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Simon hales photoBA MB BChir (Cambridge) MPH PhD (Otago)

Research Professor; HEIRU

Contact details

Email simon.hales@otago.ac.nz

Research interests and activities

Simon is an environmental epidemiologist with an interest in the atmospheric environment and global issues.

Simon's current projects include:

  • empirical modelling of air pollution and health
  • assessing health aspects of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change
  • estimating the global burden of disease attributable to climate change
  • empirical modelling of communicable disease in relation to climate
  • health co benefits of climate change mitigation

Publications

Huang, W., Yang, Z., Otto, C., Mengel, M., Hales, S., Zhang, Y., … MCC Collaborators. (2026). Assessing global factors associated with tropical cyclone-related mortality: A population-based longitudinal study. Environment International, 214, 110409. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2026.110409 Journal - Research Article

Mahendran, R., Xu, R., Zhang, L., Ye, T., Zhang, Y., Xu, Z., … Hales, S., … Guo, Y. (2026). The hidden infectious disease-related sepsis risk of wildfire-specific PM2.5. Environmental Research, 306, 125212. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.125212 Journal - Research Article

Chambers, T., Kim, A., Dean, F., Bain, I., Douwes, J., Berry, M., Baker, M., & Hales, S. (2026). Nitrate pollution of drinking water linked to preterm birth: New NZ study. The Briefing, (14 July). Retrieved from https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/nitrate-pollution-drinking-water-linked-preterm-birth-new-nz-study Journal - Research Other

Chambers, T., Kim, A. H. M., Dean, F., Bain, I., Douwes, J., Berry, M., Baker, M. G., & Hales, S. (2026). Nitrate in drinking water and preterm birth: A national retrospective cohort study in New Zealand. Environmental Research, 306, 125169. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.125169 Journal - Research Article

Hosking, R. J., Richardson, A., Gray, D., Hales, S., Batikawai, S., & Lal, A. (2026). Evaluating the acceptability of a portable handwashing intervention (the Spatap) in three Fijian communities, a mixed-methods study. BMC Public Health. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1186/s12889-026-28142-1 Journal - Research Article

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