The detrimental effects of environmental issues on human health have become a critical focus for the global public health community. At the heart of these challenges lies pollution—a consequence of human activity that disrupts natural ecosystems and profoundly affects populations. 

Pollution not only contributes to environmental degradation but also influences key demographic processes such as fertility, migration, and mortality. Despite the clear intersection between environmental factors and population health, demographic research has traditionally placed less emphasis on pollution-related health outcomes and mortality compared to other scientific disciplines. However, demographic techniques provide valuable tools for analysing population dynamics and structural changes, offering critical insights into these issues.

Applying demographic methods and concepts helps uncover how environmental changes influence mortality and public health. This approach also identifies patterns and trends that inform more effective public policy planning to address these challenges.
This thesis aims to enhance the understanding of mortality and morbidity burdens caused by pollution across the Asia-Pacific region—one of the most polluted areas globally—through the application of advanced demographic methodologies.

It presents a novel and comprehensive analysis to quantify life-years lost and healthy years lost due to pollution, offering an alternative approach in environmental health research while making findings more accessible to diverse audiences. The results provide insights into demographic compositions by age, sex, causes of disease, and geographic disparities, highlighting vulnerable communities. This critical evidence supports public health interventions and policy development, ultimately aiming to mitigate the adverse effects of environmental degradation on human populations.

Pattheera (Paire) Somboonsin is a PhD candidate in the ANU School of Demography. Her research focuses on mortality and morbidity linked to environmental risk factors, including pollution and climate change, in the Asia-Pacific region. She has contributed to national and international research projects and has worked as a research assistant in Thailand since 2014. After completing her Master’s degree in Social Research at ANU in 2019, she worked as a research assistant at the School of Demography and later as a quantitative research assistant at the Centre for Indigenous Policy Research. She is passionate about data-driven research and aims to provide insights into population health, particularly in climate change and environmental health, to support policy, improve public health, and enhance well-being.

https://anu.zoom.us/j/81455885913?pwd=HnuaIDGJFbAo3gXACbarUz8zb2OrQo.1

Meeting ID: 814 5588 5913

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