Quantifying the spatiotemporal associations of flooding on mental health using telehealth call data

Floods have increased in both frequency and severity in recent decades. National surveys within England have linked flooding to elevated anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study analyses daily telephone helpline calls related to mental health problems to assess the spatiotemporal patterns of flood risk and the 2015/2016 winter floods. Spatial analysis categorised postcode districts by flood risk (High, Medium, Low, Very Low) and proximity (Flood, <1 km, 1-5 km, 5-10 km). Interrupted time series and generalised linear models evaluated trends, adjusting for confounding factors. High and medium flood risk areas showed an elevated Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) for mental health calls. Areas classified as flooded during the 2015/2016 winter floods demonstrated spatial and temporal increases, with a substantial spike in calls one-year post-2015/2016 floods. Our findings suggest that individuals in flood risk areas require psychological support and victims of flooding require consistent long-term mental health support, especially one year after the flooding event. This study establishes an approach that can be applied to assess the mental health impacts of future floods and environmental disasters in near real time.