Disaster Mental Health Risk Reduction: Appraising Disaster Mental Health Research as If Risk Mattered

Since disaster risk reduction requires efforts from multiple disciplines, it is obvious that knowledge development should not be limited to single disciplines either and address concepts such as disaster risk, hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and capacity jointly. This line of reasoning applies to the mental health dimension of disaster risk reduction as well. Yet, an assessment of “disaster mental health risk reduction” (DMHRR) research con-tributions, learns that the emphasis of authors is typically limited to a selection of these concepts. Similarly selective is the focus on different levels (primarily individual and community), Sendai Priority Actions (mostly “understanding disaster risk”, followed by “enhancing disaster preparedness”) and Health EDRM functions (especially “information and knowledge management” and “monitoring and evaluation”). Placing the concept of disaster risk at the heart of DMHRR research, enables us to bring together the different facets of research contributions and to generate a combined, arguably even integrated view on disaster risk reduction and mental health. The DMHRR road ahead is complex, all-encompassing and therefore challenging. Fortunately, important progress is made in understanding the mental health impact of disaster exposure, additional losses and the interplay with risk factors that increase vulnerabilities at different levels across countries and regions, linked to the capacity to adapt, recover, and ultimately reduce such risks. A complementary common ground of evidence-based knowledge to shape and direct this capacity is embedded in available guidelines and policy documents, partially translated into practical training programs with promising first results. This is all in-dicative of the improvement made in recent years, as work in progress to be continued, that can assist and encourage stakeholders from policy, practice, and research internationally to keep joining forces on behalf of a successful integration of mental health and psychosocial support into disaster risk reduction.