Zealand Research Research Articles

The houses children live in: policies to improve housing quality

New Zealand ranks near the bottom of the OECD in its health and safety rating for its children (Public Health Advisory Committee, 2010). One of the key drivers of this is the relatively poor state of our housing. Young children spend virtually all of their time in the home environment, much of which is poor quality rental housing (Baker, Keall et al., 2007). The Children’s Commissioner’s Expert Advisory Group on Solutions to Child Poverty (EAG) recently highlighted the broad costs of not maintaining this essential infrastructure for the health of children, their educational opportunities and household income. New Zealand research has clearly demonstrated that improving the quality of housing enhances children’s health and attendance at school, while more energy efficient houses reduce our carbon emissions. This article gives an overview of current research and discusses the feasibility of various policies to address this pressing problem.

Increasing the use of alcohol screening and brief intervention in New Zealand

New Zealand has high rates of acute alcohol-related harm relative to chronic harm, and when compared with other countries. Acute harm is typically caused by binge drinking. New Zealand alcohol use surveys consistently find that about 20–25% of adult drinkers binge drink. There is substantial overseas evidence that alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) in primary health care is effective and cost-effective for reducing alcohol harm among binge drinkers. However, while there is also growing evidence that alcohol SBI can successfully be implemented in New Zealand, the approach has been significantly under-utilised. This article provides a brief overview of New Zealand research that supports a case for increasing the use of alcohol SBI in primary health care. It also highlights that when looking to successfully implement alcohol SBI in other settings, it is important to ensure that the intervention is simple and purpose-built for both the setting and recipient.

AN OVERVIEW OF DROWNING IN NEW ZEALAND AND ASSOCIATED RESEARCH EFFORTS

BackgroundWater Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) is New Zealand's national organisation responsible for water safety education, awareness and prevention. It represents 35 organisations within New Zealand that have an interest in...

PREVENTING FALLS IN OLDER PEOPLE: THE NEW ZEALAND EXPERIENCE

BackgroundNew Zealand researchers have made major contributions to the development of proven falls prevention programmes in older people. National strategies for falls and injury prevention have been implemented.ObjectivesTo review the...

Two frameworks for preparing teachers for the shift from local to global educational environments

The research outlined in this paper is based on the convergence of two conceptual frameworks that guide the transfer of knowledge and skills from traditional teacher education, which focused on teaching in single classrooms, to open networked learning environments that include both inter-institutional teaching and learning and local and global community engagement. Through these frameworks, schools can be extended in terms of time, space, organisation, and capacity. This will be demonstrated on the basis of New Zealand research in inner-city urban environments and Canadian research in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. There are implications for the professional education of teachers from schools that have the capacity to engage with global learning environments including new ways of relating to learners, learners’ parents, networks and communities. Several of these implications will be analysed in the conclusion of the paper and should generate discussion that will inform current and future research.

Conducting a paediatric multi‐centre RCT with an industry partner: Challenges and lessons learned

There are many benefits of multi-centred research including large sample sizes, statistical power, timely recruitment and generalisability of results. However, there are numerous considerations when planning and implementing a multi-centred study. This article reviews the challenges and successes of planning and implementing a multi-centred prospective randomised control trial involving an industry partner. The research investigated the impact on psychosocial functioning of a cosmetic camouflage product for children and adolescents with burn scarring. Multi-centred studies commonly have many stakeholders. Within this study, six Australian and New Zealand paediatric burn units as well as an industry partner were involved. The inclusion of an industry partner added complexities as they brought different priorities and expectations to the research. Further, multifaceted ethical and institutional approval processes needed to be negotiated. The challenges, successes, lessons learned and recommendations from this study regarding Australian and New Zealand ethics and research governance approval processes, collaboration with industry partners and the management of differing expectations will be outlined. Recommendations for future multi-centred research with industry partners include provision of regular written reports for the industry partner; continual monitoring and prompt resolution of concerns; basic research practices education for industry partners; minimisation of industry partner contact with participants; clear roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders and utilisation of single ethical review if available.

‘Homes’ and being ‘at home’ in New Zealand: women's place-making in internationalised higher education

Research on students' experiences in internationalised higher education largely assumes students' autonomy and privileges their public selves. New Zealand research is no exception. Little attention has been paid to students' lives beyond classroom contexts; how national policy and institutional practices shape students' everyday experiences and ‘home’ lives similarly and differently. In addition, gender is afforded scant attention or considered only as a secondary concern, and people whose partners or family members are international students are invisible. This article endeavours to address the relative inattention to gender in international education research and the invisibility of women whose partners are international students. It draws on data from interviews with 17 women involved in a broader doctoral research project during 2005 and 2006. The women were either migrant or international students or had partners enrolled as international students. The article uses ‘home’ as a lens for examining women's situated and transnational place-making and factors that promoted or precluded a sense of belonging in New Zealand. It draws connections between women's accounts of ‘home’ and feeling ‘at home’, and broader politics, policies and institutional practices in New Zealand higher education.

A systems perspective on nursing productivity

Recent New Zealand reports have identified the nursing workforce for its potential to make a significant contribution to increased productivity in health services. The purpose of this paper is to review critically the recent and current labour approaches to improve nursing productivity in New Zealand, in a context of international research and experience. An examination of government documents regarding productivity, and a review of New Zealand and international literature and research on nursing productivity and its measurement form the basis of the paper. It is found that productivity improvement strategies are influenced by theories of labour economics and scientific management that conceptualise a nurse as a labour unit and a cost to the organisation. Nursing productivity rose significantly with the health reforms of the 1990s that reduced nursing input costs but impacts on patient safety and nurses were negative. Current approaches to increasing nursing productivity, including the "productive ward" and reconfiguration of nursing teams, also draw on manufacturing innovations. Emerging thinking considers productivity in the context of the work environment and changing professional roles, and proposes reconceptualising the nurse as an intellectual asset to knowledge-intensive health organisations. Strategies that take a systems approach to nursing productivity, that view nursing as a capital asset, that focus on the interface between nurse and working environment and measure patient and nurse outcomes are advocated. The paper shows that reframing nursing productivity brings into focus management strategies to raise productivity while protecting nursing and patient outcomes.

Historicising the ‘Big O.E.’: New Approaches to New Zealand Tourists and Travel Writing Abroad

AbstractNew Zealand scholars only began to focus on New Zealanders’ leisured travelling abroad in the last decade, far more recently than scholars from other former British settler colonies commenced research on past travellers from their nations. New Zealand research sits within a nexus of popular assertions or stereotypes about the importance of travel for the development of New Zealand culture, and about the national characteristics of New Zealanders. This article outlines the trends which have emerged within this small pool of literature, and argues scholars who have researched the O.E., or overseas experience, have tended to look ‘inwards’ at pre‐existing local understandings of the value of travel, while scholars considering other models of travel by New Zealanders have more often turned their attention ‘outwards’, using post‐colonial frameworks. I argue that between these strands of scholarship lie many opportunities for further research on New Zealand international tourists and travel writers, and that this scholarship is necessary in order to adequately reflect upon the importance which has been attributed to New Zealanders’ travels by historians and public commentators.

Māori Traditional Knowledge and the Wai 262 Report: A Coherent Way Forward?

Twenty years after it was first filed, the Wai 262 report was finally handed to the New Zealand Government on 2 July 2011. Making recommendations on the place of Māori in New Zealand with respect to their cultural heritage, such as their traditional cultural expressions, traditional knowledge and guardianship role over these and fauna and flora, the report has the potential to change the future of New Zealand research practice, trade and intellectual property rights. This paper analyses the recommendations made in the report, focussing on the claims made over taonga species (treasured species, with guardians) and related mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge). It further addresses whether the recommendations are internally coherent, create coherency between different areas of law and are consistent with New Zealand’s international obligations. In doing so, it attempts to fill in details left out by the Tribunal.

Food Regimes Revisited: A New Zealand Perspective

‘Food Regimes’ was coined by Friedmann and McMichael in 1989 and provided a organising framework for a considerable amount of Australian and New Zealand research during a period of economic restructuring and ‘deregulation’. Subsequently Food regimes were overtaken by other perspectives in New Zealand and elsewhere including an interest in commodity productions chains, regulation, postproductivist landscapes, and post structural political economy. More recently McMichael has reintroduced Food Regimes to his analysis. The paper will compare and contrast McMichael’s earlier and more recent engagements with Food Regimes. The export meat, the dairy, and pip fruit industries of Zealand it will be used to illustrate points about the timing, boundaries and margins as well as the transformation of Food Regimes. Finally the paper will attempt to connect the more recent focus on commodity chain analysis and post productivist landscapes with McMichael’s renewed interest in food Regimes.

Science as a service: understanding successful knowledge transfer in a New Zealand research institute

This paper reports on an exercise conducted within a state-owned body (Crown Research Institute) in New Zealand aimed at building greater understanding of the key factors in successful research programmes. Success was defined in this study as a high level of uptake of the emerging science, with commensurate benefits to both industry and the community. The methodology had three parts. A review of the knowledge and technology transfer literature; a series of 15 semi-structured interviews with science leaders; and a facilitated workshop. The purpose of the review was to generate a robust framework upon which to centre the interview dialogues, and two models were selected. The results varied, reflecting the diversity of research services provided by the organization, but the findings were predominantly new and valuable. The importance of the long term relationship with the end users was the strongest recurring theme. The methodology may have wider application in both research and consulting settings; for the benefits derived from the interactive process with staff, as well as for the specific findings.

New Zealand Research Ethics Committee Matters

New Zealand's health (and disability) ethics committees are children of public inquiries: the ‘Cartwright’ ministerial inquiry of 1988, the ‘Gisborne’ cervical screening ministerial inquiry of 2001, and the Health Select Committee clinical trials inquiry of 2011. The Cartwright inquiry strengthened external scrutiny of research. The Gisborne Inquiry strengthened ethics committee accountability and expertise, and greatly streamlined review process. The Health Select Committee inquiry is further sharpening accountability and process. Under-discussed systemic issues also persist, including: how to keep the ethical primacy of the researcher-participant relationship and of researcher responsibility for good study conduct; whether the point of ethics committees is to facilitate good research as well as to protect participants; and whether ethics committees are just standard public bodies - to be given powers and limitations just like any other administrative tribunal or licensing board.

Identification of Accelerometer Nonwear Time and Sedentary Behavior

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image sizeKey words: adultmeasurephysical activity Additional informationNotes on contributorsMelody OliverAt the time of this study, the first two authors were supported by National Heart Foundation of New Zealand research fellowships. A Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences Auckland University of Technology Summer Studentship supported the third author. Please address correspondence concerning this article to Melody Oliver, Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Mail #A-24, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.

Teachers' conceptions of citizenship in New Zealand social studies education

Although 'citizenship' has long been a feature of New Zealand social studies curricula, there has been little New Zealand research about the meanings teachers attach to the concept. On the basis of a number of focus group interviews, we examine conceptions of citizenship held by primary and secondary social studies teachers. The discussions reveal that many teachers framed citizenship as 'belonging' – a heuristic that was sufficiently malleable and open to embrace pluralism, and different scales of citizenry, while attempting to maintain a sense of cohesiveness. While 'citizenship as belonging' may hold appeal, the absence of critical debate about contested aspects of citizenship within the teachers' discussions is problematic. We argue that the New Zealand social studies teaching community vitally and urgently requires exposure to debates about 'citizenship' and citizenship education.

Staff Perceptions of End-of-Life Care in Aged Residential Care: A New Zealand Perspective

Increasingly, aged residential care (ARC) facilities are places where the lives of older people with complex care needs end. Hence, end-of-life (EOL) care is a significant component of work for ARC staff. In the absence of New Zealand research, staff perceptions of EOL care were sought at three aged-care facilities in a New Zealand District Health Board region. The research provided valuable data regarding care delivery and can be used to inform the introduction of an integrated care pathway (ICP). EOL care pathways are not commonly used in New Zealand ARC facilities and the influence of ICPs, such as the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) for the dying patient has not been investigated. Additionally, most international studies report on the introduction of the LCP without baseline preimplementation data. In the present study, staff (n = 195) involved in caring for residents, their families, and whānau at EOL were surveyed to obtain demographic data and staff perceptions of EOL care via Likert scale and open ended questions. A response rate of 32% was obtained. Respondents indicated a relatively high level of confidence regarding their care of the dying, including aspects of communication, teamwork and use of documentation. However, this was often contradicted by their written responses. Written comments were analyzed thematically and six themes identified: the naturalness of dying; the character of care; care relationships; emotional response; knowledge; and the organizational environment. Data analysis provided a rich and informative description of staff perceptions of EOL and issues influencing care.

Abstract 4391: OCTN1- and OCTN2-mediated uptake of oxaliplatin in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons and HEK293 cells over-expressing OCTN1 or OCTN2

Abstract Purpose: Organic cation transporters (OCTs) have been recently implicated in the uptake and toxicity of oxaliplatin. Peripheral neuropathy is the dose-limiting toxicity of oxaliplatin due to accumulation of platinum in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and damage to sensory neurons. This study sought to determine the role of OCTs in the DRG neuronal uptake of oxaliplatin. Experimental Design: [14C] Oxaliplatin uptake and cytotoxicity in HEK/rOctn1, HEK/rOctn2, HEK/hOCTN1, HEK/hOCTN2, and primary culture of DRG neurons was determined to evaluate the role of Octn1 and Octn2 in oxaliplatin transport and neurotoxicity. mRNA, protein and functional expression of organic cation transporters in rat lumbar DRG were characterised using RT-PCR, Western blotting and uptake of model OCT substrates [3H] MPP, [14C] TEA, [3H] ergothioneine and [3H] L-carnitine. Results: HEK293 cells over-expressing rOctn1, rOctn2, hOCTN1 and hOCTN2 showed increased uptake and cytotoxicity of oxaliplatin compared to Mock-transfected HEK293 controls, and Octn2-mediated uptake of oxaliplatin was significantly higher than Octn1 in both human and rat. Uptake of ergothioneine mediated by Octn1, and L-carnitine mediated by Octn2, was decreased during oxaliplatin exposure. Rat DRG showed high Octn1 and Octn2 mRNA levels, and uptake of ergothioneine and L-carnitine that was temperature- and sodium-dependent and significantly inhibited by model substrates of Octn1 and Octn2. In contrast, DRG had negligible functional activity and low or undetectable mRNA levels of Oct1, Oct2, and Oct3. [14C] Oxaliplatin uptake by DRG neurons was temperature- and sodium-dependent and inhibited by ergothioneine and L-carnitine. Ergothioneine and L-carnitine uptake by DRG neurons was inhibited in the presence of oxaliplatin. Conclusions: In conclusion, Octn1 and Octn2, but not Oct1, Oct2 or Oct3, are functionally expressed in rat DRG neurons. Oxaliplatin uptake by rat DRG neurons and HEK293 cells was mediated by Octn2 and to lesser extent by Octn1. Supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (I. T.), Research Activity Start-up (T. N.), Auckland Medical Research Foundation (Doctoral Scholarship) and Cancer Society of New Zealand (Research Grant). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4391. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4391

Post Cardiac Arrest Syndrome

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a common initial presentation of cardiovascular disease, affecting up to 325 000 people in the United States each year.1 In a recent meta-analysis of >140 000 patients with OHCA, survival to hospital admission was 23.8%, and survival to hospital discharge was only 7.6%.2 In patients who initially achieve return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after OHCA, the significant subsequent morbidity and mortality are due largely to the cerebral and cardiac dysfunction that accompanies prolonged whole-body ischemia. This syndrome, called the post cardiac arrest syndrome, comprises anoxic brain injury, post cardiac arrest myocardial dysfunction, systemic ischemia/reperfusion response, and persistent precipitating pathology3,4 (Table 1). The contribution of each of these components in an individual patient depends on various factors, including prearrest comorbidities, duration of the ischemic insult, and cause of the cardiac arrest. This review focuses on therapeutic strategies and recent developments in managing patients who are initially resuscitated from cardiac arrest. View this table: Table 1. Post Cardiac Arrest Syndrome: Pathophysiology and Potential Treatment Strategies There are 3 major aspects that require consideration in the management of the post cardiac arrest patient. After resuscitation, a decision must be made in relation to the appropriate triage of the OHCA patient. The next phase of management concerns the in-hospital treatment, which must address each component of the postarrest syndrome as appropriate for the individual patient. Finally, there are issues relating to prognostication and the deployment of various secondary prevention measures. Our recommended treatment algorithm is summarized in the Figure. This ideally follows from the implementation of basic and advanced life support measures, including effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation when appropriate, which are major determinants of outcome.2 Such an approach to care may be further modified according to the presence of other comorbidities and precipitating factors, which should be assessed …

Applying complexity theory to New Zealand public policy: principles for practice

Interest in the development of complexity theory and its application to policy and social sciences has been accelerating over the last decade. Drawing on three pieces of recent New Zealand research, this article aims to provide an introduction to complexity theory for policy practitioners and researchers, highlighting principles of complexity theory relevant to improving policy practice and the positive impact of interventions.

New Zealand needs more production pastoral research

Last year I took this opportunity to express my views on the advantages of on-farm research, which generated some interesting discussion. This year I would like to widen the frame and discuss the state of New Zealand pastoral research, and in particular the type of research that comes through our Association, from my perspective as a farmer and user of research. I have taken a particular interest in New Zealand research, because I emigrated to New Zealand. Since I did not grow up here, with the benefits of experience or New Zealand education, I have found reading research papers and attending conferences such as this one, a very useful way of firstly getting up to speed and now advancing our operations at Castlepoint Station. I have been concerned about the focus of New Zealand pastoral research in recent years moving away from production research. An example of this would be the volume of papers that come through our proceedings, which although useful in some contexts, in my view will not be useful in generating economic returns. This year over a third of the papers appeared to cover subjects that would not generate a return on farm, but rather focussed on social science and modelling issues. Some of that work is interesting, but how much of it will really make a difference to the economy or environment?