Flood- and Weather-Damaged Homes and Mental Health

An Analysis Using England’s Mental Health Survey

Bibliographic Data

ID15501835
AuthorsHilary Graham (0000-0001-7949-6819, University of York, corresponding author), Piran C L White (0000-0002-7496-5775, University of York), Piran White (University of York), Jacqui Cotton (Environment Agency), Shea Mcmanu (0000-0003-2711-0819, NatCen Social Research)
Year2019
Volume16
Issue18
Pages3256-3256
Publication date2019-09-05
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph16183256
PMID31491859
OpenAlexW2971596396
LanguageEN
Citations received18
References cited30

There is increasing evidence that exposure to weather-related hazards like storms and floods adversely affects mental health. However, evidence of treated and untreated mental disorders based on diagnostic criteria for the general population is limited. We analysed the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, a large probability sample survey of adults in England ( n = 7525), that provides the only national data on the prevalence of mental disorders assessed to diagnostic criteria. The most recent survey (2014-2015) asked participants if they had experienced damage to their home (due to wind, rain, snow or flood) in the six months prior to interview, a period that included months of unprecedented population exposure to flooding, particularly in Southern England. One in twenty (4.5%) reported living in a storm- or flood-damaged home in the previous six months. Social advantage (home ownership, higher household income) increased the odds of exposure to storm or flood damage. Exposure predicted having a common mental disorder over and above the effects of other known predictors of poor mental health. With climate change increasing the frequency and severity of storms and flooding, improving community resilience and disaster preparedness is a priority. Evidence on the mental health of exposed populations is key to building this capacity

Environmental health · Flood myth · Geography · Logistic regression · Mental health · Meteorology · Odds · Population · Preparedness · Psychiatry · Storm · Climate Change and Health Impacts · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Optimism, Hope, and Well-being

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