Health and social care providers’ mental health after natural hazard events in rural settings: A systematic review

Background Natural hazard events are a major cause of social and health problems worldwide, with linked adverse impacts on mental health - particularly among people who are made vulnerable due to living in rural areas. Care providers in these contexts can have an increased psychological burden. The current review aims to synthesise the evidence available about the mental health of social and health care workers who have provided services during or following a natural hazard event in a rural setting. Methods For this systematic review, we developed a search strategy with the assistance of a specialist information analyst and conducted searches in four different databases. There were no restrictions on the date, country, and studies were required to be conducted in a rural setting, with stratified mental health data for at least five health/social care workers. Results Searches produced a total of 7745 results, 11 of which were eligible for inclusion. Studies were conducted in five countries, with hazard events included being earthquakes, floods, avalanches, and fires. Symptoms of anxiety and depression and burnout, feelings of helplessness, and reduced quality of life were commonly reported by care providers. In addition to mental health impacts, some experienced physical injuries. The data reveals that rural health and social workers who provide services during/following natural hazard events may experience clinically significant levels of mental health symptoms. Conclusions The findings suggest that healthcare professionals providing supporting after natural hazards may experience an array of mental health impacts. Further research is required to understand the extent of these impacts.