• A Charles Sturt biostatistics expert will deliver a free public lecture on the hidden causes of death and disability in working-aged people
• The lecture will explore occupational and environmental contributors to increasing mortality and chronic disease
• The free event will take place on Wednesday 25 June from 6pm-7pm as part of the online Research Provocations series

A Charles Sturt University biostatistics expert will deliver a free public lecture analysing the hidden causes of death and disability for working-aged people.

The lecture is hosted by Chair of Biostatistics in the Charles Sturt Rural Health Research Institute Distinguished Professor Jing Sun as part of the online Research Provocations series.

Distinguished Professor Sun’s lecture, ‘Hidden Causes of Rising Disability and Death in the Working-Age Population’, will draw on her experience as a leading voice in injury and chronic disease research, with more than 320 high-impact publications and over $32.5 million in competitive research funding.

“Whether you work in health, policy, research, or simply care about public wellbeing, this lecture will offer valuable insights into one of the most urgent yet underexamined global health issues of our time,” Professor Sun said.

“Global deaths across all sexes and all age groups have risen significantly from about 48 million in 1990 to 60 million in 2023.

“Non-communicable diseases now account for nearly two-thirds of global disability-adjusted life years, with ischaemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases among the leading contributors.”

The lecture will explore the overlooked occupational and environmental contributors to this increasing mortality and chronic disease, particularly among the working-age population across different global regions.

Distinguished Professor Sun said the most pronounced increases in mortality rates are among those aged 25-29 and 30-39 in North America, and among those aged 30-74 in all other regions.

“Occupational exposure to chemical agents, radiation, dust, noise, mechanical strain and psychological stress may directly or indirectly contribute to mortality and chronic diseases,” she said.

“While the association between occupational exposures and systemic conditions is well-documented, their impact on physical and psychological health is underexplored in large population-based studies, and both Australia and China with comprehensive job types have provided unique opportunities to explore the association”.

“Additionally, factors such as enterprise size, economic type and job category may play a role in modulating the risk level.”

The public lecture will be held online on Wednesday 25 June from  6pm-7pm, co-hosted by Charles Sturt University and The Royal Society of News South Wales (Western Branch).

Register to attend the free event here.