Conference Aims:
play an important role in caring for elderly parents.
Please send abstracts by July 1st, 2018 to:
Email: seaaconference2018@gmail.com
In traditional South East Asian households women
Migration of women would alter this support system within
We aim to bring together researchers from across the
the family. What new institutional care arrangements for
world for this biennial event to discuss contemporary
the elderly are needed and what are the impact of these on
population and health issues in the South East Asia region.
the well-being of the elderly?
Country contexts for discussion include Brunei, Timor-
Migration, both internal and international, is an
Leste, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore,
important demographic phenomenon that the majority of
Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar,
countries in the region have been experiencing either as a
together comprising a population of 640 million. We have
sending or receiving country. The scale of international
huge contrasts in scale, with Indonesia at around 245
female migration is unique to this region. In particular,
million and Timor-Leste the smallest with 1.2 million
Indonesia sends about 1.69 million international female
people.
migrants; Philippines 2.84 million and Myanmar 1.24
Family planning programmes have played a part
million. Female migration has a significant social impact on
in reducing population growth. Modern contraceptive use
the family, particularly on left-behind children, husbands
varies in the region with higher rates in Thailand (79%) and
and elderly parents. Far less understood is the impact of
Vietnam (77%) but lower use in others. For example, in the
female migration on health and wellbeing, particularly the
Philippines the rate is only 38%. The conference agenda
emotional aspects for the migrant herself. An intractable
will address some key research areas reflecting this
development challenge of migration is how to sustain the
context: What are the emerging family planning needs of
economic contribution of migration. We encourage
men and women in countries where contraceptive use is
submission of papers on both national and international
higher; and countries where it is lower? Contraceptive use
migration that focus on impact.
among specific demographic sub-groups may be vitally
Family systems changes are important across
important to reduce unwanted pregnancy and recourse to
South-East Asia. Changes in women’s roles in the family
abortion. What is the future role of publically funded
represent a major fault line in maintaining traditional family
national family planning programmes in an era of
structures. Women’s education and employment levels are
continuing fertility decline? What would be the best way to
the main triggers of the change in women’s role from home
target family planning programmes? We welcome papers
maker to bread winner. Marriage is also changing: Self-
on innovative ways of targeting family planning services
selection is replacing arranged marriages and increasing
and integrating them with other health services.
number of women remain single, marry later, or divorce.
In 2015, more than half of the countries in the
We encourage presentation of both comparative and local
region had fertility rates below replacement level (2.1
studies, and those linking family, marriage and divorce.
children per woman). Why are fertility rates declining and
With regard to non-health UN sustainable
how low it will drop? A particular focus of the conference
development goals (SDGs), the outlook is diverse. The
agenda will be to understand the economic and social
region exhibits significant economic and structural
benefits, and the population dividend, of low fertility rates
inequality: In Indonesia, Cambodia and Myanmar, poverty
to women, couples and families. What policies and
levels have declined by about 50% percent since the 1990s.
programmes in low fertility countries can tap demographic
In contrast, poverty levels have been increasing in Timor–
dividends resulting from fertility decline? We anticipate
Leste (49%). What are the links between non-health SDGs
conference papers that examine these issues, drawing
and population change, and how could SDGs be part of the
contrasts within and between countries in the region.
wider population agenda? We hope to receive papers on
An inevitable consequences of fertility rate
these putative links to inform policy across sectors.
decline is population ageing. The population aged 65+
Regional health indicators show a mixed picture.
varies between 10% in Thailand and Singapore and around
The death rate is highest in the Lao PDR and lowest in
3.5% in Timor–Leste and the Lao PDR. Current levels of
Singapore. Adolescent health and wellbeing is a topic of
fertilityrate decline and rapid socio-economic
particular interest as rapid social change is taking place
transformation present challenges for caring for the
amid advances in access to social and digital media.
ageing population.
 Studies identify teenage pregnancy and induced abortion as
a concern, particularly in the Philippines and Thailand. In the
Philippines one among every 10 adolescents is a mother.
The conference invites papers that provide new insights
towards understanding from a continuum of care
perspective covering all stages of reproductive life.
The region is experiencing a significant increase in
the burden of non-communicable disease, driven by lifestyle
changes, and a coexistence of communicable and non-
communicable diseases. Diabetes, an important lifestyle
disease is increasing in the region- about 18% of the 20-79
age group in Malaysia were diabetic. Smoking, another key
risk factor, is high in South East Asia (28% in Singapore and
75% in Indonesia) despite several initiatives to control it.
The nexus between lifestyle and health is an area needing
special focus in policies/programmes that address certain
lifestyles. We anticipate conference papers providing
deeper insights to these issues.
What type of health systems do the countries in
South East Asia require to meet emerging health needs?
This is an important area for investigation. Health systems
are currently geared to cater to maternal and child health
services with some provision for curative services. The
emergence of non-communicable diseases, the growing
elderly population, and an increasing burden of mental
health problems require the health system to be aligned
with changes in the health profile of the population. The
role of the private sector is important in this context. New
universal health insurance programmes have been launched
in many countries but the impact on health outcomes are
yet to be evaluated, for example the Indonesian Universal
Health Care programme that launched in 2013. The
conference will welcome papers on comparative analysis of
health systems in the region enabling cross learning. Studies
that evaluate current insurance programmes will also be
encouraged.
Participants:
We encourage senior, mid and early career researchers and
post-graduate students to submit structured (Context;
Objectives; Methods; Results and Discussion) extended
abstracts (word limit 1000). Session chairs will select papers
for oral and poster presentations. Key criteria are: scientific
quality, relevance and study country. In case of many high-
quality papers, overflow sessions will be organised.
Important dates for your calendar:
Deadline for receiving extended abstracts: 1 July, 2018
Session Chairs notify results: 15 July, 2018
Full papers received: 10 October, 2018
Conference: 8-9 November, 2018
Conference Themes:
1. Family Planning
Session Chair: Professor Terry Hull, Australian National
University, Canberra
Current and emerging family planning needs; Contraceptive
use among special groups (e.g. teenagers, minorities); Role
of public funding and private provision.
2. Fertility and Population Dividend
Session Chair: Professor. drh. Muhammad Rizal Martua
Damanik, The National Population and Family Planning
Board, Indonesia
Very low fertility and future fertility rates; Fertility rates
among special groups/minorities; Reversal of fertility rates;
and Voluntary childlessness; Benefits of low fertility and
mortality rates.
3. Population Ageing
Session Chair: Dr. Rosserin Gray, Institute for Population
and Social Research, University Mahidol, Thailand
Elderly care in the context of family system changes and
female migration; Institutional care; Mental health;
Provision of general health care; and Old age pension
4. Family, Marriage and Divorce
Session Chair: Professor Gavin Jones, National University of
Singapore, Singapore
Changing family structure; Marriage in the changing socio-
economic context; and Determinants of divorce.
5. Population and Development
Session Chair: Dr. Wendy Hartanto, MA., The National
Population and Family Planning Board, Indonesia
Sustainable development goals; Underserved population sub
groups; Economic and structural inequalities; and Poverty.
6. National and International Migration
Session Chair: Professor Irudaya Rajan, Centre for
Development Studies, Trivandrum, India
National and international migration; International female
migration; Consequence of migration on the migrant and the
left behind; migration policies, Re-integration and return
migration.
7. Lifestyle Diseases and Mortality
Session Chair: Professor Djoko Wahono Soeatmadji, SpPD.,
KEMD, Medical Faculty, Brawijaya University, Indonesia
Diabetes and its impact on the family and the patient
wellbeing; Heart diseases among various population; Cancer;
Alcohol misuse; use of drugs; and Smoking
8. Maternal, Adolescent, and Child Health
Session Chair: Professor William Stones, Malawi College of
Medicine, Blantyre, Malawi
Maternal morbidity and mortality; pre- and post- natal care;
Sexually transmitted infections; Neonatal and infant
mortality; Immunization; Demand side financing
programmes; C-sections; Health insurance for maternal
health; Teenage pregnancy; Exposure to the internet and its
impact on sexual and reproductive health.
9. Health System and Health Financing
Session Chair: Professor Abbas Buhiya, Partners in
Population and Development (PPD), Dhaka, Bangladesh
Public and private health care system and changes needed
to address new and emerging health needs; Human
resources for health; Health insurance and universal health
coverage
10. Plenary Session Chair: Professor Saseendran
Pallikadavath, University of Portsmouth, UK
Panelists: Session Chairs
Please send abstracts to:
Email : seaaconference2018@gmail.com
@PBGlobalHealth
PBGlobalHealth
Registration via EventBrite:
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