A new study co-authored by former UCRH Director Professor Ross Bailie and Northern Rivers-based researcher Professor Geoff Morgan has explored how major natural disasters affect hospital use across NSW, adding important evidence to conversations about health equity and the rural health workforce.
Published in Natural Hazards Research, the paper, The paradigm of disaster exposure and all-cause hospital admissions in rural New South Wales, Australia, examined the impact of bushfires, floods and other major disasters on hospital admission rates across NSW local government areas.
The research looked at hospital admissions before and after disaster events and compared communities exposed to disasters with those that were not. The team also considered levels of socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage to better understand how existing community vulnerabilities influence healthcare use. Based on the data analysed, the study found a clear socioeconomic pattern, with more disadvantaged areas recording higher baseline hospital admission rates than less disadvantaged communities.
Perhaps most surprising was the finding that exposure to major disasters was linked to a relative decrease in the trend of all-cause hospital admissions when compared with unexposed areas, after accounting for socioeconomic factors. Similar patterns were seen following bushfires, while flood exposure did not show a significant effect on admission trends.
The findings suggest that the relationship between disasters and healthcare use is more complex than expected. They also highlight the important role socioeconomic disadvantage plays in shaping access to healthcare and overall health service demand. The authors say the results reinforce the need for public health strategies and disaster planning that consider both community vulnerability and potential barriers to accessing care during and after major events.
