Mental health after compounding natural hazard exposure in New South Wales from 2019 to 2023: a cross-sectional study in Australian youth.

Sarah E Williams, Suzane M Cosh, Amy D Lykins, Chloe Hurrell, Warren Bartik, Phillip J Tully

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

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0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sarah E WilliamsSchool of Psychology, Adelaide University, Adelaide, Australia.

Suzane M CoshSchool of Psychology, Adelaide University, Adelaide, Australia.

Amy D LykinsSchool of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia.

Chloe HurrellSchool of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia.

Warren BartikSchool of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia.

Phillip J TullySchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia. p.tully@deakin.edu.au.

Funding

Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program BSBR001480Medical Research Future Fund MRF2034737National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia 2024/GNT2038157

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Direct exposure to fires and floods adversely impacts mental health, although less is known about youth wellbeing after compounding natural hazards in short time frames. A youth sample aged 16-25 years completed self-report measures of adjustment disorder, alcohol/substance misuse and dependence, depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, and climate change anxiety after drought, bushfire and flood events in New South Wales. From 877 respondents, direct exposure to compounding (i.e., ≥ 2) natural hazards occurred in 182 persons and single hazard in 267. Compounding hazards increased odds for alcohol/substance misuse and dependence (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39-3.45) and anxiety (adjusted OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.04-2.30) by comparison to single hazard exposure. There was no interaction between compound hazard and life stressors (quantified by the Adjustment Disorder New Module-8). The association between compounding hazard exposure with mental health was mediated by climate change anxiety; full mediation for adjustment disorder, depression, anxiety, and stress, and partial mediation for alcohol/substance misuse and dependence. Compounding natural hazard exposure may have specific rather than global mental health impacts and is mediated by climate change anxiety. Youth may require specific support to recover from compounding hazards to promote wellbeing and manage climate change anxiety.

Indexed as

Mental HealthAdjustment DisordersAdolescentAnxietyClimate ChangeCross-Sectional StudiesDepressionFemaleHumansMaleNew South WalesStress, PsychologicalSubstance-Related DisordersYoung AdultAdjustment disorderAnxietyClimate changeClimate change anxietyDisaster medicineMental healthNatural disasters

Identifiers

PMID42091977

DOI10.1038/s41598-026-51536-5

PMCPMC13338153

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