TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of group involvement on post-disaster mental health
T2 - A longitudinal multilevel analysis
AU - Gallagher, H. Colin
AU - Block, Karen
AU - Gibbs, Lisa
AU - Forbes, David
AU - Lusher, Dean
AU - Molyneaux, Robyn
AU - Richardson, John
AU - Pattison, Philippa
AU - MacDougall, Colin
AU - Bryant, Richard A.
PY - 2019/1
Y1 - 2019/1
N2 - Involvement in voluntary associations is a key form of social capital and plays an especially important role following disaster as a venue for coordination and decision-making for the wider community. Yet, relatively little attention has been paid to how group involvement affects mental health, at either the individual or community level. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of involvement in voluntary associations on mental health among residents of bushfire-affected communities. A longitudinal sample of 642 individuals affected by the 2009 Victorian bushfires in south-eastern Australia were surveyed in 2012 and 2014 (3- and 5-years post-disaster). A further subsample (n = 552) of residents residing continuously within 22 bushfire-affected communities were examined for community-level effects using multilevel regression methods. After adjusting for demographics, disaster exposure, and network variables, group involvement at time 1 bore a curvilinear relationship with PTSD at both time points: moderate involvement was most beneficial, with no participation, or high amounts, yielding poorer outcomes. High amounts of group involvement was likewise linked to a greater risk of major depression. Furthermore, communities with higher median levels of group involvement reported lower levels of PTSD symptoms and major depression two years later. With respect to group involvement, more is not always better. For individuals, moderation – if possible – is key. Meanwhile, community-level health benefits come when most people participate to some extent, suggesting that the distribution of involvement across the community is important.
AB - Involvement in voluntary associations is a key form of social capital and plays an especially important role following disaster as a venue for coordination and decision-making for the wider community. Yet, relatively little attention has been paid to how group involvement affects mental health, at either the individual or community level. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of involvement in voluntary associations on mental health among residents of bushfire-affected communities. A longitudinal sample of 642 individuals affected by the 2009 Victorian bushfires in south-eastern Australia were surveyed in 2012 and 2014 (3- and 5-years post-disaster). A further subsample (n = 552) of residents residing continuously within 22 bushfire-affected communities were examined for community-level effects using multilevel regression methods. After adjusting for demographics, disaster exposure, and network variables, group involvement at time 1 bore a curvilinear relationship with PTSD at both time points: moderate involvement was most beneficial, with no participation, or high amounts, yielding poorer outcomes. High amounts of group involvement was likewise linked to a greater risk of major depression. Furthermore, communities with higher median levels of group involvement reported lower levels of PTSD symptoms and major depression two years later. With respect to group involvement, more is not always better. For individuals, moderation – if possible – is key. Meanwhile, community-level health benefits come when most people participate to some extent, suggesting that the distribution of involvement across the community is important.
KW - Depression
KW - Group membership
KW - Natural disasters
KW - PTSD
KW - Social capital
KW - Social networks
KW - Voluntary associations
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85056453410&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/ARC/LP100200164
U2 - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.11.006
DO - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.11.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 30447481
AN - SCOPUS:85056453410
SN - 0277-9536
VL - 220
SP - 167
EP - 175
JO - Social Science and Medicine
JF - Social Science and Medicine
ER -