be informed by a social determinants of health approach, with a lens on gender, culture, race and rurality. The ways in which women who have a pre-existing mental health challenge are supported will be specifically investigated. PROJECT 2 Research exploring the mental health of fathers during the perinatal period in times of disaster is the focus of the second study. Considerably less is known about men’s mental health during the perinatal period, and the majority of research within this domain has centred on experience of depression (Leach et al., 2016). During disasters, gender roles become starkly demarcated and rural men in particular, are expected to actively respond to the immediate and physical needs of the community in paid or unpaid roles (e.g. as Country Fire Authority or State Emergency Services volunteers). These roles inevitably take them away from their families, and research has not adequately explored the effects of this on men’s mental health, including their sense of connectedness to their fathering role. References Beaglehole, B., Mulder, R. T., Frampton, C. M., Boden, J. M., Newton-Howes, G., & Bell, C. J. (2018). Psychological distress and psychiatric disorder after natural disasters: systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 213(6), 716–722. doi:10.1192/bjp.2018.210 Davenport, M., Meyer, S., Meah, V., Strynadka, M. & Khurana, R. (2020). Moms Are Not OK: COVID-19 and Maternal Mental Health. Front. Glob. Womens Health 1:1. doi: 10.3389/fgwh.2020.00001 Leach, L., Poyser, C., Cooklin, A. & Giallo, R. (2016). Prevalence and course of anxiety disorders (and symptom levels) in men across the perinatal period: A systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders, 190: 675-686. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.09.063. Truong, M. & Allen, J. (2020). The social determinants of health in COVID-19 recovery. Monash University Lens. Accessed on 24/09/2020 from https://lens.monash.edu/@coronavirus-articles/2020/09/23/1381322/the-social-determinants-of-health-in-covid-19-recovery.