Mental disorders, cardiovascular diseases, smoking, and road injuries among the top causes of death and disability for millions in the ASEAN region

Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

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• More than 80 million people in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have mental disorders, a 70% increase from 1990, burdening children, the elderly, and women the most.

• 37 million people in the region suffer from cardiovascular disease and 1.7 million die from it, making it one of the fastest growing non-communicable diseases and the leading cause of death.

• The number of smokers has increased in every ASEAN country and by 63% to 137 million regionally, which is 12% of the total number of global smokers.

• Some 35 million people across the region are injured every year from various kinds of accidents and incidents, and road injuries is the top cause of death in this category, making it a public health priority.

SEATTLE, Wash., May 27, 2025 – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is seeing double-digit increases in some of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity, according to the first of its kind research published today in a series of scientific papers in The Lancet Public Health. The articles showcase the region’s public health crisis from mental disorders, cardiovascular disease, smoking, and injuries.

Researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine analyzed the data from 1990 to 2021 by age, sex, and location across all ASEAN countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

“Without immediate action from each of the countries, these preventable health conditions will worsen causing more death and disability across ASEAN,” said lead author Dr. Marie Ng, Affiliate Associate Professor at IHME and Associate Professor at NUS. “Additionally, the region’s rapid economic growth and aging population are increasing the burden from non-communicable diseases and the strain on health systems. We must revisit current policies to protect people’s well-being and ensure proper resource allocation to address the evolving health care demands.”

“ASEAN countries have made significant progress in improving health outcomes in recent decades, but progress has been hindered by a combination of long-standing and newly emerging risk factors, particularly in some areas,” said Dr. Xiaochen Dai, a first author and Lead Research Scientist at IHME. “The member states must work together to align on the best strategies to improve policies at the national and regional level and set the region back on track.”

Mental disorders

Mental disorders were among the top 10 causes of disease burden in every ASEAN nation except Myanmar, and anxiety disorders were the region’s most common mental disorder. In 2021, more than 80 million people suffered from one of the 10 mental disorders studied, surging 70% higher than in 1990. That translates to an age-standardized prevalence of 12%, representing a 7% increase from 1990 and with Malaysia experiencing the highest prevalence, which is a 13% rise. The increase in mental disorders is taking a heavier toll on children, adolescents, the elderly, and women than other demographic groups. A closer look by age shows 15–19-year-olds had the steepest climb in prevalence at nearly 11%, while mental disorders accounted for more than a quarter of the total disease burden among 10–19-year-olds, mainly across high-income ASEAN countries and with Singapore having the greatest burden. Although the increase in prevalence was less than 3% among adults 70 and older, the number of cases increased 183%. See complete data for mental disorders by country, sex, age, and year.

Cardiovascular diseases

With 37 million people in the region suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and 1.7 million deaths, it’s now the leading cause of mortality and morbidity and one of the fastest growing non-communicable diseases in ASEAN. From 1990 to 2021, the total number of CVD cases increased by 148% whereas the prevalence increased about 3%, accounting for nearly 10% of the global CVD burden. CVD death rates were higher than the global average in Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Men had a higher prevalence and mortality rate of CVD compared to women across the region. The top three CVDs with the highest prevalence rates were ischemic heart disease (IHD), lower extremity peripheral arterial disease, and stroke. The leading risk factors contributing to the CVD burden were high systolic blood pressure, dietary risks, air pollution, high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and tobacco use. High body mass index and high fasting plasma glucose have also been rapidly rising risks contributing to CVD burden since 1990. See complete data for CVD by country, sex, age, and year.

Smoking

Since 1990, the number of smokers has increased in every country in ASEAN and regionally by 63% to 137 million, which was about 12% of the total number of global smokers aged 15 and up in 2021. Although smoking prevalence has declined in ASEAN, it remains high at 48% among males 15 and older. In Indonesia, that figure was higher at 58%. In Malaysia, youth smoking is a growing concern, with an estimated 20% of male children aged 10–14 currently smoking. The prevalence of youths smoking has more than doubled in Cambodia and rose by 79% in Indonesia. Furthermore, some countries reported the average age at which smokers aged 20–24 first started smoking was 15. Compared to other parts of the world, the burden of smoking in ASEAN is also disproportionately high, with smoking as one of the leading risk factors that causes death and disability. In 2021, more than half a million people in the region died from smoking-related diseases, an increase of 231,000 deaths from 1990, with men dying at a rate 10 times higher than women. The region’s highest number of smoking-related deaths were from IHD, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The region’s annual tobacco consumption of 556 billion units was also more than the global average. That’s equivalent to 4,131 cigarettes per smoker aged 15 and older, or 11 cigarettes every day. See complete data for smoking by country, sex, age, and year.

Injuries

Injuries are largely preventable but are killing and harming people unnecessarily across ASEAN. While road injuries had the highest mortality and morbidity in most of the countries, falls were the most common cause of injuries and second-leading cause of injury mortality followed by self-harm, drownings, and interpersonal violence. Death and disability from road injuries were particularly severe in Thailand, which recorded 30 deaths per 100,000 population, primarily from motorcycle accidents. Malaysia reported 24 deaths per 100,000 population, mostly from motor vehicle accidents. Falls were the second-leading cause of injury-related mortality in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Viet Nam. Interpersonal violence was the leading cause of death from injuries in the Philippines and ranked second in Laos. Self-harm was the leading cause of injury-related mortality in Singapore and accounted for nearly half of all injury deaths in the country, mostly males 20–24 years old. Self-harm was also among the top three leading causes of death for injuries in Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Conflict and terrorism resulted in substantial mortality and morbidity in Myanmar, making it the fourth-leading cause of injury burden, with males 15-19 facing the highest burden. Drowning is a common cause of injury-related burden among children 5–9 years in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. When looking at the patterns by sex and age across the region, most of the total injury burden impacted males aged 15–19 years, which is consistent with global patterns. For females, it was highest among children aged 5–9 years. See complete data for injuries by country, sex, age, and year.

About ASEAN

ASEAN is a union with diverse socioeconomic, political, and cultural backgrounds. Established in 1967, the network has been promoting economic growth, political stability, and social progress for its 10 member states. Today, the region is the world’s fifth largest economy with an annual gross domestic product growth of 4.5%, making it one of the fastest developing regions in the world. The network of countries has a population of 671 million, which is 1.5 times larger than that of the European Union and comprises almost 9% of the world’s population. With demographics and economic status varying widely across countries, public health challenges and health care systems differ.

About the Global Burden of Disease

This research is part of the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021. The GBD is the most comprehensive assessment of health, which includes granular estimates of burden across all age groups, sexes, and locations, as well as risk factors for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. Access to GBD data is available via IHME’s visualization tools, GBD Compare, and GBD Results.

For interviews with Dr. Marie Ng and the other authors please contact marieng@uw.edu, IHME’s Media Team at ihmemedia@uw.edu, or NUS media at medv3719@nus.edu.sg.

For embargoed access to the series of articles, appendices, and datasets, please see: https://cloud.ihme.washington.edu/s/WjsbPSkxmm3dwwj

NOTE: THE ABOVE LINKS ARE FOR JOURNALISTS ONLY. IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE A LINK FOR YOUR READERS, PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING, WHICH WILL GO LIVE WHEN THE EMBARGO LIFTS ON WEDNESDAY, 28 MAY 2025 AT 6:30 AM (Singapore Time), TUESDAY, 27 MAY 2025 AT 23:30 (UK Time) / 18:30 (US ET):

Mental disorders: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(25)00098-2/fulltext
Cardiovascular disease: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(25)00087-8/fulltext
Smoking: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(24)00326-8/fulltext
Injuries: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(25)00069-6/fulltext
 

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Journal

The Lancet Public Health

Subject of Research

People

Article Publication Date

27-May-2025

 

Five things to do in virtual reality – and five to avoid

Stanford University

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Open heart surgery is a hard thing to practice in the real world, and airplane pilots cannot learn from their mistakes midair. These are some scenarios where virtual reality solves really hard problems, but the technology has limits. That’s the upshot of a review of experimental research on VR, published in the journal Nature Human Behavior.

“Virtual reality is not for everything,” said Jeremy Bailenson, lead author and director of Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab. “What we’ve long showed in the lab is that VR is great when used sparingly and thoughtfully. Otherwise, the pros typically don’t outweigh the cons.”

As a medium, VR is very intense, added Bailenson, who is the Thomas More Storke Professor and professor of communication in the School of Humanities and Sciences. It blocks out the real world. VR can make users uncomfortable or even experience “simulator sickness,” a type of motion sickness.

While companies like Meta and Apple have invested heavily in the tech, betting on wide consumer adoption, the review’s findings show it’s better used in short doses – minutes not hours – and only for certain things. The researchers recommend saving VR for “DICE” experiences, those which if done in the real world would be dangerous, impossible, counterproductive, or expensive.

Some examples of what to do (and not do) in VR, from the paper’s five core findings:

1. Travel to awesome or personally challenging places. Don’t go to VR for run-of-the-mill meetings.

Stroll through the ruins of Pompeii or visit the Grand Canyon. The visceral nature of VR lends itself well to experiences where “being there” matters. In fact, some psychologists are using VR in exposure therapy, allowing people to face something they fear while they are physically safe. One study found that people treated for fear of flying with VR had no return of their symptoms three years later.

VR’s value fades if the environment is not dramatic. While there were hopes during the pandemic that people would turn to VR for more engaging meetings, that idea failed to catch on.

“If you are just sitting there staring and not moving your body, you probably can do that on a computer and save yourself some headset time,” Bailenson said.

2. Learn surgery or public speaking. Don’t solve basic math problems.

Educators had great hopes for virtual reality ever since simulators were first used to train pilots in 1929. As the technology developed, though, it became apparent that VR did not add much to abstract learning that can be taught well on a chalkboard.

Instead, virtual reality is best used with learning skills that are procedural, requiring one step and then another, as might be done in surgery or dissection situations. Spatial tasks where movement and immersion are helpful also work well in VR, such as practicing nonverbal behavior or performing in front of a crowd.

“The key with VR is to focus on learning scenarios that are jaw-droppingly special in that medium, as opposed to assuming that any media experience works better in a headset,” Bailenson said.

3. Try on a new identity in VR, but make sure it’s the right fit.

Self-perception changes how people behave, studies have shown, whether in a virtual world or the real one. For instance, if people choose more athletic avatars, they tend to move around more. Those with taller avatars tend to negotiate more aggressively. The opposite is also true, which means users should be careful when choosing an avatar, Bailenson advised.

“Understand that whatever avatar you're going to use is going to change the way that you behave inside VR and for some time after you leave,” he said. “So be thoughtful and use platforms that allow you to choose an avatar that either matches your actual or ideal self.”

4. Take a VR fitness class. Don’t try to learn how to throw a baseball.

Athletic training is a great use for virtual reality, except when it comes to precision movements. Users have a hard time judging distance in the virtual world, the review found. It’s a persistent problem the technology has yet to overcome.

“High-level spatial activities are great in VR, but when you’re looking for down-to-the-centimeter accuracy, you should be wary of using commercial VR applications,” Bailenson said.

5. You can run in VR, but you can’t hide.

People are easily identified by how they move their bodies, research has shown, so users should be aware that even if their avatar itself masks their identity, the millions of movement data points automatically collected by the system can identify them. There is no true anonymity when wearing VR headsets.

“In VR you move your body, and the scene responds. That’s what makes the medium so special,” Bailenson said. “Natural body movements are so important that the medium literally can’t run if you turn off movement tracking.”

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Journal

Nature Human Behaviour

DOI

10.1038/s41562-025-02216-3 

Article Title

Five canonical findings from 30 years of psychological experimentation in virtual reality

Article Publication Date

28-May-2025

DEI

Gender-sensitive data brings more depth to marine spatial planning

University of California - Santa Barbara

(Santa Barbara, Calif.) — When considering how to use marine spaces and allocate resources to their management, policymakers would do well to take a gender-sensitive approach. So say UC Santa Barbara researchers and their collaborators in a study published in the journal Marine Policy. According to their findings, globally, men and women tend to use the ocean in different ways, with implications for how marine spaces are used and valued.

“Obviously, gender can come into any facet of life, but marine spatial planning is not often looked at through that lens,” said Abigail Vath Meyer, a geospatial developer in the Will McClintock Lab at UCSB’s National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, and lead author of the study. Marine spatial planning is a stakeholder-centric process by which a country’s marine areas, both on and offshore, are assessed and allocated for the purpose of meeting environmental, social and economic objectives.

However, while collecting ocean use data as part of efforts to conduct marine spatial planning around the world, Meyer and fellow researchers noted patterns in ocean area use by gender — patterns that were relevant to equitable marine planning and governance. They note their findings across three case studies in the Maldives, the Azores and Belize. The data was gathered using the marine spatial planning application SeaSketch, developed in the McClintock Lab. 

“We found women on average were using the ocean closer to shore than men,” Meyer said of the results. This tendency has been found in fisheries research before, Meyer explained, but the effect was found also in other sectors, economic/noneconomic and extractive/non-extractive. Gender differences with regard to ocean use exist in some form throughout the world, in both developed and developing countries, and in fact frameworks for marine spatial planning efforts, such as the EU’s marine spatial planning directives call for consideration of gender based differences in planning, McClintock added, “but the key thing is that geospatial information that shows specifically where in the oceans that occurs is scant to nonexistent.”

Indeed, generally speaking, women in these countries had less formal participation in the fishing economy or other maritime industries, which was dominated by their male counterparts, according to the study. They were far more active in indirect ways, such as gear prep and catch processing, as well as in less formal subsistence, artisanal and recreational fishing. As a result, in selecting the zones they value, women tended to place the most value on areas that were onshore or just offshore, and not just for fishing — some of these areas are also valued culturally as community spaces and as safe zones for their children. Because informal uses are harder to capture than more official and commercial uses that come with documentation, women’s ocean uses tend to be invisible, leading, the study says, “to an undervaluation of their roles in the maritime and blue economy.”

“If you’re not looking at these nearshore or onshore-related stakeholders, you can miss out on this larger perspective and a lot of the value that people place on the ocean,” Meyer said. “If you’re not identifying all of the ocean users, you can leave people out of the process.” This is especially important in the realm of marine spatial planning, where planners have to, with input from the communities, try to make sure the values that users ascribe to certain marine spaces are compatible with their assigned uses, while also meeting economic, social and environmental goals for a country’s marine areas. For instance, Meyer said, a marine area that users value for noneconomic benefits, such as culture and community, could be more easily compatible with a marine protected area designation, whereas an area that is heavily commercially used would “lead to a more difficult conversation about marine protection in that area.”

In the three countries studied, men dominate the data — they are the most intense and the most represented users of the ocean. However, this new focus on gender equitable marine spatial planning has led at least one country — Belize — to take a second look at their ocean use data.

“After this research was done, they ended up conducting a second round of ocean use surveys,” Meyer said. “One of the things they were striving for was more female representation in the survey.” Another finding Meyer and team saw was that female recreational fishers around Santa Maria Island in the Azores tended to demonstrate more awareness of, and compliance with marine protected areas — places from which no or limited amounts of catch can be taken, to preserve habitat and fish stocks — than their male counterparts. “That’s incredibly useful in terms of being able to engage more with those fishers, to increase compliance or build a partnership there around the existing marine protected area network,” Meyer said.

Specific gender roles with regard to ocean use, according to the authors, “are highly variable between regions” throughout the globe, “and intersect with marital status, wealth and nationality,” meaning that ocean use surveys in marine spatial planning ought to avoid a “gender-blind” approach, lest planners, stakeholders and governments miss valuable opportunities to enhance livelihoods and solve problems while meeting their shared goals. “Our study shows the spatial patterns of gender uses and values, while demonstrating a technique that could be extended to all coastal nations, developed or developing,” McClintock said.

“One of the main takeaways is that gender-disaggregated data can be very useful and if possible, other places that are doing marine spatial planning should be trying to look through this lens and should be attempting to collect some of this data so women aren’t being unintentionally excluded from the process,” Meyer said. “If planners can see how and where different demographic groups use the ocean, they have the data to make marine plans more equitable for the communities they support.”

Research in this paper was also conducted by Peter Menzies at NCEAS, Marinez Scherer (co-lead author) at University of Santa Catarina in Brazil; Jamani Balderamos and Nidia Chacon at The Nature Conservancy, Belize; Brooke Dixon, Andrew Estep, Shaistha Mohamed, Fathimath Nistharan, Matthew Pauvfe at the Waitt Institute and Adriano Quintela at Blue Azores, Portugal.

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Journal

Marine Policy

Article Title

Gender-based ocean uses and values: Implications for marine spatial planning

 

UK  

Children and young people are waiting longer than necessary for cancer diagnosis, according to new research

University of Nottingham

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Dr Shanmugavadivel said: “For the first time, we understand the current landscape of childhood cancer diagnosis in the UK. We can celebrate that ethnicity, sex and socioeconomic status have no impact on time to diagnosis, but there is an urgent need to focus efforts on young people and tumour types such as bone tumours that are still experiencing lengthy intervals. Earliest possible diagnosis is key as time is crucial. Untreated, tumours grow bigger and can spread around the body, requiring more extensive surgery and more intensive therapies to offer cure.”

The study found that the total time to diagnosis from first symptom to confirmed diagnosis varied widely from the same day to several years. The median time to diagnosis was 4.6 weeks, but this varied by age and cancer type. Teenagers (15-18 years) experienced the longest median time to diagnosis (8.7 weeks), whereas infants under one year had the shortest (3.7 weeks).

Among cancer types, bone tumours had the longest median diagnostic interval (12.6 weeks), while kidney tumours had the shortest (2.3 weeks).

Importantly, the study found that factors such as sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status did not influence the time to diagnosis.

The researchers also studied the routes to diagnosis, including the number of healthcare visits before a confirmed diagnosis. Most children and young people (74%) had between one and three medical visits before being diagnosed, and two-thirds (67%) were diagnosed in an emergency setting.

The majority first consulted a GP or an emergency doctor. Some cancer types, including Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH), bone tumours, soft tissue tumours, and brain tumours, were associated with a higher number of medical visits before diagnosis.

This data highlights that, whilst access to diagnosis is equal across different demographic groups, some children and young people, particularly teenagers and those with certain types of cancer, experience longer times to diagnosis.

“The findings will help focus efforts towards closing the gap for these groups, ensuring more children and young people receive a diagnosis sooner,” says Dr Shanmugavadivel. 

“The results will feed into the Child Cancer Smart campaign led by CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association, which aims to promote earlier diagnosis, through awareness and education of the public and healthcare professionals.”

Ashley Ball-Gamble, CEO of CCLG and co-author on the study, said: “Childhood cancer knows no boundaries - it affects children and young people of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. However, our research has revealed important differences in how long diagnosis takes.

"It's crucial that we understand why certain groups, such as older teenagers, or those with certain cancers, such as bone and brain tumours, are likely to face a lengthier diagnosis. By recognising these differences, we hope to work towards faster diagnoses and improved survival rates."

Dr Sharna Shanmugavadivel has recently been appointed as the Vice-Chair of the Children and Young People Taskforce at the Department of Health and Social Care. The taskforce brings together the country's top experts to set out plans to improve treatment, detection and research for cancer in children and young people, which will feed into the National Cancer Plan. 

Dr Shanmugavadivel adds: “We are grateful to have the opportunity to use this data as a community through the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to develop recommendations for the National Cancer Plan so that we can continue to monitor progress whilst developing policy, professional and public health strategies to accelerate diagnosis.”

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Journal

The Lancet Regional Health - Europe

DOI

10.1016/j.Janepe.2025.101329 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Quantifying diagnostic intervals and routes to diagnosis for children and young people with cancer in the UK (Childhood Cancer Diagnosis study, CCD): A population-based observational study

Article Publication Date

27-May-2025

 

USTC reveals how deep-focus seismicity controls Changbaishan volcanism

University of Science and Technology of China

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The tectonic background and seismic activity characteristics of Northeast China and its surrounding areas. (Image by USTC)

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Credit: USTC

A research team led by Prof. ZHANG Haijiang from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), in collaboration with Dr. Robert Myhill from the University of Bristol, utilized tele-seismic double-difference tomography technology to uncover the morphological changes of the Pacific subducting slab in the mantle transition zone beneath Northeast China. In addition, they also reported its controlling effects on Changbaishan volcanic field (CVF) volcanism and deep earthquakes. This study was published in Nature Communications.

Cenozoic volcanoes are widely distributed in the northeast region of China, among which the CVF is the largest one. The CVF is a typical intraplate volcano. Currently, the formation mechanism of the CVF is still controversial. In addition, there is another remarkable geological feature in northeast China, a deep earthquake cluster about 300 km east of the CVF. It is usually thought that the formation mechanisms for deep earthquakes include dehydration embrittlement, adiabatic shear instability and so on. These mechanisms are mainly controlled by temperature conditions, but the thermochemical structure of the subduction zone along the strike remains basically unchanged in Northeast Asia. Hence, it is also unclear why the deep earthquakes concentrate in CVF.

The researchers utilized seismic arrival data from the Northeast Asia region received by global seismic stations, and constructed a high-resolution three-dimensional velocity model of over 1000 kilometers in depth using multi-scale double-difference tomography.

The results indicated that beneath the CVF, there was a phenomenon of a subducting slab locally inserting into the lower mantle, while its northern and southern sides were stagnant in the mantle transition zone.

The regions where the subducting slabs descend coincide with the local depressions of the 660-kilometer discontinuity interface in the mantle transition zone obtained from receiver function imaging.

The morphology changes of the subducting slabs from lying flat to descending and then to lying flat again from north to south within the mantle transition zone provides space for the upwelling of hot material beneath the slab, thus providing a deep mantle source for the volcanic activity of CVF.

In addition, the deep earthquake clusters concentrated along the curved part of the Pacific plate where it subducted through the 660, suggesting that the localized strong deformation produced by the slab when it subducts locally was the key mechanism for the occurrence of deep earthquakes.

This discovery provides a new perspective on the physical mechanism of deep-source earthquakes, and for the first time unifies the CVF volcanism with deep-source earthquakes, attributing them to the deep dynamical processes caused by the partial subduction of the Pacific plate through the 660-kilometer interface.

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-025-58053-5 

Article Title

Local slab penetration into lower mantle controls deep-focus seismicity and Changbaishan volcanism in northeast China

 

USTC reveals how tidal forces affect seismic wave speed within fault zone

University of Science and Technology of China

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Schematic illustration of the tidal force affecting the seismic wave velocity variation in a fault zone. (Image by USTC)

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Credit: USTC

Seismological research is directly related to the incubation, occurrence, and evolution of earthquakes. Scientists seek to reveal potential earthquake precursors by monitoring the stress state of fault zones, thus providing bases for earthquake prevention and mitigation. It is hard to measure the stress in-situ, while changes in seismic wave speed can reflect changes in the zone. Hence, temporal variation monitoring of wave speeds becomes an important means of detecting medium changes. Moreover, there is little high-resolution observation on how tidal forces affect the changes in seismic wave speed within the fault zone over time.

In a study published in National Science Review, a research team led by Professor YAO Huajian from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) revealed the significant impact of tidal forces on the changes in seismic wave speeds in the fault fracture zone by monitoring the temporal changes in seismic wave speeds.

The research team utilized continuous noise data collected from a dense seismic array located in Anninghe fault zone, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, southwest China, combined with seismic interferometry technology, to calculate the seismic wave velocity changes in the underground medium of the Anninghe fault zone area.

They reported that the wave velocity changes have distinct diurnal and semi-diurnal cycles, and these periodic changes are more pronounced within the fault fracture zone.

In addition, after removing the environmental factors, there are also significant monthly periodic changes within the fault fracture zone. The researchers compared the results of wave velocity changes with theoretical tidal strain, and found that both showed good correlation in diurnal, semi-diurnal, and monthly periodic components, indicating that this periodic change is mainly affected by tidal forces.

We applied the standard spectral ratio (SSR) method to the observed east-west ground motions from the selected local and teleseismic earthquakes. It showed that due to the amplification effect, the amplitude spectrum ratio in the fault fracture zone was significantly higher than that in other areas, indicating that the degree of medium fragmentation in this area was higher.

The tidal force affected the seismic wave velocity variation by causing the periodic opening and closing of micro-cracks in the underground medium. Generally, the wave velocity decreased when the cracks were open and increased when the cracks were closed.

Since the degree of medium fragmentation in the fault fracture zone was higher and the micro-cracks were more developed, this area was more sensitive to the tidal force, resulting in more significant observed wave velocity changes.

In this study, the monitoring method based on continuous ambient noise successfully captured the significant impact of tidal forces on the structure of the fault fracture zone, revealing the disturbance of the tidal force on the internal stress field of the fault zone during the period without earthquake occurrence.

This study provides an important means for constructing a time-varying geophysical comprehensive observation system for active fault zones.

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Journal

National Science Review

DOI

10.1093/nsr/nwaf023 

Roadblock for traffic injury compensation for Aboriginal people

Flinders University

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Compensation journey for Aboriginal individuals who have had a road traffic injury. Legend: Each turn in the image represents a step along the participant compensation journey. The green traffic light, for the road located behind the yellow sandhills dictates how protective factors operate at all stages of the journey, at time of crash, impacts and barriers. The red stop lights represent the barriers participants face to accessing compensation for their road traffic injury, with the yellow stop light indicating compensation challenges.

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Credit: Flinders University

The magnitude and complexity of road traffic injuries for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is compounded by a problematic compensation system with structural barriers and systemic inequities according to new research by Flinders University.

Published in the Journal of Transport & Health the study highlights the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people navigating Australia’s road traffic injury compensation system.

“Our findings make it clear that urgent and meaningful reform is needed in compensation schemes to ensure they are accessible, supportive, and culturally appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” says Lead author Associate Professor Courtney Ryder, from FHMRI Trauma and Injury.

Road accidents are a major health concern for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, with transport-related injury being the second leading cause of fatal injury (23%) and the fourth leading cause of serious injury (8.2%).

The study – a first of its kind in Australia - comprised eight ‘yarning’ sessions – an Indigenous research method for data collection - with Aboriginal adults living near major highways in metropolitan, rural and remote regions.

“We found that many Aboriginal people face complex challenges when seeking support after a road traffic injury, with participants reporting a lack of awareness about compensation schemes, difficulty navigating bureaucratic processes, and a system that fails to address culturally specific needs,” says Associate Professor Ryder.

“Through yarning sessions, we heard about the deep toll of injuries—not only physically, but emotionally and economically with many reporting ongoing mental health issues, a fear of re-injury, and difficulty returning to work.

“Some were forced to modify their job roles without employer assistance, often due to a lack of knowledge around injury rights or fears of losing employment.”

The research reveals a ripple effect that goes beyond the individual, with injury often impacting families and communities, undermining important cultural values such as self-determination and connectedness.

Associate Professor Ryder says that many Aboriginal participants reported confusion, delays, and a lack of support in the compensation process.

“Even when compensation was received, it often failed to account for long-term mental health consequences or cultural needs such as the ability to connect with Country—a vital part of the healing journey for many Aboriginal people,” she says.

“Feelings of injustice and differential treatment were common, echoing concerns frequently raised by non-Indigenous claimants but compounded by experiences of systemic racism unique to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

The study’s authors are calling for a national overhaul of compensation and return-to-work programs, urging policymakers to adopt co-designed, strength-based models that centre Indigenous knowledge and cultural determinants of health.

Key recommendations include:

• Community-driven education campaigns to raise awareness of compensation rights.
• Early, culturally safe interventions with tailored psychological and physical rehabilitation.
• Inclusion of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and Aboriginal Health Workers.
• Compensation processes that acknowledge and support connection to Country as part of recovery.
• Health system-based navigators to help guide Aboriginal claimants through complex legal and medical systems.

Despite the many barriers, family and community were identified as crucial sources of strength and resilience.

“Participants emphasised the healing power of cultural connection, particularly to Country, and underscored the importance of culturally grounded care in achieving better outcomes,” says Associate Professor Ryder.

“With the upcoming National Injury Prevention Strategy 2020-2030 2020-2030, and continued development of national road safety policies, this is a critical moment to embed Aboriginal voices, needs, and cultural values into the design of Australia’s injury compensation frameworks.”

Full list of collaborating institutions:

• College of Medicine and Public Health and Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• The George Institute for Global Health, Newtown, New South Wales, Australia
• School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
• Far West Community Partnerships, Ceduna, South Australia, Australia
• School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
• Women's and Children's Health Network, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
• Royal Adelaide Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Acknowledgements: We acknowledge the traditional lands in which this research was conducted and where outcomes were created: Kaurna Yerta, Kokatha, Mirning, Wirangu, Peramangk, Ngadjuri, Eora (Bedegal and Gadigal) Nations, Darkinjung, Dharawal, Dharug, Tharawal, Gundungurra, Wonnarua, Wiradjuri, and Miami Three Fire Peoples (Bodewadmi, Ojibwe and Odawa), and pay respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging.

The paper, ‘“I didn't know nothing” - yarning up on access to compensation from road traffic injury with Aboriginal people,’ by Courtney Ryder, Patrick Sharpe, Shanti Omodei-James, Georga Sallows, Brett Shannon, Holger Möller, Marnie Campbell, Rebecca Kimlin, Bobby Porykali, Sadia Hossain, Nicole Kelly, Dan Ellis, Tachelle Ting, Jody Gray, Hossain Afzali and Rebecca Q. Ivers, was published in Journal of Transport & Health. DOI: 10.1016/j.jth.2025.102055

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Journal

Journal of Transport & Health

DOI

10.1016/j.jth.2025.102055 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

“I didn't know nothing” - yarning up on access to compensation from road traffic injury with Aboriginal people,

COI Statement

The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Courtney Ryder reports financial support was provided by Lifetime Support Authority. Courtney Ryder reports financial support was provided by National Health and Medical Research Council. Courtney Ryder reports a relationship with Lifetime Support Authority that includes: funding grants. Courtney Ryder reports a relationship with National Health and Medical Research Council that includes: funding grants. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.