Projects

Environmental burden of disease

We have carried out a range of work on the environmental burden of disease. Topics include second-hand smoke, road transport, air pollution, and heatwaves. This work aims to estimate the health impact of environmental risk factors in Aotearoa New Zealand, to provide useful evidence for policymakers.

Second-hand smoke

In 2016, we released a report on the burden of disease from second-hand smoke exposure in New Zealand. This study found that an estimated 104 people died from second-hand smoke exposure in New Zealand in 2010. Children and Māori were disproportionately affected by second-hand smoke exposure.

Publications:

The Burden of Disease from Second-hand Smoke in New Zealand (July 2016) (pdf, 0.6 MB)
This report estimates the number of deaths and healthy years of life lost (DALYs) due to second-hand smoke exposure in New Zealand in 2006 and 2010.

Mason, K.M. & Borman, B. (2016). Burden of disease from second-hand smoke in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 129 (1432), 16-25.

Road transport

We carried out a rapid assessment of the health impacts of road transport in New Zealand in 2012. Health impacts included traffic-related accidents, air pollution, noise and physical (in)activity. In total, road transport was found to be responsible for 650 deaths in 2012 (2.1% of annual mortality): 308 from traffic accidents, 283 as a result of air pollution, and 59 from noise

Publication:

Briggs D, Mason K, Borman B. (2016). Rapid assessment of environmental health impacts for policy support: The example of road transport in New Zealand. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 13(1): 61.

Air pollution

We were involved in the HAPINZ (Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand 2016) 3.0 project. The study was carried out by a team of researchers from several organizations, led by Dr Gerda Kuschel (Emission Impossible Ltd). This project estimated that in 2016, human-made (anthropogenic) air pollution in New Zealand resulted in an estimated 3,317 premature deaths (in people aged 30+ years).

We were also involved in a subsequent analysis of air pollution and social inequity, led by Emission Impossible Ltd.

Publications:

Kuschel et al (2022). Health and air pollution in New Zealand 2016 (HAPINZ 3.0): Volume 1 - Findings and implications. Report prepared by G Kuschel, J Metcalfe, S Sridhar, P Davy, K Hastings, K Mason, T Denne, J Berentson-Shaw, S Bell, S Hales, J Atkinson and A Woodward for Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Health, Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, March 2022.

Air Quality and Social Inequity in Aotearoa: A preliminary assessment (November 2023) (pdf, 2.5 MB)
This report investigates social inequity of air quality exposure (particulate matter - PM_2.5, and nitrogen dioxide - NO₂) and associated impacts in New Zealand. Analyses are presented by socioeconomic deprivation (NZDep2013), ethnic group, urban areas, and district health boards. This report made use of the HAPINZ 3.0 model, and was written by Lou Wickham, Jayne Metcalfe (Emission Impossible Ltd), and Kylie Mason (EHINZ).

For more information, see the HAPINZ 3.0 webpages

Heatwaves

This report investigates three different heatwave definitions, and estimates the impact of heatwaves on mortality in the pilot study area of Canterbury district (formerly Canterbury District Health Board, CDHB). This pilot study covered the study period of November-March 2000 to 2018.

Publication:

Heatwaves and Mortality: A pilot study for the Canterbury district (September 2023) (pdf, 1.2MB)