A PhD candidate from the GAP research group successfully completed the defense

Shanshan Xu's dissertation, using data from the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study and the Northern European centers of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS), examined the associations between long-term exposure to air pollution and greenness with mortality and respiratory health. The analysis showed that exposure to air pollution back in time was associated with an increased risk of mortality and respiratory conditions later in life. These findings emphasized the importance of long latency periods and suggested that the health effects of exposure to air pollution far back in time could have enduring effects on mortality and respiratory health. Meanwhile, the association of greenness with these health outcomes remained less clear, highlighting a critical area for future research.

The dissertation was evaluated by a committee of field experts, including Prof. Barbara Hoffmann from the University of Düsseldorf, Germany, and Prof. Geir Aamodt from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Prof. Trond Riise from the University of Bergen acted as the evaluation committee leader. Prof. Bente Moen chaired both the trial lecture and the public defense.

Prior to the defense, Xu presented a trial lecture on “Health-Related Needs for Urban Transitions”, where she explored strategic approaches for enhancing public health through urban planning.

Xu has been working as a PhD fellow at the Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care (IGS) at the University of Bergen since September 2021. Her main supervisor was Prof. Ane Johannessen at UiB/IGS, with Associate Prof. Alessandro Marcon from the University of Verona, Italy, and researcher Randi Jacobsen Bertelsen from UiB/Department of Clinical Science as co-supervisors.

Xu’s research provides valuable insights into how urban environments influence public health. Her findings highlight the need for further research and offer practical applications for urban planning policies, contributing to ongoing efforts to create healthier and more sustainable cities. Her full dissertation is available at the Bergen Open Research Archive.