Tuwhera Research Repository

The Tuwhera Research Repository provides sustainable open access and archiving to a broad range of AUT produced research - theses, research outputs and datasets.

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Access status: Open Access ,
Metamaterial Based Design of Compact UWB/MIMO Monopoles Antenna With Characteristic Mode Analysis
(MDPI AG, 2021-02-08) Jabire, Adamu Halilu; Ghaffar, Adnan; Li, Xue Jun; Abdu, Anas; Saminu, Sani; Alibakhshikenari, Mohammad; Falcone, Francisco; Limiti, Ernesto
In this article, a novel metamaterial inspired UWB/multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna is presented. The proposed antenna consists of a circular metallic part which formed the patch and a partial ground plane. Metamaterial structure is loaded at the top side of the patches for bandwidth improvement and mutual coupling reduction. The proposed antenna provides UWB mode of operation from 2.6–12 GHz. The characteristic mode theory is applied to examine each physical mode of the antenna aperture and access its many physical parameters without exciting the antenna. Mode 2 was the dominant mode among the three modes used. Considering the almost inevitable presence of mutual coupling effects within compact multiport antennas, we developed an additional decoupling technique in the form of perturbed stubs, which leads to a mutual coupling reduction of less than 20 dB. Finally, different performance parameters of the system, such as envelope correlation coefficient (ECC), channel capacity loss (CCL), diversity gain, total active reflection coefficient (TARC), mean effective gain (MEG), surface current, and radiation pattern, are presented. A prototype antenna is fabricated and measured for validation.
Access status: Open Access ,
Family-Based Transitional Care for Older Adults After Hip Fracture Surgery: A Feasibility Study
(BMC, 2026-10-02) Puttakun, Nareerat; Songwathana, Praneed; Promnoi, Chantra; Holroyd, Eleanor
Background: Older adults with hip fracture surgery often face considerable physical and psychological impacts during the transition from the hospital to home and require family caregivers to provide assistance with daily activities and rehabilitation. Therefore, it is essential to empower both patients and family caregivers with effective care management to support recovery and improve health outcomes. Methods: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of implementing a family-based transitional care program after hospital discharge in older adults with hip fracture surgery. The program components, integrated into a mobile application, were developed and guided by Meleis’ theory of transition and the concept of Family-based illness care. Health outcomes, including hip function, activities of daily living, mobility function, and fear-of-falls measures, were evaluated in 16 Thai families (including older adults and their primary caregivers) before discharge, at two weeks, and at six weeks post-discharge. The program’s feasibility was evaluated by older patients’ families and healthcare providers after its implementation. Descriptive statistics and Repeated-Measures Analysis of Variance were used in the analysis. Results: The program was feasible and satisfactory for implementation in transitional care for older adults following hip fracture surgery. The preliminary results found significant improvement in all health outcomes, including hip functions (F = 254.72, p = .00), activity of daily living (F = 230.55, p = .00), mobility function (F = 159.63, p = .00), and fear of falling (F = 155.68, p = .00) throughout the recovery process. Conclusions: The family-based transitional care program highlights the integration of a mobile application to assist healthcare providers and support families during the transition. It is feasible to use, and possible to improve health outcomes in older adults undergoing hip fracture surgery. However, a larger sample size and a more rigorous evaluation of the program’s effectiveness through a randomized controlled trial are recommended for future studies.
Access status: Open Access ,
Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Self-Esteem and Sexual Well-Being
(Wiley, 2026-09-30) O'Reilly, Kate; Holroyd, Eleanor; You, Wenpeng; Peters, Kath; Negi, Shweta
AIM: This research explored associations between self-esteem, satisfaction with physical appearance, sexual satisfaction and physical and mental health among women living with inflammatory bowel disease in Australia. INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory bowel disease which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis is a chronic autoimmune disease. Its relapsing, remitting nature has deleterious impacts on self-esteem and sexual well-being. METHODS: The study employed a cross-sectional design with secondary exploratory analyses and used an online survey to collect data from Australian women between March and November 2024. RESULTS: Responses from 64 women revealed a nuanced but complex interrelationship between self-esteem and biopsychosocial factors which impact on sexual well-being. Self-esteem scores for all women sat at the low end of normal, and none of the women reported any level higher than average. Women with lower self-esteem reported more dissatisfaction with their physical appearance, poorer mental health and lower sexual satisfaction. DISCUSSION: Having a high self-esteem is a protective factor in adaptation to life events. The chronic nature of inflammatory bowel disease highlights that adaptation and self-realignment are ongoing processes of which clinicians must be cognisant because chronic illness can have negative effects on self-esteem. CONCLUSION: Sexual well-being is influenced by multiple intersecting biopsychosocial factors. Routinely incorporating discussions which relate to mental health, self-esteem and body image into assessments for people living with inflammatory bowel disease is critical in holistic care. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The findings provide justification for integrated teams of psychologists, sexual health nurses and potentially body-image specialists which could be coordinated by registered nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH POLICY: Women-specific care pathways which acknowledge reproductive life stages, relationship health, sexual well-being, hormonal variation, menstrual impacts and sociocultural gender pressures are required. Introducing regular screening, which includes adding registries on digital platforms, may assist with ensuring equitable holistic healthcare.
Access status: Open Access ,
Understanding the Antiretroviral Treatment Experiences of Men Attending a HIV Clinic in Jamaica
(Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association, 2023-02-21) Wilson, Shakeisha; Conn, Cath; Nayar, Shoba; Waters, Tineke
Objective: Jamaican men experience socio-cultural norms that increase vulnerability to contracting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and affect how they engage with their antiretroviral treatment. This paper reports on a study, conducted in 2016, that examined the treatment experiences of Jamaican men attending a HIV clinic. Methods: This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews with 24 participants to explore the complexities surrounding sexuality, gender, and HIV status as interrelated dimensions that influenced HIV positive Jamaican men’s engagement and adherence with antiretroviral treatment. Data were coded using NVivo and analyzed using the stepwise multi-level intersectionality framework of Winker and Degele. Results: Men’s treatment trajectory comprised five phases: HIV diagnosis, acceptance, adjustment, treatment initiation, and treatment continuation. The treatment phases were largely centered on the clinic, which was deemed to minimize some men’s autonomy and liberty. As a result, the clinic was positioned as both an enabler and barrier to men’s access to optimal health care. Conclusion: The study makes an original contribution to understanding a population and issue that remains integral in effectively addressing the HIV epidemic in Jamaica. It is argued that there is a need for gender-sensitivity, tailored access to health services, and the provision of safe and enabling health environments to address HIV positive men’s health in Jamaica.
Access status: Open Access ,
Food Sovereignty, Whakapapa, and Place
(Wiley, 2026-10-12) McLellan, Georgia; Severinsen, Christina; Reweti, Angelique
Food sovereignty is increasingly promoted as an alternative to dominant food systems. In Aotearoa it is inseparable from Māori relationships to whenua and from colonial dispossession. This paper presents a kaupapa Māori review of academic, policy, and grey literature, with insights from the Manawatū region. Food sovereignty is conceptualised as a relational geography grounded in whakapapa and tino rangatiratanga. The analysis argues that food sovereignty cannot be separated from Māori food sovereignty, given Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations and enduring constraints that shape food systems. It also proposes that food sovereignty can be enabled through healing social and environmental relationalities.