Effects of bushfire smoke on health and wellbeing of the ACT and surrounding community

This study will assess the effects of prolonged bushfire smoke exposure on the physical health, mental health and lifestyle factors of residents of the ACT region. It will collect a snapshot of the current mental health status of the community. It will also explore the factors that influence behaviour change in response to hazardous levels of bushfire smoke-related air pollution. This study also aims to capture a mental health snapshot of the ACT community.

The findings of this study will be used to inform policy makers, health professionals, and the research community and influence how health information and resources are made available to the public in future events. In particular, it will identify parts of the community that are risk of the direct and indirect physical and psychological health effects of bushfire related air pollution, and the mechanisms which can be used to best reach them.

The survey has now closed, but you can read the participant information sheet .

Publications

• Rodney RM, Swaminathan A, Calear AL, Christensen BK, Lal A, Lane J, Leviston Z, Reynolds J, Trevenar SM, Vardoulakis S, Walker I. (2021). Physical and Mental Health Effects of Bushfire and Smoke in the Australian Capital Territory 2019–20. Frontiers in Public Health. 9. 10.3389/fpubh.2021.682402.
• Leviston Z, Stanley SK, Rodney RM, Walker I, Reynolds J, Christensen BK, Monaghan C, Calear AL, Lal A, Lane J, Vardoulakis S. (2023). Solastalgia mediates between bushfire impact and mental health outcomes: A study of Australia's 2019–2020 bushfire season. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 90. 10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102071.

Related articles

• Taking care of mental health after bushfires
• How to protect yourself and others from bushfire smoke