Browsing by Author "Reweti A"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Enhancing maternal sleep health in Aotearoa New Zealand: insights from the Wāhi Kōrero platform
    (Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 2025-07-03) Walsh Z; Muller D; Signal TL; Breheny M; Severinsen C; Ware F; Reweti A
    Maternal sleep health is crucial for maternal wellbeing, particularly maternal mental health which has implications for the wellbeing of children, families and whānau. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Well Child Tamariki Ora (WCTO) service provides a unique opportunity to support mothers, their families, and whānau by providing education on sleep health for both mothers and children. However, there is a need for a deeper understanding of mothers' experiences with WCTO and the sleep information they receive to enhance these services. This primary research used data gathered from the Wāhi Kōrero online story-sharing platform, with 181 stories focusing specifically on sleep. Using thematic analysis, three key themes were identified: maternal instinct as a guide in navigating child sleep practices, promoting strength-based rather than deficit-focused approaches, and the necessity to move beyond rigid, monocultural service models. Findings underscore the importance of tailoring maternal and child health services to better meet the needs and perspectives of mothers, their families, and whānau, particularly in the areas of sleep and maternal mental health. Implications of findings for future policy and practice are discussed, including developing strength-based, culturally responsive approaches within services like WCTO, and adapting policy to support more flexible, whānau-centred models of care.
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    Health equity in a climate-altered world
    (y Elsevier B V on behalf of Public Health Association of Australia, 2025-08-01) Murray L; Vyas A; Reweti A; Humphrey K; Murray L; Vyas A; Reweti A; Humphrey K
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    Missed Opportunities for Addressing Maternal Mental Health: A Thematic Analysis of Mothers' Experiences of Using the Well Child Tamariki Ora Service in Aotearoa NZ
    (Hindawi collaboration with John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2024-03-23) Clapham B; Breheny M; Reweti A; Severinsen C; Ware F; Aydin M
    Maternal mental health plays a vital role in the overall wellbeing of mothers, children, families, whānau (core support network) and communities. However, many mothers face mental health challenges during the transition to parenthood. In this study, we used an online story-sharing platform to collect the experiences of mothers who have faced unmet needs while using the Well Child Tamariki Ora (WCTO) service in Aotearoa New Zealand. From the 420 submitted stories, 125 stories related to mental health need while using the WCTO service. Using thematic analysis, we identified three main themes that highlighted the experiences of mothers with the service. This includes (1) making it seem that I'm coping: Mothers' fear of being judged; (2) i wish I had connected with my WCTO nurse: Fostering meaningful relationships to facilitate personal information sharing; and (3) beyond the baby: Mothers desire for recognition and support during WCTO visits. These findings point to several missed opportunities for WCTO providers to inquire about mental health and offer support needed by mothers. To address this, a relational approach to care would prioritise families and whānau as the focus of care rather than just monitoring the development of babies.
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    Promoting health through waka ama
    (Global Journal of Community Psychology Practice, ) Severinsen C; Reweti A
    Cultural identity and participation in society are acknowledged as key determinants of health. This research aims to identify successful measures to improve health and reduce inequities through a focus on waka ama (outrigger canoe). Waka ama is the fastest growing sport in Aotearoa New Zealand, and is increasingly used as a vehicle for health promotion. The research is informed by a kaupapa M?ori framework, utilising narratives to explore paddlers’ experience in being involved in waka ama. Waka ama is unique as a sport because, as well as the physical benefits for paddlers, it also has a strong foundation in indigenous knowledge and practice. The research findings are presented in the form of a short professionally-produced documentary. The short film showcases waka ama and its contribution to the health of paddlers. It presents the local initiative, providing an exemplar of best practice and practical health promotion solutions to inform wider communities. The film features interviews with paddlers, and footage of waka ama action.
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    Understanding how whānau-centred initiatives can improve Māori health in Aotearoa New Zealand.
    (Oxford University Press, 2023-07-13) Reweti A
    This article highlights the significance of prioritizing Indigenous voices and knowledge systems, using whānau-centred initiatives (a concept that encompasses the broader family and community) as a foundation for health promotion within an Indigenous context. Tū Kahikatea, a conceptual framework, is used to demonstrate the relationship between the values underpinning different whānau-centred initiatives and their corresponding outcomes. The framework highlights the capacity of whānau-centred initiatives to support whānau in attaining mana motuhake, which represents collective self-determination and the ability to exercise control over their own future. By doing so, these initiatives contribute to the improvement of whānau health outcomes. With recent changes to Aotearoa New Zealand's health system, the findings underscore the benefits and potential of whānau-centred initiatives in enhancing whānau health outcomes, and advocate for continued strengths-based practices in Aotearoa New Zealand's health system. By bridging the gap between academia and grassroots community action, the article demonstrates the potential of whānau-centred initiatives and contributes to a global call for integrating Indigenous viewpoints and practices into Westernized healthcare, in order to improve Indigenous health outcomes.
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    Wāhi Kōrero: The Development of an Online Story-Sharing Research Platform for Health Research
    (SAGE Publications, 2025-05-30) Severinsen C; Breheny M; Reweti A; Ware F
    Storytelling has the power to forge connections and foster empathy, providing insights into shared human experiences. In the digital age, online platforms offer opportunities to amplify historically underrepresented voices. This article introduces Wāhi Kōrero, a bespoke online story-sharing platform designed to collect stories from people whose experiences are often absent from health research. Wāhi Kōrero was developed through a collaborative approach between Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers and web designers, prioritizing ethical considerations, cultural respect, and inclusivity. Wāhi Kōrero provides a safe and welcoming space for people to share their experiences, crafted in their own words, with minimal researcher involvement. Analyzing these stories can reveal the structural inequities that shape personal experiences with health professionals. The platform’s transformative impact extends to power dynamics, political discourse, and knowledge production. Wāhi Kōrero works toward a collectively determined health research agenda, elevating the voices of health service users and validating their expertise in their own lives and health. Ultimately, Wāhi Kōrero exemplifies the changing landscape of online information access, presentation, and control, paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive approach to health research and practice.
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    Waka ama: An exemplar of indigenous health promotion in Aotearoa New Zealand
    (John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of the Australian Health Promotion Association, 2022-10) Reweti A; Severinsen C; Smith J
    ISSUE ADDRESSED: The use of old-style, top-down health education and awareness programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand, which adopt a single issue-based approach to health promotion, primarily ignores a broad approach to social determinants of health, as well as indigenous Māori understandings of wellbeing. METHODS: This paper draws on the indigenous framework Te Pae Māhutonga as a guide for presenting narratives collated from members of a waka ama rōpū (group) who were interviewed about the social, cultural and health benefits of waka ama. RESULTS: This waka ama case study is an exemplar of community-led health promotion within an indigenous context, where Māori values and practices, such as whanaungatanga (the process of forming and maintaining relationships), manaakitanga (generosity and caring for others) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship), are foundational. The findings highlight the multiple benefits of engagement in waka ama and illustrate effective techniques for enhancing wellbeing within local communities. CONCLUSION: At a time when Aotearoa New Zealand is seeing a decreasing trend in physical activity levels and an increase in mental health challenges, waka ama provides us with an exemplar of ways to increase health and wellbeing within our communities. SO WHAT?: The findings of this research contribute to the evidence base of effective indigenous health promotion, bridging the gap between academia and local community action. To better recognise, comprehend and improve indigenous health and wellbeing, we argue that active participation of people in the community is required to achieve long-term and revolutionary change.