As global populations age, their heightened vulnerability to environmental health risks—particularly PM2.5 pollution—has become an increasingly urgent public health concern. A recent study published in Nature Sustainability highlights how PM2.5 pollution, population aging, and the uneven distribution of healthcare resources collectively contribute to health inequalities. This research is the first to quantify intergenerational disparities in PM2.5-related health burdens at a sub-national scale in Japan, offering a nuanced understanding of how environmental and demographic factors interact to shape healthcare challenges in aging societies. This study employs the Global Exposure Mortality Model alongside an age-adjusted Value of Statistical Life framework to quantify health losses associated with PM2.5 exposure. Additionally, by analyzing over 170,000 medical facility data points, the researchers evaluate the spatial mismatch between PM2.5-related disease burdens and the availability of specialized healthcare services across Japan.
The findings reveal that older adults, particularly those aged 80 and above, bear a disproportionately higher burden of PM2.5-related diseases. As Japan’s baby boomer generation (born in the 1950s) transitions into advanced old age by 2030, this demographic shift is expected to exacerbate health disparities and further strain the healthcare system. Moreover, rural areas in western Japan—where aging is more pronounced—are experiencing a heightened economic and disease burden due to PM2.5 exposure.
Beyond Japan, this research framework is highly adaptable to other aging societies facing similar environmental and healthcare challenges. With access to reliable air quality, demographic, and healthcare data, the model can be applied globally to simulate localized pollution-health interactions and inform evidence-based policy decisions aimed at mitigating the health impacts of air pollution in aging populations.
Papers
Journal: Nature Sustainability
Title: Rising socio-economic costs of PM2.5 pollution and medical service mismatching
Authors: Xiaoyan Xu, Liqiao Huang, Liming Yao*, Yoshikuni Yoshida, Yin Long*.
DOI: 10.1038/s41893-025-01509-9
UTokyoFOCUS | Press Release: https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/focus/en/press/z0508_00388.html
