To the Editor: The frequency and intensity of floods and other weather-related disasters is likely to increase with climate change.1 These disasters may affect both the physical and mental health of people who are directly affected.2,3 The extensive rainfall and subsequent flooding experienced throughout Queensland in December 2010 and January 2011 had significant impacts on large sections of the population.4 To assess the health impacts of the 2011 floods on residents of the greater Brisbane region, we conducted a postal survey in 12 flood-affected electorates in July 2011.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- 1. Parry ML, Canziani OF, Palutikof JP, et al. Climate change 2007: impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
- 2. Tunstall S, Tapsell S, Green C, et al. The health effects of flooding: social research results from England and Wales. J Water Health 2006; 4: 365-380.
- 3. Du W, FitzGerald GJ, Clark M, Hou XY. Health impacts of floods. Prehosp Disaster Med 2010; 25: 265-272.
- 4. Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry. Final report. http://www.floodcommission.qld.gov.au/publications/final-report (accessed Jul 2012).
The study was funded by an Australian Research Council Discovery Grant (DP1095752) and a Queensland University of Technology Seeding Grant. Shilu Tong has received support through an NHMRC Research Fellowship (553043).
No relevant disclosures.