Researcher basic information

• https://researchmap.jp/veraphung?lang=en

• https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2669-4891
• https://jglobal.jst.go.jp/detail?JGLOBAL_ID=202201003756498274

• https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2669-4891

• 202201003756498274

• Air pollution
• Machine learning
• Epidemiology
• Climate change
• Flood
• Temperature

• Life Science, Hygiene and public health: excluding laboratory approach, Machine learning
• Life Science, Hygiene and public health: excluding laboratory approach, Flood
• Life Science, Hygiene and public health: excluding laboratory approach, Temperature
• Life Science, Hygiene and public health: excluding laboratory approach, Air pollution
• Life Science, Hygiene and public health: excluding laboratory approach, Forest fires

Research activity information

• Comparing Integrated Heat Stress Indicators With Raw Meteorological Variables in Predicting Heat Stroke-Related Ambulance Transportations in Japan
  Qiang Guo; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Chris Fook Sheng Ng; Kazutaka Oka; Yasushi Honda; Masahiro Hashizume
  GeoHealth, 9, 4, e2024GH001257. h, 2025, [Peer-reviewed]
• Association between precipitation and mortality due to diarrheal diseases by climate zone: A multi-country modeling study
  Paul Chua; Aurelio Tobias; Lina Madaniyazi; Chris Fook Sheng Ng; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Sze Hang Fu; Peter S. Rodriguez; Patrick Brown; Micheline de Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio Coelho; Paulo Hilario Nascimento Saldiva; Noah Scovronick; Aniruddha Deshpande; Miguel Antonio S. Salazar; Miguel Manuel C. Dorotan; Kraichat Tantrakarnapa; Wissanupong Kliengchuay; Rosana Abrutzky; Gabriel Carrasco-Escobar; Dominic Roye; Simon Hales; Masahiro Hashizume
  Environmental Epidemiology, 17 Jul. 2024, [Peer-reviewed]
  English, Scientific journal,
  Background:
  Precipitation could affect the transmission of diarrheal diseases. The diverse precipitation patterns across different climates might influence the degree of diarrheal risk from precipitation. This study determined the associations between precipitation and diarrheal mortality in tropical, temperate, and arid climate regions.
  
  
  Methods:
  Daily counts of diarrheal mortality and 28-day cumulative precipitation from 1997 to 2019 were analyzed across 29 locations in eight middle-income countries (Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, India, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa, and Thailand). A two-stage approach was employed: the first stage is conditional Poisson regression models for each location, and the second stage is meta-analysis for pooling location-specific coefficients by climate zone.
  
  
  Results:
  In tropical climates, higher precipitation increases the risk of diarrheal mortality. Under extremely wet conditions (95th percentile of 28-day cumulative precipitation), diarrheal mortality increased by 17.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 10.4%, 25.7%) compared with minimum-risk precipitation. For temperate and arid climates, diarrheal mortality increases in both dry and wet conditions. In extremely dry conditions (fifth percentile of 28-day cumulative precipitation), diarrheal mortality risk increases by 3.8% (95% CI = 1.2%, 6.5%) for temperate and 5.5% (95% CI = 1.0%, 10.2%) for arid climates. Similarly, under extremely wet conditions, diarrheal mortality risk increases by 2.5% (95% CI = −0.1%, 5.1%) for temperate and 4.1% (95% CI = 1.1%, 7.3%) for arid climates.
  
  
  Conclusions:
  Associations between precipitation and diarrheal mortality exhibit variations across different climate zones. It is crucial to consider climate-specific variations when generating global projections of future precipitation-related diarrheal mortality.
  
• Effects of Coexposure to Air Pollution from Vegetation Fires and Extreme Heat on Mortality in Upper Northern Thailand
  Athicha Uttajug; Xerxes Seposo; Arthit Phosri; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Muhammad Abdul Basit Ahmad Tajudin; Kayo Ueda
  Environmental Science & Technology, 58, 23, 9945, 9953, American Chemical Society (ACS), 28 May 2024, [Peer-reviewed]
  Scientific journal
• Future fire-PM2.5 mortality varies depending on climate and socioeconomic changes
  Chae Yeon Park; Kiyoshi Takahashi; Shinichiro Fujimori; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Fang Li; Jun’ya Takakura; Tomoko Hasegawa; Thanapat Jansakoo
  Environmental Research Letters, 19, 2, 024003, 024003, IOP Publishing, 18 Jan. 2024, [Peer-reviewed]
  Scientific journal, Abstract
  
  Fire emits hazardous air pollutants, the most dominant of which is fine particulate matter of diameter ⩽2.5 μm (PM_2.5). PM_2.5 is a great concern due to its adverse effects on public health. Previous studies have examined the health burden from fire-related PM_2.5 for the historical period; however, future global mortality associated with fire-PM_2.5, particularly under the coexisting impacts of climate and socioeconomic changes, is yet to be projected. Here, we estimated the mortality associated to fire-PM_2.5 (fire-PM_2.5 mortality) for the present period (2010s) and then projected the mortality for the 2050s and 2090s under 10 scenarios created by combining two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6 or 6.0) with five Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1–5). We used the Li-Park fire model in combination with a chemical transport model and health risk assessment to calculate fire-PM_2.5 mortality. For the present period, the estimated fire-PM_2.5 mortality was 135 180 (105 403–163 738), which is 1.7 deaths per 100 000 population globally. When countries were grouped by income, the fire-PM_2.5 mortality rate was the highest in the high-income country group and lowest in the lowest-income country group. For the 2050s and 2090s, the fire-PM_2.5 mortality rate was projected to decrease under most scenarios because of decreases in fire emissions and baseline mortality rate. However, a scenario of high population growth and low technical development (SSP3) together with severe global warming (RCP6.0) would lead to an increase in the fire-PM_2.5 mortality rate in the 2090s, particularly in the highest-income countries, due to increased fire under drier and warmer weather conditions. Stratification of countries by gross domestic product indicated the need for adaptation efforts in the highest-income countries to avoid future increases of mortality associated with fire-PM_2.5.
• Prediction of climate change impacts on heatstroke cases in Japan's 47 prefectures with the effect of long-term heat adaptation
  Kazutaka Oka; Yasushi Honda; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Yasuaki Hijioka
  Environmental Research, 232, 116390, 116390, Elsevier {BV}, Sep. 2023, [Peer-reviewed]
  English, Scientific journal
• Daily temperature effects on under-five mortality in a tropical climate country and the role of local characteristics
  Vera Ling Hui Phung; Kazutaka Oka; Yasushi Honda; Yasuaki Hijioka; Kayo Ueda; Xerxes Tesoro Seposo; Mazrura Sahani; Wan Rozita Wan Mahiyuddin; Yoonhee Kim
  Environmental Research, 218, 114988, 114988, Elsevier {BV}, Feb. 2023, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
  English, Scientific journal
• Potential effect of heat adaptation on association between number of heatstroke patients transported by ambulance and wet bulb globe temperature in Japan
  Kazutaka Oka; Yasushi Honda; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Yasuaki Hijioka
  Environmental Research, 216, 114666, 114666, Elsevier {BV}, Jan. 2023, [Peer-reviewed]
  English, Scientific journal
• Environmental variable importance for under-five mortality in Malaysia: A random forest approach
  Vera Ling Hui Phung; Kazutaka Oka; Yasuaki Hijioka; Kayo Ueda; Mazrura Sahani; Wan Rozita Wan Mahiyuddin
  Science of The Total Environment, 845, 1, 157312, 157312, Elsevier BV, Nov. 2022, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
  English, Scientific journal
• Impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on children in Malaysia
  Mazrura Sahani; Hidayatulfathi Othman; Soo Chen Kwan; Liew Juneng; Mohd Faiz Ibrahim; Rozita Hod; Zul'Izzat Ikhwan Zaini; Maizatun Mustafa; Issmail Nnafie; Lai Che Ching; Ramzah Dambul; Helena Varkkey; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Siti Nur Hanis Mamood; Norhafizah Karim; Nur Faizah Abu Bakar; Muhammad Ikram A. Wahab; Siti Sahara Zulfakar; Yanti Rosli
  Frontiers in Public Health, 10, Frontiers Media {SA}, 14 Oct. 2022, [Peer-reviewed]
  Scientific journal, The impacts of climate change and degradation are increasingly felt in Malaysia. While everyone is vulnerable to these impacts, the health and wellbeing of children are disproportionately affected. We carried out a study composed of two major components. The first component is an environmental epidemiology study comprised of three sub-studies: (i) a global climate model (GCM) simulating specific health-sector climate indices; (ii) a time-series study to estimate the risk of childhood respiratory disease attributable to ambient air pollution; and (iii) a case-crossover study to identify the association between haze and under-five mortality in Malaysia. The GCM found that Malaysia has been experiencing increasing rainfall intensity over the years, leading to increased incidences of other weather-related events. The time-series study revealed that air quality has worsened, while air pollution and haze have been linked to an increased risk of hospitalization for respiratory diseases among children. Although no clear association between haze and under-five mortality was found in the case-crossover study, the lag patterns suggested that health effects could be more acute if haze occurred over a longer duration and at a higher intensity. The second component consists of three community surveys on marginalized children conducted (i) among the island community of Pulau Gaya, Sabah; (ii) among the indigenous Temiar tribe in Pos Kuala Mu, Perak; and (iii) among an urban poor community (B40) in PPR Sg. Bonus, Kuala Lumpur. The community surveys are cross-sectional studies employing a socio-ecological approach using a standardized questionnaire. The community surveys revealed how children adapt to climate change and environmental degradation. An integrated model was established that consolidates our overall research processes and demonstrates the crucial interconnections between environmental challenges exacerbated by climate change. It is recommended that Malaysian schools adopt a climate-smart approach to education to instill awareness of the impending climate change and its cascading impact on children's health from early school age.
• A scoping review on the health effects of smoke haze from vegetation and peatland fires in Southeast Asia: Issues with study approaches and interpretation
  Vera Ling Hui Phung; Athicha Uttajug; Kayo Ueda; Nina Yulianti; Mohd Talib Latif; Daisuke Naito
  PLOS ONE, 17, 9, e0274433, e0274433, Public Library of Science (PLoS), 15 Sep. 2022, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
  English, Scientific journal, Smoke haze due to vegetation and peatland fires in Southeast Asia is a serious public health concern. Several approaches have been applied in previous studies; however, the concepts and interpretations of these approaches are poorly understood. In this scoping review, we addressed issues related to the application of epidemiology (EPI), health burden estimation (HBE), and health risk assessment (HRA) approaches, and discussed the interpretation of findings, and current research gaps. Most studies reported an air quality index exceeding the ‘unhealthy’ level, especially during smoke haze periods. Although smoke haze is a regional issue in Southeast Asia, studies on its related health effects have only been reported from several countries in the region. Each approach revealed increased health effects in a distinct manner: EPI studies reported excess mortality and morbidity during smoke haze compared to non-smoke haze periods; HBE studies estimated approximately 100,000 deaths attributable to smoke haze in the entire Southeast Asia considering all-cause mortality and all age groups, which ranged from 1,064–260,000 for specified mortality cause, age group, study area, and study period; HRA studies quantified potential lifetime cancer and non-cancer risks due to exposure to smoke-related chemicals. Currently, there is a lack of interconnection between these three approaches. The EPI approach requires extensive effort to investigate lifetime health effects, whereas the HRA approach needs to clarify the assumptions in exposure assessments to estimate lifetime health risks. The HBE approach allows the presentation of health impact in different scenarios, however, the risk functions used are derived from EPI studies from other regions. Two recent studies applied a combination of the EPI and HBE approaches to address uncertainty issues due to the selection of risk functions. In conclusion, all approaches revealed potential health risks due to smoke haze. Nonetheless, future studies should consider comparable exposure assessments to allow the integration of the three approaches.
• Investigation of association between smoke haze and under-five mortality in Malaysia, accounting for time lag, duration and intensity
  Vera Ling Hui Phung; Kayo Ueda; Mazrura Sahani; Xerxes Tesoro Seposo; Wan Rozita Wan Mahiyuddin; Akiko Honda; Hirohisa Takano
  International Journal of Epidemiology, 51, 1, 155, 165, Oxford University Press ({OUP}), 18 Feb. 2022, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
  Scientific journal
• Hourly association between ambient PM2.5 and emergency ambulance dispatches in 11 cities in Japan
  Vera Ling Hui Phung; Kayo Ueda; Xerxes Seposo; Akinori Takami; Seiji Sugata; Ayako Yoshino; Takehiro Michikawa; Shin Yamazaki; Akiko Honda; Hirohisa Takano
  Environmental Research, 185, 109448, 109448, Elsevier BV, Jun. 2020, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author, Corresponding author]
  English, Scientific journal
• Effects of ambient air pollution on daily hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in Bangkok, Thailand
  Arthit Phosri; Kayo Ueda; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Benjawan Tawatsupa; Akiko Honda; Hirohisa Takano
  Science of The Total Environment, 651, 1, 1144, 1153, Elsevier {BV}, Feb. 2019, [Peer-reviewed]
  Scientific journal
• Acute Effects of Ambient PM2.5 on All-Cause and Cause-Specific Emergency Ambulance Dispatches in Japan
  Vera Phung; Kayo Ueda; Shunji Kasaoka; Xerxes Seposo; Saira Tasmin; Shinichi Yonemochi; Arthit Phosri; Akiko Honda; Hirohisa Takano; Takehiro Michikawa; Hiroshi Nitta
  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15, 2, 307, 307, MDPI AG, 09 Feb. 2018, [Peer-reviewed], [Lead author]
  Scientific journal
• Interactive effects of specific fine particulate matter compositions and airborne pollen on frequency of clinic visits for pollinosis in Fukuoka, Japan
  Arthit Phosri; Kayo Ueda; Saira Tasmin; Reiko Kishikawa; Masahiko Hayashi; Keiichiro Hara; Yamato Uehara; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Shusuke Yasukouchi; Shoko Konishi; Akiko Honda; Hirohisa Takano
  Environmental Research, 156, 411, 419, Elsevier BV, Jul. 2017, [Peer-reviewed]
  Scientific journal
• Short-term exposure to ambient particulate matter and emergency ambulance dispatch for acute illness in Japan
  Saira Tasmin; Kayo Ueda; Andrew Stickley; Shinya Yasumoto; Vera Ling Hui Phung; Mizuki Oishi; Shusuke Yasukouchi; Yamato Uehara; Takehiro Michikawa; Hiroshi Nitta
  Science of The Total Environment, 566-567, 528, 535, Elsevier BV, Oct. 2016, [Peer-reviewed]
  Scientific journal