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Yearly Archives: 2022

Seven decades of severe weather events in Aotearoa New Zealand: What are the human health impacts?

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2022 | carra86p | No Comments

Dr Leah Grout, Louise Thornley, Prof Nick Wilson*

Grout L, Thornley L, Wilson N.  Seven decades of severe weather events in Aotearoa New Zealand: What are the human health impacts? Public Health Expert Blog. 22 June 2022. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/seven-decades-of-severe-weather-events-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-what-are-the-human-health-impacts/

In this blog, we summarise our recent report that explores the health impacts from severe weather events, such as floods and storms, in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) for the past 70 years. Over this timeframe, there were 498 severe weather events recorded, of which 185 were linked with either injuries or deaths. In total, the deaths of 362 people were reported, and the most common cause of death was boating accidents. The health consequences of severe weather could increase with climate change – but fortunately there are a range of preventive measures available that could lower the harm from these events (eg, by reducing housing on flood plains and low-lying coastal areas).

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Being forced to leave your rental home can harm health

Tuesday, June 14th, 2022 | carra86p | No Comments

Elinor Chisholm, Sarah Bierre, Cheryl Davies, Philippa Howden-Chapman*

Chisholm E, Bierre S, Davies C, Howden-Chapman P. Being forced to leave your rental home can harm health. Public Health Expert Blog. 14 June 2022. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/being-forced-to-leave-your-rental-home-can-harm-health/

Eviction, or a forced move from rental housing, is a common experience for New Zealand renters, yet we know very little about its effects. In this blog post we summarise our recent published study, based on Marsden-funded interviews with tenants who had been evicted. We found that eviction can harm health through causing stress and grief, and precipitating a move into homeless or to a risky housing situation. We argue that reducing the incidence and impact of evictions is an important public health and social welfare issue.

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Tobacco industry ‘transformation’ – more smoke and mirrors?

Tuesday, June 7th, 2022 | carra86p | 4 Comments

Ceri Dell, Richard Edwards, Anna Gilmore, Lindsay Robertson and Janet Hoek*

Dell C, Edwards R, Gilmore A, Robertson L, Hoek J. Tobacco industry ‘transformation’ – more smoke and mirrors? Public Health Expert Blog. 7 June 2022. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/tobacco-industry-transformation-more-smoke-and-mirrors/

This blog examines tobacco industry claims that it is ‘transforming’ and the possible implications for public health. We draw extensively on an article examining tobacco industry transformation1 from the Tobacco Control 30th anniversary issue and consider a response from tobacco industry spokespeople.2 Finally, we review tobacco companies’ responses to the Smokefree Aotearoa Action Plan and whether their reactions support claims the tobacco industry is transforming.

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The urgent need for a Covid-19 Action Plan for Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand

Friday, May 20th, 2022 | carra86p | 3 Comments

Dr Amanda Kvalsvig, Prof Michael Baker, Dr Jennifer Summers, Dr Lucy Telfar Barnard, Dr Andrew Dickson, Dr Julie Bennett, Carmen Timu-Parata, Prof Nick Wilson

Kvalsvig A, Baker M, Summers J, Telfar Barnard L, Dickson A, Bennett J, Timu-Parata C, Wilson N. The urgent need for a Covid-19 Action Plan for Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. Public Health Expert Blog. 20 May 2022. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/the-urgent-need-for-a-covid-19-action-plan-for-schools-in-aotearoa-new-zealand/

At the onset of the Omicron outbreak in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) in early 2022, the Government announced a policy for schools that was essentially a business-as-usual approach, advising that schools would stay open through the outbreak. However, protections to prevent Covid-19 transmission were incomplete and there have been significant adverse consequences for school communities. NZ’s pandemic policy for schools needs to pivot to a whānau-centred approach that takes in-school transmission seriously. As winter arrives, NZ should urgently introduce a Covid-19 Action Plan for Schools to support children’s access to education and to protect children, school staff, and their families from Covid-19 and from the return of other winter respiratory infections.

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Government funding of interpreters in Primary Care is needed to ensure quality care

Wednesday, May 18th, 2022 | carra86p | 2 Comments

A/Prof Ben Gray*

Gray B. Government funding of interpreters in Primary Care is needed to ensure quality care. Public Health Expert Blog.18 May 2022. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/government-funding-of-interpreters-in-primary-care-is-needed-to-ensure-quality-care/

The pandemic has highlighted many problems in the NZ health system. This blog will address the question of availability of interpreters for people with limited English proficiency (LEP). This is now funded within hospitals. It is funded in Primary Care in Auckland and Nelson but not other regions. It became clear that interpreters were needed to enable Primary Care to look after Covid-19 patients in the community and the Ministry of Health has provided central funding throughout the country for this purpose. If it is acknowledged that funded interpreters are needed for Covid-19 patients, why are they not available for other conditions?

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