School of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Studies
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The School of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Studies research institutes and centres play an important role in specialist teaching and research conducted by academic staff and postgraduate students. This places AUT students at the forefront of much of the ground-breaking research undertaken in New Zealand in the field of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Public Health.
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- ItemThe Threat of Gambling to Public Health in Ghana: Time to Act(SAGE Publications, 2024-08-07) Badu, Emmanuel; Crawford, Gemma; Hallett, Jonathan; Bellringer, Maria E; Vujcich, D
- ItemChildren As Decision Makers: The Hayman Park Community Project in Aotearoa New Zealand(Child and Youth Health Research Centre, Auckland University of Technology, 2021-12-05) Chumpunuch, Pornchanuch; Hinepo Williams, MargaretIntroduction: Our study explores the efficacy of community consultation in redesigning the Hayman Park playground from a community perspective. Hayman Park is located in Manukau City centre in the south of New Zealand’s capital city, Auckland. It has a mixed community of Pasifika, Māori and other ethnic groups with a younger demographic than the average. Methods: We used a qualitative approach to examine participants’ perceptions. Of the 27 adults (N = 27) who participated, three (n = 3) were available for one-on-one, face-to-face interviews post project. Two transcripts recorded during focus group activities involving 27 children (N = 27) were also analysed. We found that six (n = 6) children expressed opinions during their involvement. Their views, alongside those of adults, were parsed into emergent categories and themes. Results and Discussion: We identified three themes: health and well-being; community and individual needs; and the effectiveness of community partnership. Responses from both adults and children indicated that participants felt they had achieved better health and well-being. Feedback showed significant gains in knowledge and awareness. However, participants wanted a deeper relationship with project leaders. Conclusion: We conclude that the Hayman Park project is a good example of how involving local communities in designing the spaces they live in can engender positive outcomes. However, the project did not fulfil participants’ desire for more meaningful engagement with the leading stakeholders.
- ItemSupporting Patients and Their Carers to Participate in Infection Prevention and Control Activities: The Views of Patients, Family Members and Hospital Staff From Bangladesh, Indonesia, and South Korea(Elsevier, 2023-06-30) Park, JY; Pardosi, JF; Islam, MS; Respati, T; Nurhayati, E; Chowdhury, K; Charania, NA; Seale, HBACKGROUND: Hand hygiene reminders for healthcare workers (HCWs) are commonly used to empower patients. However, this approach overlooks the role of family carers in delivering direct contact care in Asian countries. Limited knowledge exists regarding empowerment strategies for patients and their family carers in infection prevention and control (IPC) recommendations. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive exploration of IPC empowerment within the context of family involvement in care provision across Bangladesh, Indonesia, and South Korea METHOD: In-depth interviews were conducted in five tertiary-level hospitals in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and South Korea. A total of 64 participants through 57 group interviews were interviewed, comprising two groups: 1) patients and family/private carers; and 2) HCWs. RESULT: The study identified barriers to engaging patients and family carers in IPC measures. These included concerns about the patient-HCW hierarchical relationship, lack of knowledge about healthcare-associated infection, IPC, and patient zone, perceptions of IPC as a barrier to family connections, and disempowerment of patients in IPC due to family bonds. CONCLUSION: This study provides diverse perspectives on IPC empowerment, revealing challenges faced by patients, family carers, and HCWs. The interlaced relationship established by social norms of family carer provision hinders the empowerment of family carers. Acknowledging the cultural influence on healthcare arrangements and its implication for IPC empowerment is crucial in mitigating these barriers.
- ItemReconceptualizing Participant Vulnerability in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Research: Exploring the Perspectives of Health Faculty Students in Aotearoa New Zealand(SAGE Publications, 2023-07-25) Lees, Amanda B; Godbold, Rosemary; Walters, SimonWhile the need to protect vulnerable research participants is universal, conceptual challenges with the notion of vulnerability may result in the under or over-protection of participants. Ethics review bodies making assumptions about who is vulnerable and in what circumstance can be viewed as paternalistic if they do not consider participant viewpoints. Our study focuses on participant vulnerability in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research. We aim to illuminate students’ views on participant vulnerability to contribute to critical analysis of the role and processes of ethics review. Additionally, we aim to highlight the importance of seeking the views of participant communities, especially in research environments beyond ethics review’s medical origins. Thirty-four students from a health-related faculty at a university in Aotearoa New Zealand, participated in five focus groups. Participants discussed factors affecting their potential participation in research drawing upon a series of vignettes based on examples of published SoTL projects. Themes, generated using reflexive thematic analysis, built a participant-informed picture of vulnerability. Findings indicate that students do not generally consider themselves vulnerable and instead consider participation in SoTL research through an agentic lens. Students expect that participation will be voluntary, not negatively impact their grades, and not single them out so that others could judge them. Our study also highlights the value students place on relationships with one another and teaching staff and the implications these have for SoTL research participation and future professional practice. This research challenges research ethics committees to think further about vulnerability in the context of SoTL whilst highlighting the importance of providing opportunities for research participants more broadly to explore and vocalize their views as members of participant communities.
- ItemThe Unexplored Role of Surfers in Drowning Prevention: Aotearoa, New Zealand as a Case Study(Informa UK Limited, 2023-07-31) Mead, Jamie; Le Dé, Loïc; Moylan, MelanieEvery year people drown while visiting coastal beaches. Increasingly, studies indicate that bystanders play a critical role in rescuing people from drowning. However, very limited research has explored the contribution surfers make to reducing fatal drowning. This research examined aquatic bystander rescues conducted by surfers in Aotearoa, New Zealand. It analysed their characteristics and the conditions under which they took place. The study draws upon an online survey disseminated through several social media platforms which gathered 418 complete responses. The findings indicate that male and female surfers conducted an average of three rescues across their surfing career. Surfers typically perform rescues at their local surfing spot. Three quarters of the rescues were completed either at unpatrolled beaches or outside patrolled hours, thus filling a critical gap. In 46% of the rescues, surfers felt they had saved the person’s life. Overall, the research emphasises the significant, yet under-estimated, role of surfers in coastal drowning prevention and water safety. It concludes that organisations involved in drowning prevention should work closely with surfing communities on ways to reduce fatalities at coastal beaches.