Floods can worsen inequality. Here are 4 ways we can ensure people with disabilities aren't left behind

(MENAFN- The Conversation) Disasters like flooding can worsen social inequalities around health and housing. For people with disability, however, the effect can be especially profound.

Research led by the University of Sydney's University Centre for Rural Health has shown , for example, that after flooding people with disability and their carers were more likely than others to:

• have their homes flooded and be evacuated

• still be displaced six months on

• experience disrupted access to food, support networks and essentials such as healthcare and social services

• continue to be distressed about the flood six months after it happened

• be at relatively high risk of post-traumatic stress disorder six months after the flood.

As communities on Australia's east coast recover from recent flooding, it's more important than ever to engage with concerns raised at the recent Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability .

As revealed in the University Centre for Rural Health's submission to the Royal Commission, people with disability are too often overlooked or left behind during emergencies.

We surveyed people with disability and carers after a major flood in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales in 2017. Some of the stories were shocking. One person told us:

Another identified barriers with communication, saying:

People with disability reported feeling they had been left to 'fend for themselves':

Carers are affected, too. One told us:

Respondents described people with disability living in places that should never have been rented in the first place due to flood risk:

One carer described her harrowing flood experience by saying:

A common experience was people with disability or carers feeling like their expertise and insights were ignored.

Change is urgently needed. Here are four things that could be done to ensure purposeful inclusion of people with disability and carers in all stages of recovery.

When disaster strikes, people with disability need emergency housing in the short-term and more secure housing in the long-term.

Our research highlighted a lack of affordable accommodation for displaced carers and people living with disability. People were living in unsafe accommodation with mould, no cooking facilities and structural damage. Some were left homeless.

It is vital all levels of government work with peak (and local) disability advocacy organisations to understand and respond to disaster-related housing vulnerabilities.

People living with disability should be supported to plan for disaster risk. This should include programs to help people learn about their flood risk and what to do in an evacuation.

Disaster recovery plans should consider how, for people with disability, access to support and services can be disrupted by long-term displacement.

Disruption to support networks can leave people with disability isolated. Access to high-quality personal care, transport, food and health services must be continued during and after a flood.

The Disability-Inclusive and Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and Toolkit provides direction to service providers to ensure the safety of staff — and the people they support — before, during, and after a disaster.

Floods can have enduring psychological impacts. For people with disability, however, the risk of prolonged distress and post traumatic risk disorder is higher.

Mental health conditions may take some time to emerge. Longer-term tailored supports are required - possibly for years after the flood.

Mental health services should be evidence-based, with additional training for primary care providers on how to identify and treat post-traumatic stress disorder.

Research has shown shown being connected to your community, for example through volunteering, clubs or informal gatherings, can reduce the risk of mental health issues after a disaster.

Too often, people living with disability are not adequately included in community-level disaster preparedness. Governments at all levels — but especially councils — must invest in helping people prepare personal emergency plans .

The Australian-designed Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness Workbook is a guide used by people with disability to tailor emergency preparedness planning to their needs.

It steps people through the planning process and includes tips from people with disability help to get the conversation started.

Emergency services also need to be well supported, and nobody should lay the blame on any particular agency. These organisations, many of which rely on volunteers, are doing the best they can in extremely challenging circumstances. But there is an opportunity here for broader systemic change to better meet the needs of disaster-affected people with disability and their carers.

The severity and frequency of flooding is likely to increase as the climate warms. So too will the human impacts. We urgently need to find ways to improve how we prepare and respond.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you're concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. This story is part of a series The Conversation is running on the nexus between disaster, disadvantage and resilience. You can read the rest of the stories here .

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