The mortality burden of combined exposure to fine particulate matter and heat across Australia: a health impact assessment

Climate change is likely to lead to increased population co-exposures to extreme particulate matter (PM2.5) and extreme heat events, particularly in warm and dry countries such as Australia. There is suggestive evidence of a positive interaction between the effects of PM2.5 and heat on public health (1-3). However, previous health impact assessments in Australia focused on the health burden of either heat or PM2.5 exposures separately (4-5). It is imperative to provide evidence on the health burden of combined exposure to PM2.5 and heat to inform effective public health interventions for future events with both extreme air pollution and heat, such as bushfires during heatwaves. Therefore, we propose a health impact assessment approach to estimate the number of attributable deaths and economic costs due to combined exposure to PM2.5 and high temperature across Australia during 2001-2019. The findings from this project will be used to co-design an online dashboard indicator and collaborate with researchers, policy makers and local communities to provide advice to improve public health responses such as early warning systems and interventions during extreme air pollution and heat event days.