The Psychological Consequences and Service Experiences for Young Adults Exposed to the 2014 Hazelwood Mine Fire

This PhD explored the psychological consequences for young adults following disasters, particularly the 2014 Hazelwood mine fire. Over 2.5 years post-mine fire, young adults tended to reported greater psychological distress if they had high smoke exposure than similarly exposed older adults. Prior psychological conditions and traumatic events tended to increase their general psychological distress compared to older adults. Six years after the event, young adults generally did not qualitatively report impacts, however, they reported psychological impacts from COVID-19. They also highlighted a need for greater service access and awareness. Findings have implications for policy and practice to identify those at risk for support.