Zealand Experience Research Articles

THE NEW ZEALAND EXPERIENCE OF THE TRANSITION TO THE INFLATION TARGETING REGIME AND ITS FEATURES

The article examines the New Zealand experience of the transition to inflation targeting. In particular, the necessity and reasons for New Zealand’s transition to this regime were analyzed. When adjusting inflation expectations, the Reserve Bank’s activities in cooperation with the government were taken into account. The influence of the official cash rate on market rates was also studied. In addition, the exchange rate of the “Comfort zone” and the “Trade Weighted Index” were studied as part of the monetary policy. As part of open market operations, the Reserve Bank’s “Quantitative easing” instruments were analyzed.

Knowledge, perceptions, and behavioral responses to earthquake early warning in Aotearoa New Zealand

IntroductionAotearoa New Zealand (NZ) experiences frequent earthquakes, with a history of damaging and fatal events, but currently does not have a national, official earthquake early warning (EEW) system. Since April of 2021, Google's Android Earthquake Alert System has operated independently in NZ. While recent work has identified general public support for such a system, it is important to assess public knowledge of EEW as well as typical responses to receiving an alert. The protective actions “Drop, cover, and hold” are recommended and taught in NZ and previous research found strong intentions to undertake these and other protective actions in response to an alert.MethodHowever, it is important to explore a range of responses to these novel EEWs, including how much people know about them, what actions they took in response to the warning, and their overall judgment of the system including its usefulness. We undertook surveys following two widely received alerts from the Android Earthquake Alert System to assess public knowledge, perceptions, and responses to these alerts with a total sample size of 3,150.ResultsWhile most participants who received the alert found it useful, knowledge of both EEW generally and the Android System specifically was low and few participants used the time to protect themselves from shaking.DiscussionThese findings reiterate the importance of education and communication around a warning system, so that the public know how to act when they receive an alert.

Considerations for collecting data in Māori population for automatic detection of schizophrenia using natural language processing: a New Zealand experience

Considerations for collecting data in Māori population for automatic detection of schizophrenia using natural language processing: a New Zealand experience

Adverse Outcomes With Cardiac Sarcoid: New Zealand Experience in the Modern Era

Diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) has increased with availability of multi-modal imaging yet presenting phenotype and natural history of the disease remain highly variable. This study evaluated experience in the Auckland/Northland regions between 2004 and 2022. A retrospective observational study of patients with CS defined according to Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) criteria. Demographics, diagnostic presentation, and adverse clinical outcomes were evaluated, including heart failure, ventricular arrhythmia (VA), device therapy, transplant, and death. Ninety-nine patients met diagnostic criteria for CS; median age was 55±11 years and 52% were male. Clinical presentations included symptomatic conduction disease in 53%, new heart failure in 24%, in VA 16%, and incidental in 6%. Diagnosis was confirmed by imaging studies: cardiac MRI in 85 patients (86%) and/or positive computed tomography-positron emission tomography (CT-PET) in 47 (47%), and positive cardiac biopsy in 24 (24%). Devices were implanted in 84 (85%) patients, with defibrillator capability in 67 (80%). Seventy (71%) patients experienced 158 adverse events: death in 13%, heart failure in 28%, VA in 27%, device therapies in 21%, progressive conduction disease in 7%, atrial arrhythmias in 3%, stroke in 1%, and transplant in 6%. Twenty-two patients (26%) did not meet Class I indications for implantable cardioverter defibrillator, but more than one-third required device therapy. A regimen of high-dose steroid (>30 mg prednisone) with a tapering regimen was used in 65% of patients, with additional steroid sparing agents in 55%. Complete disease suppression was assessed by repeat PET at 3 months was observed in 55%. Adverse cardiovascular events are common with CS. Over 50% of patients experience cardiac arrhythmia and consideration of appropriate device therapy is important at diagnosis.

Ethnicity Based Outcome Differences Following Cardiac Surgery in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia, and Māori and Pacific Islanders in Aotearoa New Zealand experience worse outcomes in cardiovascular health compared with non-indigenous people. Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) and Auckland City Hospital (ACH) provide cardiothoracic services to the Northern territory and South Australia and Northern region of New Zealand, respectively. Both countries have implemented policy to achieve health equality for indigenous peoples. This study aimed to compare practices and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Māori and Pacific Islanders with non-indigenous patients receiving cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass.

Let us start thinking about what to do in the event of a global influenza pandemic.

New Zealand in a bubble (Illustration by Nicola Marshall, MRINZ). These stringent public health measures were effective in eliminating COVID-19 for prolonged periods of time in New Zealand. Unexpectedly, the measures also prevented an autumn/winter 2020 influenza epidemic (https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32166-8). It was not possible to determine the relative importance of each of the specific public health measures in preventing the 2020 influenza epidemic. However, the New Zealand experience in 2021 provided some valuable insights into this question. During the autumn/winter of 2021, when a seasonal influenza epidemic would have been expected, there were no positive influenza isolates from New Zealand reported to the WHO (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2021.09.013). New Zealand was at ‘alert level 1’ during this period, when the previous public health measures had been markedly scaled back, with the exception of strict border controls and mask wearing in specific situations, which were retained. The border controls severely limited travel into New Zealand, and required those who did enter to isolate for 14 days in an MIQ facility, although for short periods those travelling from Australia were exempt from this MIQ requirement. While recognizing the inherent limitations in the interpretation of such observational data, these findings suggest that strict border controls can prevent seasonal influenza epidemics. Presumably cases of influenza did enter the country, but were contained by the strict MIQ system, and did not spread beyond the quarantine facilities. This case example has a number of important implications. Firstly, it provides an evidence base for the implementation of border restrictions and MIQ systems in the setting of a global influenza pandemic. Secondly, it does raise the issue as to whether many of the other public health measures employed in New Zealand may not be required in the setting of a global influenza pandemic, at least for prolonged periods. This is an important consideration, as many of the ancillary measures such as school and work closures have profound adverse effects on the community. Let us start thinking about what to do in the event of a global influenza pandemic. We have a portfolio of public health measures that have been used during the COVID-19 pandemic that might be rapidly implemented. Of the potential measures, strict border controls including managed quarantine, together with face mask wearing, are likely to represent the key preventive measures. None declared.

BRAF-mediated brain tumors in adults and children: A review and the Australian and New Zealand experience.

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway signaling pathway is one of the most commonly mutated pathways in human cancers. In particular, BRAF alterations result in constitutive activation of the rapidly accelerating fibrosarcoma-extracellular signal-regulated kinase-MAPK significant pathway, leading to cellular proliferation, survival, and dedifferentiation. The role of BRAF mutations in oncogenesis and tumorigenesis has spurred the development of targeted agents, which have been successful in treating many adult cancers. Despite advances in other cancer types, the morbidity and survival outcomes of patients with glioma have remained relatively stagnant. Recently, there has been recognition that MAPK dysregulation is almost universally present in paediatric and adult gliomas. These findings, accompanying broad molecular characterization of gliomas, has aided prognostication and offered opportunities for clinical trials testing targeted agents. The use of targeted therapies in this disease represents a paradigm shift, although the biochemical complexities has resulted in unexpected challenges in the development of effective BRAF inhibitors. Despite these challenges, there are promising data to support the use of BRAF inhibitors alone and in combination with MEK inhibitors for patients with both low-grade and high-grade glioma across age groups. Safety and efficacy data demonstrate that many of the toxicities of these targeted agents are tolerable while offering objective responses. Newer clinical trials will examine the use of these therapies in the upfront setting. Appropriate duration of therapy and durability of response remains unclear in the glioma patient cohort. Longitudinal efficacy and toxicity data are needed. Furthermore, access to these medications remains challenging outside of clinical trials in Australia and New Zealand. Compassionate access is limited, and advocacy for mechanism of action-based drug approval is ongoing.

Sexual and reproductive health knowledges: a study with Pacific young people enrolled in an Aotearoa New Zealand tertiary institution

Pacific young people living in Aotearoa New Zealand experience disparities in their sexual and reproductive health outcomes, thought to stem from cultural differences and educational inequities. Although these barriers have been characterised in literature, their influence on Pacific youth’s understandings of sexual and reproductive health have been relatively unexplored. This study investigated the sexual and reproductive health knowledge of Pacific students enrolled at a university in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2020 and where they gained this knowledge. The study used the theoretical framework of the (revitalised) Fonofale health model and was guided by the Kakala research methodology. Data were collected by means of an online survey comprised of open-ended questions and Likert scales, completed by eighty-one eligible students. Open-ended questions were analysed for general themes and responses to Likert scale items are reported using descriptive statistical analysis. The study found that Pacific youth have strong foundations of health knowledge that is heavily influenced by Polynesian cultural beliefs. Both formal and non-formal learning environments were important in developing participants’ health knowledge of these topics and for encouraging independent help-seeking behaviours. This is the first reported study to investigate the sexual and reproductive health knowledges of a pan-Pacific tertiary cohort of young people.

Designing Law and Policy for the Health and Resilience of Marine and Coastal Ecosystems—Lessons From (and for) Aotearoa New Zealand

Ecosystem-based approaches to marine management, which integrate marine law and policy across sectors, communities, and scales, are increasingly advocated for in international policy debates and scholarly literature. We highlight critical and timely opportunities in Aotearoa New Zealand’s evolving legal context to support an ecosystem-based approach across fisheries regulation, biodiversity conservation, environmental effects management, and Indigenous or customary rights. Given the scale of proposed law reform affecting the ocean in Aotearoa New Zealand, there are important global lessons to be elucidated from (and for) the Aotearoa New Zealand experience, revealing the potential for law to center the health of ocean ecosystems and related people in integrated marine decision making.

Pandemic recordkeeping – the New Zealand experience

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review the recordkeeping response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand. It identifies how archival authorities supported potential changes in recordkeeping practice as a result of constraints brought about by the pandemic, in particular the shift to work-from-home as the dominant paradigm.Design/methodology/approachAnalysis of guidance, standards and initiatives published online by New Zealand archival authorities in the early stages of the pandemic was undertaken and contextualised with international counterparts.FindingsFindings indicate that guidance provided to support changes in recordkeeping practice brought about by the pandemic was high-level, outlining potential considerations and possible pitfalls but did not provide applied advice on how to approach the shift to a work-from-home reality.Originality/valueResearch into the effects of the pandemic on recordkeeping practice and output is in its infancy; this paper contributes a brief insight into the New Zealand experience.

Apple cultivar breeding for multigenic resistance to multiple diseases: the New Zealand experience

Apple cultivar breeding for multigenic resistance to multiple diseases: the New Zealand experience

Correction to: Ultra-Long Transfers for Endovascular Thrombectomy-Mission Impossible?: The Australia-New Zealand Experience.

HomeStrokeVol. 54, No. 3Correction to: Ultra-Long Transfers for Endovascular Thrombectomy—Mission Impossible?: The Australia-New Zealand Experience Free AccessCorrectionPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessCorrectionPDF/EPUBCorrection to: Ultra-Long Transfers for Endovascular Thrombectomy—Mission Impossible?: The Australia-New Zealand Experience Originally published27 Feb 2023https://doi.org/10.1161/STR.0000000000000428Stroke. 2023;54:e124This article corrects the followingUltra-Long Transfers for Endovascular Thrombectomy—Mission Impossible?: The Australia-New Zealand ExperienceIn the article by Carlos Garcia-Esperon et al, “Ultra-Long Transfers for Endovascular Thrombectomy—Mission Impossible?: The Australia-New Zealand Experience,” which published online on November 23, 2022, and appeared in the January 2023 issue of Stroke (Stroke.2023;54:151–158. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.122.040480), a correction to the author list is needed.The authors notified the Editorial Office that one author was mistakenly omitted from the author list. Alvaro Cervera, PhD, has been added as an author. Dr Alvaro Cervera has nothing to disclose. All authors were notified of the updated author list.The author list now reads:Carlos Garcia-Esperon, PhD; Teddy Y. Wu, PhD; Vinicius Carraro do Nascimento, MD; Bernard Yan, PhD; Craig Kurunawai, MD; Tim Kleinig, PhD; Gregory Selkirk, MD; David Blacker, MBBS; P. Alan Barber, PhD; Annemarei Ranta, PhD; Alvaro Cervera, PhD; Andrew Wong, PhD; Peter Mitchell, PhD; Claire Muller, PhD; Hal Rice, MBBS; Laetitia De Villiers, MBChB; Jim Jannes, PhD; Jae Beom Hong, MBBS; Peter Bailey, MBBS; Helen Brown, MB BCh; Bruce C.V. Campbell, PhD; Duncan Wilson, PhD; John Fink, PhD; Timothy Ang, MD; Christopher Bladin, MD; Tim Phillips, PhD; Md Golam Hasnain, MD; Kenneth Butcher, PhD; Ferdinand Miteff, MD; Christopher R. Levi, MD; Neil J. Spratt, PhD*; Mark W. Parsons, PhD*; on behalf of the ANZ Ultra-Long EVT Transfer GroupThis correction has been made to the current online version of the article, which is available at https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.122.040480. Previous Back to top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsRelated articlesUltra-Long Transfers for Endovascular Thrombectomy—Mission Impossible?: The Australia-New Zealand ExperienceCarlos Garcia-Esperon, et al. Stroke. 2023;54:151-158 March 2023Vol 54, Issue 3 Advertisement Article InformationMetrics © 2023 American Heart Association, Inc.https://doi.org/10.1161/STR.0000000000000428PMID: 36848435 Originally publishedFebruary 27, 2023 PDF download Advertisement

Waqf sukuks and the importance of its integration into the algerian economy –with reference to the New Zealand experience

This study aims at clarifying the importance of integrating Waqf Sukuks in the algerian economy, and how to benefit from the New Zealand experience to develop endowments in Algeria, especially in light of the Algerian financial system's orientation towards islamic financial applications. By following the descriptive and analytical approach and limiting the study to the period from 2009 to 2020, a basic conclusion was reached that the use of Waqf Sukuks in Algeria as a financing and investment means leads to maximizing the income and benefits of endowments properties , thus enhancing their multi-dimensional role, especially that related to the economic and social development.

Airborne transmission: a new paradigm with major implications for infection control and public health.

Recognition of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses is a paradigm shift in the Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) field, contributed to by New Zealand's experience in Managed Isolation Quarantine Facilities (MIQF). Slowness to embrace this shift by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international bodies highlights the importance of applying the precautionary principle and subjecting established theories to the same level of critical scrutiny as those challenging the status quo. Improving indoor air quality to reduce infection risk and provide other health benefits is a new frontier, requiring much additional work at both grassroots and policy levels. Existing technologies such as masks, air cleaners and opening windows can improve air quality of many environments now. To achieve sustained, comprehensive improvements in air quality that provide meaningful protection, we also need additional actions that do not rely on individual human's behaviour.

What drives feelings of responsibility for disaster preparedness? A case of power failures in Finland and New Zealand

AbstractThe division of responsibilities for disaster preparedness between individuals and society is rapidly evolving: national‐level preparedness has made way for networked disaster risk governance, and citizens are also expected to play their part. Preparedness is shaped by various individual and socioeconomic factors, including previous disaster experience and perceptions of risk. However, little is known about whom citizens perceive to be responsible for preparedness. This study examines the factors associated with an individual's perception of their own responsibility in preparing for a disaster—long power failures—and the factors related to preparedness measures taken. As societal disaster context may impact perceptions of responsibility, we investigate preparedness through large‐scale surveys (n = 2028) in two countries: Finland, where the frequency of disasters is low, and New Zealand, which experiences disasters relatively often. We find that self‐efficacy strongly predicts perception of responsibility and actual preparedness measures in both countries. However, we show that New Zealanders feel more responsible for their own preparedness than Finns. This may be influenced by New Zealand's recent experiences of severe disasters and active preparedness‐related communication. In addition, previous experience with power failures and risk perception are connected to preparedness in both countries, echoing past research. We conclude that surrounding historical and societal context seem to shape the individual's feelings of responsibility for disaster preparedness, while self‐efficacy remains the most salient factor in empowering individuals to take responsibility.

Sleep-in to stay well: addressing school start times for the health and wellbeing of teens in Aotearoa.

The under-acknowledged malleability of secondary school start times may be a lever towards addressing poor sleep, particularly the sleep deprivation that many adolescents living in Aotearoa New Zealand experience on a daily basis. Scrutinising morning school start times has not been prioritised in terms of a logical, modifiable way to counteract sleep deprivation in adolescents in Aotearoa. Importantly, later start times align with adolescents' natural sleep-wake biology that shifts at puberty to favour later bedtimes, meaning they naturally need to wake later in the morning. In this viewpoint we argue that a later school start time (no earlier than 9:45 am) every day for senior secondary school students is an attractive, non-stigmatising approach to address adolescent sleep. Increased sleep also has the potential to favourably impact multiple areas of adolescents' health and wellbeing, as well as school success. In fact, we argue that later school start times are a public health imperative to address the sleep and mental health issues faced by youth in Aotearoa today.

Case Series of Early Structural Valve Deterioration of Trifecta Bioprosthesis - New Zealand Experience.

Structural valve deterioration (SVD) remains a limitation on the use of bioprosthetic valves, with patient and valve-related factors contributing to early SVD. The Trifecta valve has been reported to have excellent hemodynamics but studies have highlighted early failure. We present a review and case series at a New Zealand tertiary hospital defining early SVD as failure within 3 years of implant. A retrospective review from January 2015 to July 2019 included 525 patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement with 263 patients receiving an Abbott Trifecta or Trifecta Glide Technology (GT) valve. Our review found an acceptable safety profile for the valve with excellent hemodynamics, with a low mortality, stroke, and permanent pacemaker rate. Three patients out of 263 were identified from the study period as having early SVD requiring reintervention within 3 years of valve implantation leading to a 1.14% failure rate. One of the valves that had early SVD was a new generation Trifecta GT. An additional four patients were identified to have valves implanted prior to the study period and had valve failure at greater than 3 years post implantation. Five cases had cusp tears as their mechanism of failure, raising concerns about durability. The Trifecta valve has an acceptable safety profile and offers good hemodynamics due to the externally mounted leaflets. However, our experience of early SVD and failure is concerning for valve durability. Further comparison to other bioprosthetic valves and longer term follow-up are required to characterize the mechanism of failures.

Инструменты поддержки молочного экспорта: опыт Новой Зеландии

This article discusses the best foreign experience in stimulating the export of New Zealand dairy products. A retrospective analysis of the composition and structure of the country’s dairy exports has been carried out. The stages of reforming the agrarian policy are systematized. Targeted programs of public-private cooperation for the development of the dairy sector have been considered. It was revealed that long-term primary partnership programs are used as support tools, the implementation of which made it possible to introduce innovations in the production and processing of milk, feed production, and marketing. The increase in the number of trade agreements contributes to the expansion of the geography of deliveries and the dynamic increase in the volume of export of products. Recommendations for the development of domestic dairy exports are proposed.

The New Zealand Experience: Thank you Jean Monnet

The trajectory of EU Studies in New Zealand has taken multiple paths over the last quarter century, seen a proliferation of organisations and acronyms but a constant and secure funding base maintained by successive tranches of Jean Monnet and other EU funding mechanisms. The longevity of such a benign environment is now, however, uncertain. It is counter-intuitive, perhaps paradoxical, to witness a change in EU support for academic experts at a time when EU public diplomacy has never been more important.

Centering Indigenous knowledge in suicide prevention: a critical scoping review

BackgroundIndigenous peoples of Canada, United States, Australia, and New Zealand experience disproportionately high rates of suicide as a result of the collective and shared trauma experienced with colonization and ongoing marginalization. Dominant, Western approaches to suicide prevention—typically involving individual-level efforts for behavioural change via mental health professional intervention—by themselves have largely failed at addressing suicide in Indigenous populations, possibly due to cultural misalignment with Indigenous paradigms. Consequently, many Indigenous communities, organizations and governments have been undertaking more cultural and community-based approaches to suicide prevention. To provide a foundation for future research and inform prevention efforts in this context, this critical scoping review summarizes how Indigenous approaches have been integrated in suicide prevention initiatives targeting Indigenous populations.MethodsA systematic search guided by a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was conducted in twelve electronic bibliographic databases for academic literature and six databases for grey literature to identify relevant articles. the reference lists of articles that were selected via the search strategy were hand-searched in order to include any further articles that may have been missed. Articles were screened and assessed for eligibility. From eligible articles, data including authors, year of publication, type of publication, objectives of the study, country, target population, type of suicide prevention strategy, description of suicide prevention strategy, and main outcomes of the study were extracted. A thematic analysis approach guided by Métis knowledge and practices was also applied to synthesize and summarize the findings.ResultsFifty-six academic articles and 16 articles from the grey literature were examined. Four overarching and intersecting thematic areas emerged out of analysis of the academic and grey literature: (1) engaging culture and strengthening connectedness; (2) integrating Indigenous knowledge; (3) Indigenous self-determination; and (4) employing decolonial approaches.ConclusionsFindings demonstrate how centering Indigenous knowledge and approaches within suicide prevention positively contribute to suicide-related outcomes. Initiatives built upon comprehensive community engagement processes and which incorporate Indigenous culture, knowledge, and decolonizing methods have been shown to have substantial impact on suicide-related outcomes at the individual- and community-level. Indigenous approaches to suicide prevention are diverse, drawing on local culture, knowledge, need and priorities.