This handbook presents and discusses pertinent issues in public health, and required actions in sustainability development in the context of global population health in Asia-Pacific (APAC), making practical suggestions and proposing strategic solutions for the region. It is organised into seven sections that look at sustainable health systems and public health, digital health and technology adoption, ageing populations, the social and built environment and community health, ethics, social responsibility and policies in public health, health improvement and long-term care, and the pandemic and post-pandemic public health. It plays particular attention to the regionally-specific challenge of an increasing ageing population and the rise in disabilities, as well as considering health care in relation to financial and environmental perspectives. Like other regions of the world, APAC is encountering emerging new diseases, amidst growing concerns regarding chronic conditions, while continuously fighting prevalent communicable diseases. With the emergence of the fourth healthcare revolution, ‘Health Care 4.0’, as well as the smart city movement, digitalisation and technology have been adopted more and more in public health practices to provide timely information, solutions and innovations. The influence of social determinants and environmental factors, natural and built, are impacting population health as a result of globalisation and economic developments. As the world becomes more sophisticated, concerns relating to ethics, social responsibility, law, policies and governance have become more complex, and international relations have become increasingly linked to public health. Inter-country differences have become especially prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of access to medical supplies, travelling restrictions, quarantine requirements, vaccination access, and so on. This contemporary, comprehensive, imperative reference work places APAC in a new paradigm of public health, underpinned by a consensus that pulls together social, cultural and political forces in advocating for a more coherent approach for better outcomes. It is an indispensable reference for scholars, teachers, students, researchers, policymakers and practitioners in the fields of public health and community care.
