Inequalities and climate change: developing an index of human health vulnerability to climate change in Australia

Project Details

This project aims to examine the effect of climate change and extreme weather events on temporal and spatial inequalities in health and to create an area-based social vulnerability index that measures social factors affecting the vulnerability of human health to climate change.

The social vulnerability index gives an overview of the area-level social vulnerability associated with the health burden of climate change in Australia. Based on a scoping review of social vulnerability indicators linked to the health impact of climate change, around 70 measures were included for a composite social vulnerability index (SVI). This map shows an area's composite SVI as well as individual vulnerability domains including demographics, household composition, language, income/employment, education/social development, built environment, communication/transport, emergency service, health service, government service, health condition, care needs, social connection, housing security, dwelling condition, and livelihood. Higher scores indicate higher social vulnerabilities.

Acknowledgement: The research was conducted by Ang Li, Mathew Toll, Erika Martino, Adelle Mansour, and Rebecca Bentley from the NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Healthy Housing. We acknowledge the support from the Henry Halloran Research Trust, the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, and the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course.

Publications

Li, A., Toll, M., & Bentley, R. (2023). Health and housing consequences of climate-related disasters: a matched case-control study using population-based longitudinal data in Australia. Lancet Planet. Health, 7(6), e490-e500. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(23)00089-X

Li, A., Toll, M., & Bentley, R. (2023). Mapping social vulnerability indicators to understand the health impacts of climate change: a scoping review. Lancet Planet Health, 7(11), e925-e937. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(23)00216-4  

Researchers

Collaborators

  • Prof Robyn Dowling (University of Sydney)
  • Dr Karyn Bosomworth, Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation

Funding

This project is funded by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course and the Henry Halloran Research Trust.

University of Sydney Henry Halloran Research Trust logo

Project period

2022 – 2023

Contact

Dr Ang Li
ang.li5@unimelb.edu.au