IJERPH, Vol. 17, Pages 7676: Belonging and Inclusivity Make a Resilient Future for All: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Post-Flood Social Capital in a Diverse Australian Rural Community

IJERPH, Vol. 17, Pages 7676: Belonging and Inclusivity Make a Resilient Future for All: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Post-Flood Social Capital in a Diverse Australian Rural Community International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph17207676 Authors: Matthews Longman Bennett-Levy Braddon Passey Bailie Berry In 2017, marginalised groups were disproportionately impacted by extensive flooding in a rural community in Northern New South Wales, Australia, with greater risk of home inundation, displacement and poor mental health. While social capital has been linked with good health and wellbeing, there has been limited investigation into its potential benefits in post-disaster contexts, particularly for marginalised groups. Six months post-flood, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to quantify associations between flood impact, individual social capital and psychological distress (including probable post-traumatic stress disorder). We adopted a community-academic partnership approach and purposive recruitment to increase participation from socio-economically marginalised groups (Aboriginal people and people in financial hardship). These groups reported lower levels of social capital (informal social connectedness, feelings of belonging, trust and optimism) compared to general community participants. Despite this, informal social connectedness and belonging were important factors for all participant groups, associated...
Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research