Disaster mental health risk reduction: Appraising disaster mental health research as if risk mattered
This editorial examines current disaster mental health research through a disaster risk lens to facilitate knowledge integration and further strengthen, expand, and harness the contribution of this body of research for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health EDRM). The globally increasing frequency, intensity, and complexity of extreme climatic events and disasters poses significant challenges for the future health and wellbeing of affected populations around the world. Mental health problems in the general population, which still too often go un-attended or untreated in many countries, are known to be further elevated among those exposed to extreme climatic events and disasters.
Key strategies adopted in studies to reduce disaster mental health risks primarily focused on fostering DRR-MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) integration in policies and guidelines, improving our understanding of the nature of disaster mental health risks (e.g., in terms of underpinning exposure and vulnerability drivers), surveillance and assessment of resulting disaster mental health impacts, and capacity building via training and education initiatives. While intervention studies and disaster mental health services research did not directly feature in Special Issue contributions, both areas of research clearly warrant further attention as important avenues for disaster mental health risk reduction.
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Themes
Health and health facilities
ISBN/ISSN/DOI
10.3390/ijerph20115923 (DOI)
Number of pages
14 p.
Publication year
2023