Yohannes Tefera Damtew
School of Public Health
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Yohannes is an Associate Research Fellow in the Environment and Health Research Group within the School of Public Health. His research focuses on environmental health, environmental exposures, and climate change, with particular emphasis on the health impacts of extreme heat.
His PhD applied a burden of disease framework to estimate infectious diseases attributable to non-optimal temperatures in Australia. It was the first nationwide study to quantify the current burden of temperature-related infectious diseases and project future risks under various climate and population scenarios.
Yohannes currently works on the Building Resilience to the Impacts of Heatwaves in Australia (BRIHA) Consortium project. His work supports efforts to improve understanding of heatwave impacts and strengthen public health resilience. He evaluates public responses to national heatwave warning systems, assesses heat-related health risks, and studies the reach, impact, and effectiveness of the Bureau of Meteorology’s decision support tools and agency-issued warnings.
Yohannes has extensive experience in teaching and research and possesses a strong academic background in environmental health sciences. He is committed to producing evidence that informs policy, supports climate adaptation, and improves population health outcomes in the face of a changing climate.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2018 - 2020 Associate Researcher Ethiopian Environment and Forest Research Institute 2011 - 2020 Lecturer and researcher Haramaya University 2006 - 2009 Graduate Assistant Haramaya University -
Language Competencies
Language Competency Amharic Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 2020 University of Adelaide Australia Higher Degree by Research (PhD) 2015 - 2017 Vrije Universiteit Brussel Belgium Master of Science in Human Ecology 2009 - 2011 University of Mysore India Master of Science in Environmental Science 2003 - 2006 Haramaya University Ethiopia Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health
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Journals
Year Citation 2024 Asefa, E. M., Mergia, M. T., Ayele, S., Damtew, Y. T., Teklu, B. M., & Weldemariam, E. D. (2024). Pesticides in Ethiopian surface waters: A meta-analytic based ecological risk assessment. Science of the Total Environment, 911, 168727.
Scopus8 Europe PMC42024 Asefa, E. M., Mergia, M. T., Damtew, Y. T., Mengistu, D. A., Dugusa, F. F., Tessema, R. A., . . . Woldemariam, E. D. (2024). Organochlorine pesticides in Ethiopian waters: Implications for environmental and human health. Toxicology Reports, 12, 622-630.
Scopus72024 Damtew, Y. T., Varghese, B. M., Anikeeva, O., Tong, M., Hansen, A., Dear, K., . . . Bi, P. (2024). Current and future burden of Ross River virus infection attributable to increasing temperature in Australia: a population-based study. The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific, 48, 101124-1-101124-12.
2024 Asefa, E. M., Damtew, Y. T., Mengistu, D. A., Tolera, S. T., Dugasa, F. F., Berhanu, A., . . . Weldemariam, E. D. (2024). Heavy metals in Ethiopian drinking water and public health risks: Insights from nationwide and regional analysis. Science of the Total Environment, 947, 174527.
Scopus4 Europe PMC12024 Asefa, E. M., Damtew, Y. T., & Ober, J. (2024). Pesticide water pollution, human health risks, and regulatory evaluation: A nationwide analysis in Ethiopia. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 478, 135326.
Scopus9 Europe PMC22024 Damtew, Y. T., Varghese, B. M., Anikeeva, O., Tong, M., Hansen, A., Dear, K., . . . Bi, P. (2024). Corrigendum to “Current and future burden of ross river virus infection attributable to increasing temperature in Australia: a population-based study” the Lancet Regional Health–Western Pacific 2024;48: 101124 (The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific (2024) 48, (S2666606524001184), (10.1016/j.lanwpc.2024.101124)). The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 51, 101224.
2024 Damtew, Y. T., Tong, M., Varghese, B. M., Anikeeva, O., Hansen, A., Dear, K., . . . Bi, P. (2024). The impact of temperature on non-typhoidal Salmonella and Campylobacter infections: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological evidence. EBioMedicine, 109, 105393-1-105393-17.
Scopus2 Europe PMC32023 Damtew, Y. T., Tong, M., Varghese, B. M., Anikeeva, O., Hansen, A., Dear, K., . . . Bi, P. (2023). Effects of high temperatures and heatwaves on dengue fever: a systematic review and meta-analysis. EBioMedicine, 91, 104582-1-104582-14.
Scopus34 WoS2 Europe PMC242023 Mulugeta Demmu, Y., Shifera, G. M., Ayana, G. M., Adare, D., Yazew, B., Damtew, Y. T., & Geremew, A. (2023). Menstrual hygiene management and associated factors among adolescent school girls in gursum district, Eastern Ethiopia: Institution-based a cross-sectional study. BMC Women's Health, 23(1), 328-1-328-7.
Scopus8 Europe PMC52022 Damtew, Y. T., Tong, M., Varghese, B. M., Hansen, A., Liu, J., Dear, K., . . . Bi, P. (2022). Associations between temperature and Ross river virus infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological evidence. Acta Tropica, 231, 1-15.
Scopus9 WoS4 Europe PMC72021 Damtew, Y. T., Desta, B. N., & Sileshi, A. (2021). Environmental Health Services and Professionals Level of Engagement in Different Sectors in Eastern Ethiopia: A Mixed Methods Study Design. Environmental Health Insights, 15, 117863022098855.
2021 Damtew, Y. T., Verbeiren, B., Awoke, A., & Triest, L. (2021). Satellite Imageries and Field Data of Macrophytes Reveal a Regime Shift of a Tropical Lake (Lake Ziway, Ethiopia). Water, 13(4), 396.
Scopus14 WoS62021 Asefa, E. M., Damtew, Y. T., & Barasa, K. B. (2021). Landfill Site Selection Using GIS Based Multicriteria Evaluation Technique in Harar City, Eastern Ethiopia. Environmental Health Insights, 15, 1-14.
Scopus33 WoS9 Europe PMC102020 Tefera, Y., & Geremew, A. (2020). Unimproved water sources in Ethiopia: Spatial variation and household point-of-use treatment practice based on 2016 Demographic and Health Survey.
2020 Geremew, A., & Damtew, Y. T. (2020). Household water treatment using adequate methods in sub-saharan countries: evidence from 2013-2016 demographic and health surveys. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 10(1), 66-75.
Scopus272020 Damtew, Y. T., & Geremew, A. (2020). Households with unimproved water sources in Ethiopia: spatial variation and point-of-use treatment based on 2016 Demographic and Health Survey. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 25(1), 81-1-81-11.
Scopus10 Europe PMC32016 Damtew, Y. T. (2016). Heavy Metal Content and Physico Chemical Properties of Soil around
Solid Waste Disposal Sites. American Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research.
2015 Damtew, Y. T., & Desta, B. N. (2015). Micro and Small Enterprises in Solid Waste Management: Experience of Selected Cities and Towns in Ethiopia: A Review. Pollution, 1(4), 461-472.
- Tefera, Y., & Prasad, D. (n.d.). Biosorption of Hexavalent Chromium Using Bark of <i>Cassia spectabilis</i>. Science, Technology and Arts Research Journal, 3(2), 83.
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Memberships
Date Role Membership Country 2024 - ongoing Member Public Health Association Australia Australia 2024 - ongoing Member International Society for Environmental Epidemiology membership United States 2023 - ongoing Member The Australasian Epidemiological Association Australia 2012 - ongoing Member Ethiopian Environmental Health Professionals Association (EEHPA) Ethiopia 2007 - ongoing Member Ethiopian Public Health Association (EPHA) Ethiopia
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