Marie Ishida

Thesis Title

Unveiling the Hidden Costs: The Role of Physical Functioning on Households’ Economic and Social Wellbeing in the Asia-Pacific in the Context of Population Aging

Description of PhD project

Life expectancy has increased with the improvement in public health and medical technology and people live longer than ever before. However, longevity has also been accompanied by a rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and decline of physical functioning. The Asia-Pacific region represents over 60 per cent of the global population and is expected to face rapid population ageing in the next few decades. A growing burden of morbidity associated with population ageing in this region potentially presents a major threat to the future social and economic wellbeing of their populations.

Marie's PhD project investigates whether the health status of populations improved while gaining longer life expectancy in the context of both high and low- and middle- income countries from the Asia-Pacific region in the last two decades. Furthermore, her PhD project will shed light on the health and economic outcomes of adult household members and their children who potentially take on the role of informal caregivers for the elderly.

Supervisors

• Professor Ajay Mahal
• Professor Sumit Kane
• Dr. Teralynn Ludwick
• Associate Professor Victoria Fan

Biography

Marie is a PhD candidate and a research assistant in the Nossal Institute for Global Health. Her PhD research focuses on the influence of declined physical functioning among elderly on economic and social wellbeing of households in the Asia-Pacific context. She previously worked as a lead epidemiologist at the Victorian Department of Health, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and has clinical experience as a nurse and midwife in Japan.

Funders/Scholarships

• Japan Student Service Organization (JASSO) overseas post-graduate study scholarship (government sponsored)
• Melbourne Research Scholarship