Browsing by Author "Chambers T"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    An evaluation of the population uptake and contact tracer utilisation of the Covid-19 Bluetooth Exposure Notification Framework in New Zealand
    (Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Public Health Association of Australia, 2024-11-05) Chambers T; Anglemyer A; Chen A; Atkinson J; Elers P; Baker MG
    Objective: Our primary research objective was to assess the population uptake and contact tracer utilisation of the Bluetooth function of the New Zealand Covid Tracer App (NZCTA) throughout the pandemic. Methods: We adopted a retrospective cohort study design using all diagnosed COVID-19 community cases from December 12, 2020 to February 16, 2022. Results: At its height, more than 60 % of the eligible population had the Bluetooth function of NZCTA activated. However, only an estimated 2.2 % of the population was able to fully participate. Cases managed by the national case investigation service were 17 times (aRR 17.54, 95%CI: 13.02-23.90) and 9 times (aRR 9.27, 95%CI: 6.91, 12.76) more likely to generate a Bluetooth token than cases managed by local public health units during the Delta and Omicron periods, respectively. Conclusions: The Bluetooth functionality of the NZCTA likely had a low impact on the pandemic response in NZ despite its exceptionally high levels of public uptake. The primary reason for the lack of impact was the low utilisation by contact tracers. Implications for public health: The results highlight the need for greater consultation and collaboration with the public health sector during the development and implementation of digital contact tracing tools.
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    'Barely keeping the wheels on the trolley': A qualitative study of the New Zealand COVID Tracer App
    (Elsevier Ltd., 2024-09-01) Elers P; Derrett S; Emery T; Chambers T
    Digital contact tracing apps were developed to help control the spread of COVID-19 but research exploring these apps has underrepresented both 'at-risk' communities and contact tracers. Our study examines perspectives of the New Zealand COVID Tracer app among 53 participants, comprising policy advisors, contact tracers, and Māori, Pacific, and disability stakeholders, underpinned by the theory of social construction of which positions technology within the social context in which it evolves, operates, and is negotiated. Although community stakeholders believed the app helped safeguard communities from COVID-19, the health officials' views on the app's usefulness in contact tracing varied. Participants who oversaw the app's technical development generally perceived it as being more useful, particularly regarding Bluetooth proximity detection, in contrast with contact tracers' perceptions. The findings highlight a disconnection between public sentiment and operational reality in the use of the app and the need for improved collaboration and consultation in future contact tracing responses.
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    Barriers to adopting digital contact tracing for COVID-19: Experiences in New Zealand
    (John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2024-04-01) Elers P; Emery T; Derrett S; Chambers T
    Background Digital contact tracing (DCT) was a central component of the global response to containing COVID-19. Research has raised concerns that DCT could exacerbate inequities, yet the experiences of diverse communities at greater risk from COVID-19 are typically underrepresented. Methods The present study aimed to understand the perceived barriers to the adoption of the app amongst Māori, Pasifika, and disabled people. Focus groups and interviews were undertaken with Māori, Pasifika, and disability sector stakeholders and community participants. Results Participants (n = 34) generally expressed willingness to utilise DCT and support its adoption within the communities. Simultaneously, participants revealed how the app could marginalise community members who struggled with the usability and those distrusting of the government's COVID-19 interventions. Conclusions The findings highlight how addressing communication inequality can assist in the development of contact-tracing responses that are both effective and equitable. The study provides insights about the role of information and communication technologies as health resources. Patient or Public Contribution Consulting with members of the target communities was central throughout the present study, including recommendations for potential participants, participation in interviews and sharing early findings for feedback. This study reports on focus groups and interviews with individuals from Māori and disability sectors.
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    Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age.
    (Elsevier B.V., 2023-08-13) Swami V; Tran US; Stieger S; Aavik T; Ranjbar HA; Adebayo SO; Afhami R; Ahmed O; Aimé A; Akel M; Halbusi HA; Alexias G; Ali KF; Alp-Dal N; Alsalhani AB; Álvares-Solas S; Amaral ACS; Andrianto S; Aspden T; Argyrides M; Aruta JJBR; Atkin S; Ayandele O; Baceviciene M; Bahbouh R; Ballesio A; Barron D; Bellard A; Bender SS; Beydağ KD; Birovljević G; Blackburn M-È; Borja-Alvarez T; Borowiec J; Bozogáňová M; Bratland-Sanda S; Browning MHEM; Brytek-Matera A; Burakova M; Çakır-Koçak Y; Camacho P; Camilleri VE; Cazzato V; Cerea S; Chaiwutikornwanich A; Chaleeraktrakoon T; Chambers T; Chen Q-W; Chen X; Chien C-L; Chobthamkit P; Choompunuch B; Compte EJ; Corrigan J; Cosmas G; Cowden RG; Czepczor-Bernat K; Czub M; da Silva WR; Dadfar M; Dalley SE; Dany L; Datu JAD; Berbert de Carvalho PH; Coelho GLDH; De Jesus AOS; Debbabi SH; Dhakal S; Di Bernardo F; Dimitrova DD; Dion J; Dixson B; Donofrio SM; Drysch M; Du H; Dzhambov AM; El-Jor C; Enea V; Eskin M; Farbod F; Farrugia L; Fian L; Fisher ML; Folwarczny M; Frederick DA; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M; Furnham A; García AA; Geller S; Ghisi M; Ghorbani A; Martinez MAG; Gradidge S; Graf S; Grano C; Gyene G; Hallit S; Hamdan M; Handelzalts JE; Hanel PHP; Hawks SR; Hekmati I; Helmy M; Hill T; Hina F; Holenweger G; Hřebíčková M; Ijabadeniyi OA; Imam A; İnce B; Irrazabal N; Jankauskiene R; Jiang D-Y; Jiménez-Borja M; Jiménez-Borja V; Johnson EM; Jovanović V; Jović M; Jović M; Junqueira ACP; Kahle L-M; Kantanista A; Karakiraz A; Karkin AN; Kasten E; Khatib S; Khieowan N; Kimong PJ; Kiropoulos L; Knittel J; Kohli N; Koprivnik M; Kospakov A; Król-Zielińska M; Krug I; Kuan G; Kueh YC; Kujan O; Kukić M; Kumar S; Kumar V; Lamba N; Lauri MA; Laus MF; LeBlanc LA; Lee HJ; Lipowska M; Lipowski M; Lombardo C; Lukács A; Maïano C; Malik S; Manjary M; Baldó LM; Martinez-Banfi M; Massar K; Matera C; McAnirlin O; Mebarak MR; Mechri A; Meireles JFF; Mesko N; Mills J; Miyairi M; Modi R; Modrzejewska A; Modrzejewska J; Mulgrew KE; Myers TA; Namatame H; Nassani MZ; Nerini A; Neto F; Neto J; Neves AN; Ng S-K; Nithiya D; O J; Obeid S; Oda-Montecinos C; Olapegba PO; Olonisakin TT; Omar SS; Örlygsdóttir B; Özsoy E; Otterbring T; Pahl S; Panasiti MS; Park Y; Patwary MM; Pethö T; Petrova N; Pietschnig J; Pourmahmoud S; Prabhu VG; Poštuvan V; Prokop P; Ramseyer Winter VL; Razmus M; Ru T; Rupar M; Sahlan RN; Hassan MS; Šalov A; Sapkota S; Sarfo JO; Sawamiya Y; Schaefer K; Schulte-Mecklenbeck M; Seekis V; Selvi K; Sharifi M; Shrivastava A; Siddique RF; Sigurdsson V; Silkane V; Šimunić A; Singh G; Slezáčková A; Sundgot-Borgen C; Ten Hoor G; Tevichapong P; Tipandjan A; Todd J; Togas C; Tonini F; Tovar-Castro JC; Trangsrud LKJ; Tripathi P; Tudorel O; Tylka TL; Uyzbayeva A; Vally Z; Vanags E; Vega LD; Vicente-Arruebarrena A; Vidal-Mollón J; Vilar R; Villegas H; Vintilă M; Wallner C; White MP; Whitebridge S; Windhager S; Wong KY; Yau EK; Yamamiya Y; Yeung VWL; Zanetti MC; Zawisza M; Zeeni N; Zvaríková M; Voracek M
    The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset - with data collected between 2020 and 2022 - to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research.
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    Nitrate in drinking water and cancer risk: the biological mechanism, epidemiological evidence and future research
    (Elsevier BV on behalf of the Public Health Association of Australia, 2022-04) Chambers T; Douwes J; 't Mannetje A; Woodward A; Baker M; Wilson N; Hales S
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    Nitrate in drinking water and pregnancy outcomes: A narrative review of epidemiological evidence and proposed biological mechanisms
    (PLOS, 2024-01-17) Royal H; Mannetje A; Hales S; Douwes J; Berry M; Chambers T; Schullehner J
    There is emerging evidence of an association between nitrate contamination in drinking water and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Few studies have discussed the evidence in the context of plausible biological mechanisms. We performed a narrative review of the current evidence investigating associations between nitrate in drinking water and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes with a focus on congenital anomalies (CA) and preterm birth (PTB). We also reviewed evidence and discuss several biological mechanisms that may explain the observed associations. We reviewed cohort and case-control epidemiological studies assessing associations between maternal nitrate exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes published until January 2023. Three plausible mechanisms may explain how maternal exposure to nitrate may impact pregnancy outcomes, which include the formation of Nnitroso compounds (NOC), thyroid dysfunction and oxidative stress. For CA, seven studies were included (two cohort and five case-control studies). The strongest associations observed in epidemiological studies were for neural tube defects. Inconsistent positive and negative associations were observed for anomalies of the limb, eye, ear, face and neck. Of the four PTB studies (all cohort studies), three of the largest cohort studies observed associations between PTB with nitrate levels >5 mg/L while one small cohort study did not. Emerging epidemiological evidence has observed a potential increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes with elevated maternal nitrate exposure in drinking water. There are also plausible biological mechanisms to support this association. However, the current evidence lacks homogeneity and additional longitudinal evidence with robust exposure asssessments is required. Given the increasing concentrations of nitrate contamination in drinking water in many countries, and the adverse effects observed at concentrations below the current regulatory standard, a further precautionary approach should be adopted until futher evidence emerges.