Browsing by Author "Neville S"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    Age-friendly community evaluation: Report prepared for the Office for Seniors, Ministry of Social Development
    (Auckland University of Technology Centre for Active Ageing, 2018-05-21) Neville S; Adams J; Napier S; Shannon K
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    Asian Drinking Cultures in New Zealand: A Scoping Review
    (SAGE Publications Inc, 19/05/2022) Adams J; Wong G; Zhao IY; Saravanakumar P; Holroyd E; Neville S
    Alcohol use causes harm across most populations. However, comparatively little research and policy attention has been paid to drinking cultures among Asian people. A scoping review was undertaken to identify drinking patterns, alcohol-related harm, drinking culture among Asian youth, young adults, and adults living in New Zealand. A search of literature identified 39 relevant outputs. The findings indicated that Asian people enjoy a comparative health advantage when compared with non-Asian population groups through lower rates of alcohol consumption, less risky drinking, and experiencing less harm from drinking. Despite these advantages, the results identified areas where improvements with Asian people’s relationships and experiences with alcohol may be warranted. It is important to develop targeted approaches to Asian drinking that can build on the current whole population-level alcohol initiatives. Further research is warranted to identify specific and additional strategies to address problematic alcohol use in this cohort.
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    Beginning on an age-friendly journey: Barriers to implementing age-friendly initiatives
    (John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of AJA Inc, 2021-12) Neville S; Napier S; Shannon K; Adams J
    OBJECTIVE: To explore the barriers to communities in New Zealand developing age-friendly initiatives. METHODS: A qualitative participatory approach underpinned this study. Semi-structured digitally recorded individual interviews were undertaken with 24 government officials, local government steering group members and community representatives from an urban city, provincial city and a rural district. A general inductive data analytic process was undertaken. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines were followed to ensure rigour in this study. RESULTS: (a) Being at the beginning, (b) Minimal diversity and (c) Problems getting started were three key issues identified. CONCLUSIONS: New Zealand is in the early stages of becoming age-friendly. Findings from this study provide a place-based New Zealand perspective and have influenced central government social policy and practice development, culminating in resources supporting local government and communities to successfully implement age-friendly initiatives.
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    Contribution of retirement-related variables to well-being in an older male sample
    (New Zealand Psychological Society, 2000) Alpass FM; Neville S; Flett RA
    With New Zealand's increasing older adult population comes an increase in the number of retirees. Changes in work patterns, earlier retirement and increasing life expectancy are resulting in longer periods of time spent in retirement. The effects of retirement on health and well-being have been viewed both positively and negatively and previous research on the impact of retirement has been equivocal. Inconsistencies may be attributable to a number of factors including time since retirement, changes in health status of the retiree, loss of social supports, policies of voluntary versus mandatory retirement and whether the work career was satisfying versus unfulfilled. Further, there are many possible outcomes following retirement and indices such as depression, and psychological well-being may be influenced by retirement in different ways. The present study sought to address a number of these issues by investigating the relative contribution of demographic, health, social support and retirement related variables to a number of indices of well-being in a group of retired older adult males. The present study found the nature of retirement (forced/voluntary) was unrelated to well-being outcomes; number of years retired was negatively associated with well-being outcomes; and prior job satisfaction was positively related to well-being outcomes. However, retirement variables contributed little to the overall explained variance in well-being indices. The major contributors to outcomes were diagnosis of a long-term illness or disability and satisfaction with social supports. Findings are discussed in relation to the literature.
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    Exploring Understandings of Sexuality Among “Gay” Migrant Filipinos Living in New Zealand
    (SAGE Publications Inc, 19/05/2022) Adams J; Manalastas EJ; Coquilla R; Montayre J; Neville S
    Ethnicity, sexuality, and health are inextricably linked. This study reports on individual interviews carried out with 21 “gay” migrant Filipinos living in New Zealand to understand sexual identity and identify how they manage the disclosure of their identity. The participants provided both simple and complex accounts of sexuality. For many, these aligned with Western notions of how gay and bisexual are understood as categories; but for others, their understandings and use of such terms was influenced by Filipino cultural and contextual meanings. This included the use of “gay” as a catch-all category, including for those who identify as transgender. Active and careful management of their diverse identities was reported by participants. While disclosure to family was reasonably common, this was couched in terms of sexuality being tolerated rather than fully accepted. Disclosing identity was comparatively easier in New Zealand, but nonetheless there was active control over disclosure in some work and medical situations. Such findings add a degree of complexity within health promotion and public health, as identity cannot be regarded as static and common understandings do not exist. However, the strong community orientation and relative openness of “gay” Filipinos in relation to sexuality and gender afford opportunities for targeted interventions among this group.
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    Justifications for heavy alcohol use among gender and sexually diverse people
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2022-08-24) Adams J; Asiasiga L; Neville S
    A range of research reports that many gender and sexually diverse people drink alcohol at heavy levels. This study used 24 focus groups to explore shared understandings of alcohol use among gender and sexually diverse people living in New Zealand. An inductive, data-driven thematic analysis was employed to identify explanations for heavy drinking among gender and sexually diverse people. Three key explanations were articulated: alcohol is needed for socialising; drinking helps coping with stress; alcohol and drug treatment services are inadequate. These results demonstrate justifications for heavy drinking in certain contexts. This behaviour runs counter to public health approaches and messages that highlight low-risk levels of drinking or not drinking as desirable. Public health interventions should continue to address alcohol use at a whole population level but should be supplemented by policy and interventions that take into account the sociocultural contexts and structural conditions that encourage drinking among gender and sexually diverse people.
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    Optimising function and well-being in older adults: protocol for an integrated research programme in Aotearoa/New Zealand.
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2022-03-16) Lord S; Teh R; Gibson R; Smith M; Wrapson W; Thomson M; Rolleston A; Neville S; McBain L; Del Din S; Taylor L; Kayes N; Kingston A; Abey-Nesbit R; Kerse N; AWESSoM Project Team
    Background Maintaining independence is of key importance to older people. Ways to enable health strategies, strengthen and support whanāu (family) at the community level are needed. The Ageing Well through Eating, Sleeping, Socialising and Mobility (AWESSOM) programme in Aotearoa/New Zealand (NZ) delivers five integrated studies across different ethnicities and ages to optimise well-being and to reverse the trajectory of functional decline and dependence associated with ageing. Methods Well-being, independence and the trajectory of dependence are constructs viewed differently according to ethnicity, age, and socio-cultural circumstance. For each AWESSoM study these constructs are defined and guide study development through collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, and with reference to current evidence. The Compression of Functional Decline model (CFD) underpins aspects of the programme. Interventions vary to optimise engagement and include a co-developed whānau (family) centred initiative (Ngā Pou o Rongo), the use of a novel LifeCurve™App to support behavioural change, development of health and social initiatives to support Pacific elders, and the use of a comprehensive oral health and cognitive stimulation programme for cohorts in aged residential care. Running parallel to these interventions is analysis of large data sets from primary care providers and national health databases to understand complex multi-morbidities and identify those at risk of adverse outcomes. Themes or target areas of sleep, physical activity, oral health, and social connectedness complement social capital and community integration in a balanced programme involving older people across the ability spectrum. Discussion AWESSoM delivers a programme of bespoke yet integrated studies. Outcomes and process analysis from this research will inform about novel approaches to implement relevant, socio-cultural interventions to optimise well-being and health, and to reverse the trajectory of decline experienced with age. Trial registration The At-risk cohort study was registered by the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials registry on 08/12/2021 (Registration number ACTRN 12621001679875).
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    The alcohol industry-A commercial determinant of poor health for Rainbow communities
    (John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Health Promotion Association, 2022-09-14) Adams J; Asiasiga L; Neville S; Wright C
    BACKGROUND: Alcohol use is an area of challenge for health promotion internationally. The alcohol industry operates as a key commercial determinant of health in that its actions contribute to alcohol misuse, resulting in a range of health and social harms to individuals, families and communities. Rainbow people (including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or gender diverse) are one group experiencing considerable harm from alcohol use. METHODS: Data from 24 focus groups involving 131 people held in six cities in New Zealand during 2018, were used to explore local understandings of the ways in which the alcohol industry operates as a commercial determinant of health for Rainbow communities. The focus group discussions were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Three key themes were identified. First, the alcohol industry was identified as present in the 'everyday', through targeted alcohol promotion to Rainbow people, and due to the centrality of bars to their social and cultural landscapes. Second, participants recognised the benefits of alcohol industry support for Rainbow communities. Last, an opposing view was articulated, with the alcohol industry and its commercial activities viewed negatively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight that alcohol as a commodity and the alcohol industry are successfully and firmly embedded within Rainbow communities. Overall, given alcohol is widely regarded in a positive way, this is likely to create difficulties for health promotion efforts to reduce alcohol related harm in these communities.
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    The final evaluation of the Northern Regional Accelerated Sonography Training Pilot 2014 to 2016
    (SHORE & Whariki Research Centre, Massey University, 2016-05-31) Dickinson P; Adams J; Neville S