The EviMaPS study aimed to identify the state of knowledge and practice on disaster mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) initiatives globally. This study was conducted through a collaboration between a multinational team of investigators and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Phase 1 consisted of a key informant survey to identify current and emerging MHPSS policies and programs to reduce mental health risks and enhance protective factors before and after disasters. Phase 2 consisted of a rapid literature review to identify empirical research on the impacts of disaster-related MHPSS initiatives. Programs identified in each stage were mapped against the MHPSS Minimum Services Package (MSP) Checklist, the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Intervention Pyramid, and the WHO Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework.

Phase 1 elicited information about 92 programs and 9 policies in use between 2007 and 2024 across 19 countries and regions. Phase 2 elicited 33 primary research articles published between 2007 and 2024 across 13 countries and regions.

The field of disaster mental health is dynamic and evolving. This presentation will underscore the need for an ongoing commitment to recognizing developing practices and building evidence on mental health and psychosocial support initiatives in disaster settings. The implications of the present findings for leading agencies such as the WHO will also be presented, for example, concerning updating guidelines, frameworks, and setting priorities to address research gaps.

There is growing evidence that disasters may increase the risk of developing chronic diseases, including diabetes, dyslipidemia, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease. However, how much disaster exposure specifically affects chronic disease risk is unknown. This presentation introduces the study protocol for the Risk of hEalth ConditiOn AdVerse Events after disasteRs (RECOVER) Cohort Study, which addresses this gap.

The primary aim of RECOVER is to determine the extent to which disaster exposure specifically increases the risk of developing chronic disease (Aim 1). The secondary aims of the study are to determine if the nature, duration and severity of disaster exposure are risk factors for disease (Aim 2), to map mediators of post-disaster chronic disease risk (Aim 3), and to identify potential biomarkers of post-disaster chronic disease risk (Aim 4). RECOVER will recruit over 6000 adults (1:1 disaster exposed vs unexposed) in Australia to a nationally representative cohort for longitudinal follow-up. Detailed data will be obtained annually on disaster exposure, demographic, social and health factors. The primary health outcome (Aim 1) of chronic disease will be defined as new, incident diabetes, cardiovascular or respiratory disease, and will be ascertained through data linkage with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. A biomarker sub-stream will include ~1,000 participants who provide a hair and saliva sample for cortisol and epigenetic analysis.

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There is an urgent need for detailed individual-level data to analyze the nature of the association between disaster exposure and chronic disease. In 2020 alone, 16.8 million Australians were exposed to disasters. The frequency and severity of disasters are only expected to grow due to climate change. As the first prospective cohort study to longitudinally track individual-level disaster exposure and chronic disease outcomes, RECOVER will fill a critical evidence gap.

Radically open dialectical behaviour therapy (RO DBT) is a transdiagnostic treatment designed to address disorders associated with overcontrol, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To date, no studies have reported on the effectiveness of RO DBT for people with ASD. Forty-eight patients were referred to a RO DBT programme, of whom 23 had a diagnosis of ASD. Outcome was measured using the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE) and the Questionnaire about the Process of Recovery.

The intervention was effective, with a medium effect size of 0.53 for improvement in CORE global distress. End-point CORE global distress score was predicted from initial severity and a diagnosis of ASD. Participants with a diagnosis of ASD who completed the therapy had significantly better outcomes than completing participants without an ASD diagnosis.

These findings provide preliminary support for RO DBT as an effective intervention for ASD in routine settings.