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The Perceptions of Rural Australians Concerning the Health Impacts of Extreme Weather Events: A Scoping Review
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

The Perceptions of Rural Australians Concerning the Health Impacts of Extreme Weather Events: A Scoping Review

Emily Vohralik, Jonathan Mond, I. Nyoman Sutarsa, Sally Hall Dykgraaf, Breanna Humber and Sari Dewi
Climate, Vol.13(9), pp.1-21
28/08/2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cli13090180
Appears in  Recent Faculty of Health Publications
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Abstract

Australia climate change extreme weather events health impact human health natural disasters perceptions rural health
Understanding rural communities' perceptions of the health impacts of extreme weather is vital for strengthening community resilience and adaptation strategies. This paper aimed to collate existing evidence on the perceptions of rural Australians regarding the health impacts of extreme weather events. A scoping review following PRISMA-ScR guidelines was conducted. Peer-reviewed empirical articles published up to 7 May 2025 were identified from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. One author undertook two-step screening and data extraction, which was checked by another author, and data were analysed using a thematic approach. Of 242 non-duplicate articles screened, 34 were included, which discussed drought (n = 14), bushfire (n = 8), flood (n = 6), extreme heat (n = 4) or a combination of events (n = 2). Two main themes arose: (1) perceived severity, frequency and duration of extreme weather events; and (2) perceptions of health impacts. The second theme comprised six subthemes: mental health risks, social disconnectedness, disrupted connection to land, distress due to uncertainties, community resilience, and disproportionate effects on vulnerable groups. Evidence gaps included a lack of perspectives separated by gender and age and a shortage of voices of socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Future research should investigate how to understand rural communities' resilience to develop targeted adaptation and mitigation strategies.

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