Journal Articles

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/7915

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    Addressing the challenges of implementing evidence-based prioritisation in global health.
    (BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 2023-08-02) Hayman DTS; Barraclough RK; Muglia LJ; McGovern V; Afolabi MO; N'Jai AU; Ambe JR; Atim C; McClelland A; Paterson B; Ijaz K; Lasley J; Ahsan Q; Garfield R; Chittenden K; Phelan AL; Lopez Rivera A; Abimbola S
    Global health requires evidence-based approaches to improve health and decrease inequalities. In a roundtable discussion between health practitioners, funders, academics and policy-makers, we recognised key areas for improvement to deliver better-informed, sustainable and equitable global health practices. These focus on considering information-sharing mechanisms and developing evidence-based frameworks that take an adaptive function-based approach, grounded in the ability to perform and respond to prioritised needs. Increasing social engagement as well as sector and participant diversity in whole-of-society decision-making, and collaborating with and optimising on hyperlocal and global regional entities, will improve prioritisation of global health capabilities. Since the skills required to navigate drivers of pandemics, and the challenges in prioritising, capacity building and response do not sit squarely in the health sector, it is essential to integrate expertise from a broad range of fields to maximise on available knowledge during decision-making and system development. Here, we review the current assessment tools and provide seven discussion points for how improvements to implementation of evidence-based prioritisation can improve global health.
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    Understanding children's perceptions of, and priorities for, healthy neighbourhoods in Aotearoa New Zealand: study protocol for a cross-sectional study
    (BMJ Publishing Group, 2021-06-21) Egli V; Mandic S; Pocock T; Narayanan A; Williams L; Clark T; Spasic L; Wilson A; Witten K; Smith M
    Introduction Neighbourhood environments can have significant and enduring impacts on children’s physical, psychological and social health. Environments can impact health through promoting or hindering physical activity, active travel, and healthy eating in addition to opportunities for social interaction, cognitive development, rest and relaxation. There is a paucity of research that has examined neighbourhood and health priorities, strengths and needs from the perspectives of the community, and even less that has focused on the perspectives of children within communities. The aim of this article is to describe the research protocol for a project to gather child-identified needs and strengths-based solutions for promoting child health and well-being in urban neighbourhood environments. Methods and analysis This participatory research project is designed to partner with children in school settings in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Ōtepoti Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand. An abundant communities approach will be used with children to identify needs and strengths related to neighbourhoods and health. Specific methods including collaborative, creative, play-based methods such as concept-mapping activities and co-creation of final dissemination material on the key messages are described. Plans for researcher reflections, data analysis and dissemination are also detailed. Ethics and dissemination This research has been approved by the University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee. Results will be disseminated through child and researcher co-created output, a technical report and academic journal articles. By using evidence-based child-centred approaches to knowledge generation, we anticipate the research will generate new localised insights about children’s preferences and needs for healthy neighbourhoods which will be shared with stakeholders in planning and practice. The detailed session protocol including critical researcher reflections is shared in this manuscript for application, development and refinement in future research.
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    Lessons from the implementation of residential methamphetamine contamination policies in New Zealand
    (John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs, 2023-03) Sanchez Lozano CD; Wilkins C; Rychert M
    Introduction Methamphetamine contamination of housing has been discussed as a significant issue in New Zealand. However, scientific evidence to determine a threshold level at which health harms occur is inconclusive, resulting in conflicting and changing guidance. The initial strong precautionary policy, with significant unintended impacts on vulnerable public housing tenants, dramatically changed following a scientific review. This study explores the policy response to residential methamphetamine contamination in New Zealand over the past decade. Methods Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 13 key stakeholders involved in policy development/implementation, including those from government, industry, residential housing and academic sectors. Results Consistent application of a methamphetamine contamination threshold for housing has been problematic due to legislative and regulatory gaps. Stakeholders in the residential sector have been influenced by perceptions of methamphetamine contamination as a health risk, political views on drug use, media coverage and the testing industry's business practices. Public housing tenants have faced disadvantages when resolving methamphetamine contamination disputes. The testing industry's participation in committees shaping the regulatory response presents a possible conflict of interest. Wide media coverage heightened public anxiety about the problem but may also have stimulated policy changes to alleviate unintended consequences of the precautionary approach. Discussion and Conclusions New Zealand's fragmented policy response to residential methamphetamine contamination is likely rooted in the lack of scientific evidence, with some key actors further exacerbating the response. Future policy development should seek to produce overarching regulation that guides the whole sector while balancing powers of the stakeholders involved.