Massey Documents by Type
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294
Browse
69 results
Search Results
Item Telehealth and Precision Prevention: Bridging the Gap for Individualised Health Strategies(Georg Thieme Verlag KG, 2024-08-01) Lau ECH; Rajput VK; Hunter I; Florez-Arango JF; Ranatunga P; Veil KD; Kulatunga G; Gogia S; Kuziemsky C; Ito M; Iqbal U; John S; Iyengar S; Ramachandran A; Basu AINTRODUCTION: Precision prevention has shown an upsurge in popularity among epidemiologists in both developed and developing countries in the past decade. OBJECTIVES: Initially practiced in oncology, this approach is increasingly adopted in public health to guard against other common non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. It aims to tailor preventive measures according to each individual's unique characteristics, such as genomic data, socio-demographic features, environmental factors, and cultural background. METHODS: Healthcare information technologies, including telehealth and artificial intelligence (AI), have served as a vital catalyst in the expansion of this field in the past decade. Under this framework, real-time contemporaneous clinical data is collected via a wide range of digital health devices, such as telehealth monitors, wearables, etc., and then analyzed by AI or non-AI prediction models, which then generate preventive recommendations. RESULTS: The utilization of telehealth technologies in the precision prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is a very illustrative application. This paper explores these topics as well as certain limitations and unintended consequences (UICs) and outlines telehealth as a core enabler of precision prevention as well as public health.Item A culture-centered exploration of India’s Community Health Workers’ meanings of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of mobile technology in response strategies : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Communication and Journalism at Massey University, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE)(Massey University, 2025-01-20) Pattanaik, SamikshaDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Health Workers (CHWs), particularly in developing countries such as India, played a crucial role in controlling the virus's spread (Niyati & Nelson Mandela, 2020). India imposed the world’s largest lockdown (Ghosh, 2020; Mathur, 2020), swiftly deploying its CHWs known as ASHA workers for community-level COVID-19 prevention and mitigation (Niyati & Nelson Mandela, 2020). Reports indicated that ASHAs in some states were required to purchase and use smartphones for COVID-19 tasks (Brar Singh, 2020; Hindustan Times, 2020b). This top-down approach to pandemic communication and mHealth initiatives (M. J. Dutta, S. Kaur-Gill, et al., 2018; Kumar & Anderson, 2015) sidelined ASHAs' their voices in mainstream discourse, despite their essential role. Furthermore, while existing research in this area has identified the structural challenges faced by ASHAs—such as overwhelming workloads and inadequate compensation—these studies often treat these challenges in a reductionist manner (Lazarus, 2020; Nichols et al., 2022; Srivastava, 2021), often from the perspective of the researcher. This marginalisation of ASHAs' voices is particularly concerning in the context of public health emergencies, where they are thrust into frontline roles without adequate infrastructural and policy support. This thesis addresses this significant gap in research by foregrounding their voices and lived experiences as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the Culture Centered Approach (CCA), a meta-theoretical framework particularly suited for research in marginalised settings, this study uses semi-structured interviews to explore ASHAs’ narratives, shedding light on how they navigated the pandemic and engaged with mHealth initiatives. The study finds that ASHAs operate within intersecting layers of structural inequalities shaped by their socio-economic context and the neoliberal organisation of India’s healthcare system. This system reduces these marginalised female workers to ‘efficient’ subjects, using their labour to offload state responsibilities while offering minimal support and compensation. Through this analysis, the research advances the theoretical framework of the CCA by deepening the understanding of the layering of structures upon structures and their simultaneous interaction with culture. While existing CCA literature addresses the structure culture dynamic, this study uniquely highlights how these layered structures intersect, reinforce, and sometimes contradict each other, intensifying marginalisation. In the context of mHealth, the study uncovers the complex, multifaceted, and sometimes contradictory meanings of technology in marginalised spaces, ranging from the relevance of face-to-face communication and bottom-up uses of technology in rural healthcare, to issues surrounding data privacy, confidentiality, and digital burden in marginalised spaces. By placing these evolving and often contradictory meanings at the center of theorising, this research challenges techno-optimism and prompts a critical re-evaluation of the role of technology in healthcare delivery, with mHealth as a key example. Additionally, this study extends the concept of marginalised agency within the CCA by shifting away from binary understandings of resistance and submission, demonstrating how such agency is multidimensional and dynamic, shaped by an intricate web of cultural, social, religious, economic, and professional factors. This multilayered interaction forces ASHAs to continuously negotiate their positions, sometimes exercising their voices and demands, and at other times complying with top-down orders due to structural constraints, while drawing on cultural resources to navigate these structures. The thesis concludes with recommendations for a communicative framework that integrates ASHAs into decision-making processes, fostering resilience among CHWs and the communities they serve in future health crises.Item Higher socioeconomic deprivation in areas predicts cognitive decline in New Zealanders without cognitive impairment(Springer Nature Limited, 2024-11-16) Röhr S; Gibson RH; Alpass FMPrevious studies identified individual-level socioeconomic factors as key determinants of cognitive health. This study investigated the effect of area-based socioeconomic deprivation on cognitive outcomes in midlife to early late-life New Zealanders without cognitive impairment at baseline. Data stemmed from a subsample of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study, a cohort study on ageing, who completed face-to-face interviews and were reassessed two years later. Cognitive functioning was measured using Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised, adapted for culturally acceptable use in Aotearoa New Zealand. Area-based socioeconomic deprivation was assessed using the New Zealand Deprivation Index (NZDep2006). Linear mixed-effects models analysed the association between area-based socioeconomic deprivation and cognitive outcomes. The analysis included 783 participants without cognitive impairment at baseline (54.7% female, mean age 62.7 years, 25.0% Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand). There was an association between higher area-based socioeconomic deprivation and lower cognitive functioning (B = -0.08, 95%CI: -0.15;-0.01; p = .050) and cognitive decline (B = -0.12, 95%CI: -0.20;-0.04, p = .013) over two years, while controlling for covariates. The findings emphasise the importance of considering neighbourhood characteristics and broader socioeconomic factors in strategies aimed at mitigating cognitive health disparities and reducing the impact of dementia in disadvantaged communities.Item Tongan indigenous approaches in the prevention and restoration of family violence : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Havea (née Taufa), SesimaniSubstantive literature exists on intimate partner violence and the efficacy of various response programmes. There is only limited knowledge of Pacific-indigenous understandings of and responses to violence within the kainga (families). This thesis explores aspects of the inaugural application of the Tongan conceptual framework of Fofola e fala ka e talanoa e kainga (laying out the mat so families can dialogue) as part of the faith-based Kainga Tu’umalie (prosperous families) family violence intervention and prevention programme in Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme is centred around weekend retreats involving Tongan households experiencing family violence. I was culturally immersed in observing, actively engaging in, and evaluating this programme during the retreats that involved 49 Tongan church kainga (families). Additionally, formal talanoa (a Pacific-indigenous way of engaging families in research) were conducted post retreat with seven faith-based community leaders to draw out their depth of cultural knowledge and how it was applied to the development and conduct of the programme. As well as drawing on the evaluative materials, talanoa were conducted with three participating families to further consider their experiences of the programme. Overall, this study found that Tongan indigenous cultural ways infused with faith-based values can be effective, transformational, and restorative for individuals and families experiencing violence. Core findings are encapsulated by three intersecting Tongan-Indigenous cultural concepts of: Ko e makatu’unga mo’ui mo e malohi (a powerful and living platform); Koe kolo malu mo e hufanga (a place of safety & refuge), and Fa’utaha (unity/harmony/peace). These concepts not only represent the interweaving of Christian faith and Tongan indigenous knowledge as symbolised by the Fofola e fala (laying out the mat) framework, but also inform our shared understanding of the intent and impacts of the Kainga Tu’umalie programme. These concepts also enlighten my analysis of the positive impacts of the programme on participating families’ and their commitments to engaging in efforts to transform their everyday interactions to create more harmonious relationships within which they can thrive together. Participant accounts foreground the importance and potential of working with key faith-based and cultural values to address patterns of violence collectively within Tongan kainga (families), and with support from wider community members. This research also speaks to the significance of leveraging collaborative partnerships between community-based agencies and faith-based communities in addressing social issues.Item Control of citrinin and pigments produced by Monascus purpureus during the fermentation of red fermented rice : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Food Technology at Massey University, Manawatu Campus, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024) Abdul Halim, FarawahidaMonascus spp. is a fungal starter used to produce red fermented rice (RFR). This product has some health benefits and contains pigments that can act as natural colour and flavouring agents. However, Monascus spp. can also produce the mycotoxin, citrinin (CIT) which is believed to have adverse effects on human health. CIT in RFR has been reported worldwide by using different methods of detection. In this current research, Coconut Cream Agar (CCA) was developed as a simple and rapid semiquantitative method to screen CIT–producing Monascus spp. isolates from RFR. Two Monascus purpureus isolates, MF1 and MS1, were isolated. These isolates were identified based on the macroscopic and microscopic observations, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and beta–tubulin (β–tubulin) genes]. Further analysis showed that these isolates contained polyketide synthase (pksCT) and ctnA genes, which are CIT biosynthesis genes. These isolates exhibited fluorescence on CCA and were confirmed as CIT producers by Ultra–high performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector (UHPLC–FLD). A toxicity test was conducted using Artemia salina to determine the toxicity of CIT. The results showed that LC50 was 66 µg/mL. The fungal growth, CIT, pigments production, and pH of M. purpureus isolates were characterized on CCA for 30 days. Decreasing CIT levels were observed after incubation of MF1 and MS1 on CCA for 8 and 7 days, respectively. The pigments increased during this incubation time. There were similar trends for CIT and pigments observed during the production of RFR. CIT increased to a maximum level after 5 days of incubation and pigments increased from 5–9 days. There appears to be a relationship between pigments production and CIT levels during the growth of M. purpureus. Mixing CIT and pigments extracted from MF1 and MS1 resulted in a reduction of CIT by 26–68% and 16–45%, respectively. The results on specific pigments and their effect on CIT showed that ankaflavin, monascin, monascorubrin, rubropunctatin, and monascorubramine significantly reduced CIT, with the highest reduction produced by ankaflavin. The findings of this study suggest pigments production could be optimized to control CIT levels in Monascus–fermented products.Item Men's work : narratives of engaging with change and becoming non-violent : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024-07-26) Kean, Matthew JosephFamily violence continues to be a harsh reality for many families, whānau and communities around New Zealand. The primary aim of this project is to produce new possibilities for the violence prevention sector by linking theory and community practices supporting men, and their families, with pathways of change in relation to their cultural, gendered, socio-economic, and religious experiences of the world. In partnership with Gandhi Nivas, a community-based organisation providing early intervention support services to families in the Auckland region, I collaborate with men accessing Gandhi Nivas for support to bring to the fore an ethics of care empowering non-normative processes of change towards non-violence. Informed with the philosophies of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, I provide an autoethnographic analysis of fieldwork experiences, 1:1 interviews, and a weekly men’s social support group, expanding on Rosi Braidotti’s nomadic theory to privilege narratives of events, felt experiences, and embodied memories of different institutional, legal, political, and socio-cultural forces conditioning men’s every day social worlds. With narratives as a form of re-remembering men’s sticky networks of affective memories, I experiment with nomadic subjectivity as a cartographic methodology capable of tracing sensorial data with enlivening moments of bodily sensation. This is not a straightforward task. A complex project, I craft a mosaic of affective connections with selections of notes, transcripts and events reverberating flows of materiality that produce changes to specific social, political, gendered, and cultural locations, enabling me to reflexively analyse what experiences follow me, what social processes I have articulated, and what processes are left off the page. I elaborate an understanding of nomadic subjectivity as a tactic enabling me to bear witness to both men’s capacities for violence and non-violence within men’s social world, by unfolding affective memories with a series of textually connected hesitations, pauses, and irruptions of social forces conditioning how we experience the world. Informed with Deleuzian political thought, nomadic narratives help me materialise different, unpredictable arrangements of fluxes, flows, and forces with indefinite processes of individuation, providing different potentials, capacities, and limits past the limits of normative knowability. Retrospectively evoking the complexities of following the affective movement of men, which we bring out into the community and to others, this research positions non-violence not just as the absence of violence, but as an iterative process of embodying variations in arrangements and connections of thought processes, propelling alternative modes of relations empowering an ethics of care and concern for others through which violence becomes less possible, reduced, and mitigated. Engaging with an organisation that celebrates difference within ethical frameworks of care informing a diversity of professional practices and experiences, this collaborative, community-oriented research project embraces embodied understandings of change processes men experience whilst in the care of Gandhi Nivas, and puts to work DeleuzoGuattarian non-normative subjectivities of affectivity and intensity as entry points to resonate embodied materiality I cannot know—but feel. With men invoking becomings of non-violence unable to be represented with normative masculinities and hegemonic notions of violence and non-violence, writing a nomadic subject enables me to attend to how different experiences of forces act on and through us, affirming empowering productions of a self with the material and discursive possibilities of men’s daily life.Item Developing One Health surveillance systems(Elsevier B.V., 2023-12-01) Hayman DTS; Adisasmito WB; Almuhairi S; Behravesh CB; Bilivogui P; Bukachi SA; Casas N; Becerra NC; Charron DF; Chaudhary A; Ciacci Zanella JR; Cunningham AA; Dar O; Debnath N; Dungu B; Farag E; Gao GF; Khaitsa M; Machalaba C; Mackenzie JS; Markotter W; Mettenleiter TC; Morand S; Smolenskiy V; Zhou L; Koopmans MThe health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the environment are inter-dependent. Global anthropogenic change is a key driver of disease emergence and spread and leads to biodiversity loss and ecosystem function degradation, which are themselves drivers of disease emergence. Pathogen spill-over events and subsequent disease outbreaks, including pandemics, in humans, animals and plants may arise when factors driving disease emergence and spread converge. One Health is an integrated approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize human, animal and ecosystem health. Conventional disease surveillance has been siloed by sectors, with separate systems addressing the health of humans, domestic animals, cultivated plants, wildlife and the environment. One Health surveillance should include integrated surveillance for known and unknown pathogens, but combined with this more traditional disease-based surveillance, it also must include surveillance of drivers of disease emergence to improve prevention and mitigation of spill-over events. Here, we outline such an approach, including the characteristics and components required to overcome barriers and to optimize an integrated One Health surveillance system.Item Shining a light on recovery : investigating the effectiveness of bright light therapy in mitigating fatigue after mild traumatic brain injury : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Connolly, Kathryn MarieFatigue is a common and debilitating symptom experienced by individuals following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Despite its prevalence, post-mTBI fatigue remains a challenging, and at times misunderstood condition, with a scarcity of scientifically evidenced treatment approaches. The complexity of fatigue's underlying causes in this population calls for further research. Recognising its significant impact on individuals' quality of life emphasises the need to identify effective interventions and enhance symptom management. This study aims to investigate the potential effectiveness of daily bright light exposure as a non-invasive intervention to alleviate fatigue in the post-mTBI population. While existing research has shown positive outcomes for bright light therapy in managing fatigue in broader traumatic brain injury populations, the current study focuses on individuals with injuries at the mild end of the spectrum, offering valuable insights into the efficacy of this treatment in a more targeted context. The primary objective of the research was to investigate whether daily bright light exposure effectively reduced fatigue symptoms in individuals with mTBI. Additionally, the study aimed to explore the impact of light exposure on secondary outcomes, including daytime sleepiness, sleep quality, depression, anxiety, stress, and circadian rest-activity cycles. To address recruitment challenges, a randomised multiple baseline controlled trial design was adopted. The results revealed that all nine participants consistently experienced significant fatigue throughout the study. Fatigue levels appeared to decrease during the bright light therapy sessions suggesting a potential positive impact of bright light exposure on fatigue, although this reduction was not statistically significant across the group. Due to limitations in data, the ability to confidently demonstrate efficacy was low and this prompted a shift in focus towards assessing the feasibility of conducting research of this nature. Moving forward, future studies can benefit from an understanding of the complexities involved in implementing intensive intervention protocols. The current study demonstrates a need for close collaboration with participants to monitor adherence and potential side effects, alongside coordination with colleagues in the mTBI field to ensure access to a sufficient participant pool for achieving statistically significant results. Overall, this research provides some limited evidence of positive effects from bright light therapy for select individuals and contributes to the expanding body of evidence investigating light as a potential intervention for alleviating fatigue symptoms post-mTBI. More importantly, by shedding light on the hurdles in implementing such interventions among individuals with mTBI, it contributes to the development of targeted and potentially effective interventions for improving the quality of life for individuals affected by this condition. It is hoped that this study contributes to the broader literature aimed at facilitating better outcomes for individuals with mTBI and related fatigue symptoms.Item Biofilm formation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Food Microbiology at Massey University, Campus Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2024-05-20) Wang, DanVibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood can cause food poisoning. There is increasing concern with the increase in reports of illness globally believed to be due to climate change affecting sea temperatures. Biofilm formation of V. parahaemolyticus is an additional concern as biofilms are more resistant to cleaning and sanitation than planktonic cells. However, little is known about the biofilm formation of V. parahaemolyticus. Strain variation and the factors determining biofilm formation were investigated in this study with the aim to provide information that can be used to design more effective control strategies. This study identified two robust biofilm forming strains (PFR30J09 and PFR34B02) from nine V. parahaemolyticus seafood isolates. Comparative genome analysis unveiled 136 unique accessory genes in robust biofilm formers. Protein-protein-interaction analysis showed interactions between UDP-glucose metabolism (Gene ontology (GO): 0006011), cellulose biosynthesis (GO: 0030244), rhamnose metabolism (GO: 0019299) and O antigen biosynthesis (GO: 0009243). Cellulose contributed to robust biofilm formation. Cellulose biosynthesis was identified as being acquired from within the order Vibrionales. The cellulose synthase operons consisting of genes bcsG, bcsE, bcsQ, bcsA, bcsB, bcsZ, bcsC were present in 15.94% (22/138) of V. parahaemolyticus. Strong biofilm-forming V. parahaemolyticus showed greater resistance to sanitizers of biofilm cells than the weaker biofilm forming cells. The effective concentrations of sodium hypochlorite for inactivating most V. parahaemolyticus biofilm cells were higher than the recommended concentration. Available chlorine of 1176 mg/L inactivated 1.74-2.28 log10 CFU/cm2 of biofilm on stainless steel surfaces and 4704 mg/L inactivated > 7.00 log10 CFU/cm2 of biofilm (to undetectable levels, < 10 CFU/cm2), except for biofilms formed by the strong biofilm formers. Peracetic acid (PAA) at 200 ppm (89.56 mg/L PAA, 471.64 mg/L hydrogen peroxide) inactivated > 5.00 log10 CFU/cm2 of biofilm from stainless steel surfaces (except for those the strong biofilm formers, see Figure 4.4). RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) identified 74 differentially expressed genes when comparing planktonic and biofilm cells of V. parahaemolyticus. These represented the rearrangement of nucleotide and energy metabolism in biofilm cells. Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, purine and pyrimidine metabolism, propanoate metabolism, and valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation were deemed essential in the young V. parahaemolyticus biofilms. Genes of purH, purF, pdhA are potential genetic targets for biofilm prevention and control of V. parahaemolyticus. Understanding V. parahaemolyticus biofilm formation will help to design strategies to overcome the limitations of chemical sanitizers, improving product safety and quality in the seafood industry.Item A Cross Sectional Survey of International Horse-Racing Authorities on Injury Data Collection and Reporting Practices For Professional Jockeys(Elsevier Inc, 2021-09) O'Connor S; Hitchens PL; Bolwell C; Annan R; McGoldrick A; Fortington LVJockey injuries are common in professional horse-racing and can result in life-threatening or career-ending outcomes. Robust injury data are essential to understand the circumstances of injury occurrence and ultimately identify prevention opportunities. This study aimed to identify jockey injury surveillance practices of international horse-racing authorities (HRAs) and the specific data items collected and reported by each HRA. A cross-sectional survey of representatives (e.g. Chief Medical Officer) from international HRAs was conducted. An online and paper questionnaire was designed comprised of 32 questions. Questions considered the barriers and facilitators to data collection within each HRA, and where available, what data were collected and reported by HRAs. Representatives from 15 international racing jurisdictions were included, of which 12 reported collection of race day injuries or falls, using varied definitions of medical attention and time loss. Six HRAs did not have a definition for a jockey injury, and eight HRAs had no parameters for describing injury severity. Race day exposure was collected by two HRAs. Results were commonly presented by HRAs as the number of injuries (n = 9/15) or proportion of injured jockeys (n = 6/15). The lack of a designated role for collection, collation and reporting of data was the main barrier for injury surveillance. Twelve HRAs agreed that mandatory collection would be a strong facilitator to improving practice. Enhancement and standardization of international jockey injury surveillance is required to move forward with evidence informed prevention. Concurrent investigation of how reporting practices can be best supported within existing HRA structures is recommended.