School of Demography

Fertility ideals, desires, and intentions are among the strongest predictors of fertility. The link between these factors and fertility behaviours, as well as how they are influenced by socio-economic factors, is widely studied. However, much less is known about people’s psycho-emotional motivations for wanting (or not wanting) children. Drawing on self-determination theory and the pathways to belonging framework, we theorise that reproduction serves as a major pathway to create love and connection in people’s lives. 

In societies like Iran, where childbearing is confined to marriage, the proportion of individuals who marry, the timing of marriage, and birth intervals are key determinants of fertility. Iran's fertility decline has been shaped by a unique pattern of long interbirth intervals and the strong interdependence between marriage and first birth.

The detrimental effects of environmental issues on human health have become a critical focus for the global public health community. At the heart of these challenges lies pollution—a consequence of human activity that disrupts natural ecosystems and profoundly affects populations. 

In an ageing global population, understanding the dynamics of late-life impairment is crucial, especially in developing countries where rapid demographic changes surpass the preparedness of health and care systems. This PhD thesis examines the patterns and drivers of functional limitations in Indonesians aged 50 and above, using 21 years of longitudinal data to address this important gap. 

The research is conveyed via three interconnected investigations: 

Around two-thirds of Australia’s population growth can be attributed to the growth of the capital cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Darwin, and the nation’s capital, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Australia’s high level of urban living, low fertility, and distinctive urbanisation experience compared to other developed countries make Australia’s capital cities interesting and important to examine. How much do we know about the population of Australia’s capital cities and their components?

A Methodological Framework for Improved Precision and Efficiency

This thesis focuses on the development and application of advanced Bayesian hierarchical models with copula-based spatial effects to address complex issues in spatial epidemiology and socio-economic analysis. It presents two key studies: a bivariate Bayesian hierarchical model for disease mapping and the construction of a Longitudinal Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (L-IRSD) in Australia.

Australia is a step closer to identifying super-diverse local communities, with ANU scholars having developed a cross-cutting demographic model that mines Australian Census data and provides a foundation for future studies on social cohesion and program rollout within increasingly complex, immigrant-rich communities. 

Pandemic restrictions have led to longer life expectancy for Australians, a new study from The Australian National University (ANU) has found.