MelNet News: 16 October 2009

Bushfires, Social Connectedness and Mental Health

Members of the MelNet team are involved in the Bushfires, Social Connectedness and Mental Health project which will assess the impact of the Victorian bushfires on subsequent mental health, social connectedness, and capacity to cope with future stressors.  A focus on how social connectedness may impact upon the mental health of individuals and communities in affected areas will be explored, as well as the development of resilience and coping for a positive future. 

Specific objectives are to:

• explore pathways of mental and physical health following the fires,
• measure the social connectedness of communities,
• detail the connection between mental health and social connectedness,
• understand the processes that facilitate community connectedness, resilience and rebuilding, through both external assistance and self-help.

The research team brings considerable international expertise together with inter-disciplinary perspectives, cutting-edge methodologies and a community focus that has practical and policy implications for community rebuilding and positive futures in the aftermath of the Victorian bushfires.  The fundamental outcome of this project is to establish a platform for longitudinal surveillance of mental health and social recovery from the Black Saturday fires that will continue regularly for at least 10 years, and will, for the first time, identify key markers of resilience and recovery following major disaster in Australia.  This outcome is imperative for evidence-informed policy making and preparation to cope with the projected increases in natural disasters in the coming years.