The effects of bushfire are associated with mental health impacts (Gibbs et al. 2016; Laugharne et al. 2011). Consequently, some people’s mental health care needs may require admission to hospital. Therefore, hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis for mental health-related conditions (ICD-10-AM codes F00–F99), were analysed.
Nationally, the greatest increase in the hospitalisation rate was 17% in the week beginning 29 September 2019—38 per 100,000 persons (about 9,500 hospitalisations), compared with the previous 5-year average of 32 per 100,000 (an average of about 7,800 hospitalisations). However, it should be noted that it is difficult to ascertain the extent to which this increase was influenced by bushfires and bushfire smoke pollution or other factors.
Furthermore, there has been an increase in the mental health-related hospitalisation rate over time; for example, the national mental health-related conditions hospitalisation rate increased by an average of 3.2% per year between 2014–15 and 2018–19 (AIHW 2021; supplementary tables). Therefore, interpreting changes in rates relative to the previous 5-year average should be considered with caution.
To explore national data and data for states and territories, see interactive data visualisations below (for data tables see Supplementary table S1).