School of Community and Public Health

Permanent link for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10292/10764

The School of Community and Public Health includes the following groups: • Public Health • Hauora Māori • Disaster Risk Management and Development • Pacific Health • Violence and Trauma • Health Law and Ethics • Psychotherapy • Counselling • Mental Health & Addictions • Lived Experience

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 603

The Experience and Impact of Digital Technologies on Indigenous Populations in New Zealand During the Covid-19 Pandemic and Cyclone Gabrielle Using the Qualitative Kaupapa Māori Methodology
(JMIR Publications, 2025-03-14) Wepa, Dianne; Thomas, Shiji; Rahman Jabin, Md Shafiqur
Background: Pandemics, such as COVID-19, and climate change–related catastrophic weather events are increasing, impacting social connectedness within communities by disrupting social cohesion, increasing loneliness, and affecting mental health and social well-being. Digital technology, in addition to being used for communication, education, and business transactions, also plays a vital role in maintaining a country’s health and well-being, as well as sustaining economic growth. Objective: This study aimed to explore the experiences of Māori kaumātua in using digital technology to meet their health needs within Ngāti Kahungunu, North Island, New Zealand, during the COVID-19 pandemic and Cyclone Gabrielle. Methods: This qualitative study employed the Kaupapa Māori methodology to understand the challenges, resilience, and approaches used by Māori to maintain connectedness and access essential services. An inductive approach to thematic analysis, as recommended by Braun and Clarke, was used to ensure a thorough and robust data analysis. The user characteristic was assessed on a semantic level using the information provided in the narrative text. Results: The findings highlight the role of digital technology in disaster management and underscore the urgent need to address digital disparities in support of vulnerable populations. In this study, 14 individuals were interviewed, comprising 71% (n=10) women and 29% (n=4) men. These participants fell into different age groups, with 9 participants being 65 years or older (older adults). Of the total participants, 43% (n=6) were limited users, 43% (n=6) comprised confident users, and the rest (n=2; 14%) were normal users. A total of 6 themes emerged from the interview data: social connectedness and resilience, digital literacy and access to information, barriers to telecommunications and digital technology, cultural appropriateness and psychological barriers, perceived threats of feeling insecure, and impact on mental health and emotional well-being. Conclusions: Vulnerable situations such as pandemics and extreme weather events can have tremendous effects on the lives of Indigenous people who live remotely. The study also focused on the actions that should be taken to mitigate these challenges and overcome difficult circumstances, such as the pandemic and the cyclone. The recommendations include a better health care system and improved coordination among care providers, user-friendly digital solutions, ensuring local funding and community services, establishing training processes for basic digital skills, and fostering leadership and partnerships with Indigenous New Zealanders.
Re-thinking Gender Beyond the Binary in Disasters: Othering and Hybrid Identities of Hijras in India
(Routledge, 2026-03-09) Sharan, A
Diverse gender groups experience disasters in different and unequal ways. In disaster studies, gender is still often understood as synonymous to [cis]women. As a result, the experiences of individuals not conforming to the binary gender categories are often left out of the gendered analysis of disasters. Additionally, the Western classifications of gender diverse groups as LGBTIQA+ often do not align with gender identities in South Asia. Given this context, this chapter explores the experience of hijras, believed to be the oldest non-binary group in India, in disasters. It looks at how colonial legacies and local cultural contexts form the basis of their ‘othering’ in their everyday lives, which makes them vulnerable at the time of disasters. Further, the chapter delves into understanding the hybrid nature of their identities that provides hijras space to resist against the forces of othering in the form of their unique capacities.
Compassion Starts Within: Mental Health and Wellbeing for Healthcare Professionals
(Adjacent Digital Politics Ltd, 2025-07-11) Wepa, Dianne; Levin, Tanya
Healthcare professionals are the backbone of every society, yet they are often the most neglected when it comes to their own mental health and wellbeing. Burnout, compassion fatigue and moral injury are not just buzzwords; they are daily realities for nurses, doctors and allied health professionals. Informed by the work of Dr Dianne Wepa, such as cultural safety and self-compassion, this short guide draws on practical strategies for supporting the mental health of healthcare workers.
Mental Health in the Health Workforce
(Adjacent Digital Politics Ltd, 2026-01-19) Wepa, Dianne
Mental health in the health workforce is shaped not only by registration processes but also by how everyday workplace cultures enable or undermine psychological safety. A different angle on recent discussions of regulatory barriers is to focus on “compassionate systems” that embed mental health support into the design of health services, rather than placing the responsibility solely on individual resilience.
The Adaptive System: Networks, Relationships, and Boundaries in Disaster and Emergency Management
(Wiley, 2026-02-26) Miller, T; Le De, Loic ; Hore, K
Disaster and emergency management (DEM) systems face increasing complexity, with overlapping hazards and diverse actors. Understanding how such systems function adaptively is essential for improving coherence and resilience. While DEM research recognises interdependence, less is known about how relational and structural dynamics interact to shape performance. This study addresses that gap by examining Aotearoa New Zealand's DEM system through a Constructivist Networked Grounded Theory (CNGT) approach, integrating complexity and network theory. Data from 40 participants revealed the system as a complex adaptive network - a dynamic web of relationships, roles, and feedback loops. Three interlinked themes emerged: fluid boundaries that influence inclusion and legitimacy; relational enablers such as trust, learning, and cultural partnership; and systemic frictions that constrain adaptation. Across these themes, information flow proved central to coordination quality. The findings suggest that effective DEM requires shifting from control to stewarding the relational and cultural conditions that sustain collective learning and adaptability.
Towards Happy Relief Campers: Surfacing Psycho-social Issues, Conflicts and Other Problems for Flood-affected Residents and Officials in Kuruwita, Sri Lanka
(Elsevier BV, 2024-01-09) Amarakoon, Vihanga; Trafford, Julie; Udeshika, Thilakshi; Amarasekara, Dulshara Sachini; Wickramasinghe, Deepthi
Floods are a common natural disaster globally, particularly in Asia, with significant impacts on humans and property. However, the psycho-social issues and conflicts faced by flood-affected residents and government officials who support them are less researched in the existing literature, particularly within the Sri Lankan context. This study aimed to explore the nature and reasons for conflicts and psycho-social issues arising for flood-affected residents within the Kuruwita Divisional Secretariat (DS) of the Kalu river basin of Sri Lanka following the 2017 flood event. It also investigated the problems faced by the government officials during flood events. The research employed a key informant mixed-method approach, with government officials participating in a two-part workshop where they answered a questionnaire and engaged in a poster presentation. According to the results, the main reason for conflicts was limited or uneven distribution of compensation, and officials faced problems when performing their duties during flood events, often related to the distribution of compensation and tensions arising from racial/cultural differences. The study concluded that it is crucial for the Sri Lankan government to provide solutions to the issues and problems faced by flood-affected residents and government officials who support these communities. Further research and policy development are needed for effective flood risk reduction within the Kalu river basin.
Existing School-based Programmes That Increase Young Peoples’ Capacity to Manage Stress: A Modified Systematic Literature Review
(Tuwhera Open Access, AUT Library, 2025-06) Batts, P; Blackett, J; Day, E
This research presents the results of a systematic literature review, modified in size and scope from a traditional review, exploring programmes provided through schools in New Zealand and Australia that aimed to increase young people’s capacity to manage stress. While this review was being conducted, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic was taking place, which reinforced the importance of addressing young people’s wellbeing. This review found several programmes that improved young people’s responses to stress and that could be adapted to classroom, outdoor, and online contexts. Interventions with promise included cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and outdoor programmes. Of those programmes that produced promising results, further research is warranted to confirm the efficacy of the interventions used in them.
Scoping the Vape Retail Environment and Retailers' Responses to Vape Control Measures in Selected Auckland Suburbs With Different Levels of Socio-Economic Deprivation
(Pasifika Medical Association Group, 2026-02-13) van der Sanden, R; Wilkins, C; Rychert, M; Ball, J; Hoek, J; Truman, P; Kira, G; Tautolo, ES
AIMS: Emerging research suggests exposure to vape stores and their proximity to schools play a role in vaping initiation among adolescents. In New Zealand, regulatory changes enacted that restrict sales of flavoured vape products to specialist vape retailers (SVRs) have led to growth in "store-within-a-store" (SWAS) SVRs in or beside convenience stores to circumvent restrictions. This paper assesses the number and type of SVR retailers, including SWAS, and their proximity to educational institutes (primary, secondary and tertiary) and marae across Auckland suburbs with different socio-economic deprivation levels. METHODS: Google Maps data and tools were used to assess SVR "type" and distance from schools, marae and other SVRs in selected Auckland suburbs. One hundred and sixty SVRs were examined across 14 suburbs. RESULTS: The median number of SVRs per suburb was 9.5. Forty-four percent of SVRs were SWAS. SWAS density increased with socio-economic deprivation, with high-deprivation suburbs containing a median of 8.5 SWAS compared with 2.0 in low-deprivation suburbs. Half of the SVRs (56%) were located within 300m of at least one educational institute. CONCLUSION: SWAS density in Auckland increased with neighbourhood socio-economic deprivation. SWAS retailers likely contribute to greater exposure to vape retail and products among adolescents in these areas.
"You're the touch point": Indigenous Māori Solutions for Culturally Safe Hand Therapy
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2025-10-27) Sheehy, Becky; Wepa, Dianne; Collis, Julie M
PURPOSE: Culturally safe rehabilitation must be informed by service user perspectives, including those of Indigenous people. However, little is known about Māori patient experiences of rehabilitation in Aotearoa New Zealand, particularly in hand therapy. This study explored Māori experiences and their proposed solutions to enhance culturally safe hand therapy services. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using exploratory, semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen adult Māori hand therapy patients were interviewed. Five themes were generated that describe Māori experiences of hand therapy and incorporate participants' suggested solutions for improving cultural safety. Participants emphasised the importance of strong initial connections with staff, the positive atmosphere of hand therapy, the value of therapeutic relationships, the need to integrate Māori practices and culturally appropriate interventions, and the provision of holistic care. CONCLUSIONS: Māori experiences in hand therapy offer valuable insights into culturally safe rehabilitation. Findings highlight the roles of connection, cultural responsiveness, enabling participation in culturally relevant occupations and clinician reflexivity in fostering culturally safe practice. Embedding Māori practices and holistic approaches are tangible steps towards normalising positive rehabilitation experiences for Māori in hand therapy and other rehabilitation settings.
Remaking the Imago Paterna: A Heuristic Enquiry
(Informa UK Limited, 2026-01-30) Oram, L; Tudor, K
Jung’s imago encapsulates mythic, internal representations of others, born from subjective experience, culture, and archetypes. Often, psychotherapy analyzes and reconstructs this image. In this article, heuristics were used to explore the first author’s image of his father—assembled from fragmented subjectivity and absence. Following Moustakas’s phases, he engaged archetypal themes, literature, and poetry to confront and reimagine this image. Viewed as a mythic journey, psychotherapy becomes both a creative act and a transgenerational rite of passage. The rewriting of imago through therapy reimagines relationships and narratives, complicating Western ideals of individuality while reframing familial and archetypal connections.
Communal to Individual Midwifery Care: Cultural Practices and the Maternity Journey of Sub-Saharan African Women in New Zealand
(Elsevier BV, 2026-02-12) Fougang, Daina Charnelle; Wepa, Dianne; Mpofu, Charles
Maternal health disparities persist globally, including among Sub-Saharan African immigrant women in high-income countries. Many come from contexts where pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period are embedded in communal traditions. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the birthplace of cultural safety, limited research has examined African women’s maternity experiences. This study forms part of a midwife-led qualitative exploration of the maternity journeys of women from Sub-Saharan Africa in New Zealand, using interpretive description informed by cultural safety and structural competency. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven women between July 2024 and January 2025. Data were analysed inductively using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Participants described a repertoire of cultural practices, including herbal and dietary remedies, postpartum rituals, and newborn care customs. Herbal medicine was used to ease labour and promote physiological birth, while cultural nutrition supported recovery and breastfeeding. The extended family played a vital role in postpartum recovery and breastfeeding support. Migration, however, disrupted this communal model, leaving women socially isolated in New Zealand. Participants reported loneliness, lack of family care, and, in some cases, a history of postpartum depression. Despite these challenges, women demonstrated resilience, adapting practices and advocating through transnational family ties and community networks. Participants' cultural practices strongly shape maternity expectations yet often conflict with New Zealand’s individualised model of care. Addressing these gaps requires culturally safe, structurally competent maternity models that integrate positive cultural traditions and reduce the risk of isolation. The next phase of this project describes women’s clinical maternity care experiences, highlights how structural barriers, misdiagnoses rooted in cultural assumptions, and limited recognition of traditional practices further compromise the delivery of woman-centred care.
Developing Ethical Guidelines for Positive Psychology Practice: An On-going, Iterative, Collaborative Endeavour
(Informa UK Limited, 2019-08-20) Lomas, T; Roache, A; Rashid, T; Jarden, A
As positive psychology has developed as a field, questions have arisen around how to ensure best practice, including with respect to ethics. This issue is particularly pertinent vis-à-vis its applied dimensions, such as positive psychology interventions by students and graduates of MAPP programmes. However, the field has hitherto lacked clear ethical guidelines to assist practitioners. Aiming to address this gap, the authors have devised a set of guidelines, in collaboration with key stakeholders across the positive psychology community, published in the International Journal of Wellbeing. The current article briefly summarises the importance, development, content, and future directions of these guidelines, thus providing a concise overview of this important project. It is hoped that this article, together with the guidelines themselves, will not only highlight the importance of ethical practice, but offer practical suggestions for guiding practitioners in the field.
Risk Factors for Depression in Pacific Adolescents in New Zealand: A Network Analysis
(Elsevier, 2022-05-19) Gossage, Lisa; Narayanan, Ajit; Dipnall, Joanna; Iusitini, Leon; Sumich, Alexander; Berk, Michael; Wrapson, Wendy; Tautolo, El-Shadan; Siegert, Richard
Background: Network analysis provides opportunities to gain a greater understanding of the complex interplay of risk factors for depression and heterogeneous symptom presentations. This study used network analysis to discover risk factors associated with both depression severity and depression symptoms amongst Pacific adolescents in New Zealand. Methods: Mixed graphical models with regularization were fitted to data from a community sample of New Zealand born, Pacific adolescents, (n = 561; 51% male; Mean age (SD) = 17 (0.35)) and associations between a wide range of potentially explanatory variables and depression severity and depression symptoms investigated. The associations identified were then tested for reliability, using resampling techniques and sensitivity analysis. Results: In the networks, the explanatory variables associated with both depression severity and depression symptoms were those related to quality of the relationships with mother or friends, school connectedness, and self-assessed weight, but the symptoms they were associated with varied substantially. In the depression severity networks, impulsivity appeared to be a bridging node connecting depression severity with delinquency and negative peer influence. Limitations: The data were analysed cross-sectionally, so causal inferences about the directions of relationships could not be inferred and most of the data were self-reported. Conclusions: The results illustrate the varied way that adolescent depression can manifest itself in terms of symptoms and suggest specific items on the depression inventory that might be suitable targets for prevention strategies and interventions, based on the risk factor - depression symptom profiles of individuals or groups.
Coordinating Response During Disaster: The 2023 Cyclone Gabrielle in the Hawke’s Bay Region as Case Study
(Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, 2026-02-04) Mistry, Priyanka; Le Dé, Loïc; Miller, Todd
Cyclone Gabrielle struck Aotearoa New Zealand in February 2023 and was one of the most devastating disaster events in the country’s recent history. Response efforts involved a wide range of stakeholders and exposed critical coordination challenges. This study examined the effectiveness of these responses through 15 semi-structured interviews with representatives from national and local emergency management agencies, non-government organisations and community groups, as well as marae [meeting place] leaders involved in the response. It focused on the coordination among these different actors to identify strengths, gaps and challenges, and to understand the implications for disaster resilience. Findings reveal systemic issues in communication and coordination that hindered timely and equitable response, particularly in reaching people in rural areas, collaborating with Māori communities and engaging volunteers. Cultural disconnects, under-utilisation of local networks and training gaps for surge staff and emergency personnel also limited response effectiveness. The study highlights the need to strengthen pre-disaster relationships with iwi [tribes], marae and community-based groups to enhance workforce preparedness and embed culturally responsive practices.
The Coercive Edge of Kindness: A Critical Analysis of 'Random Acts' in Nursing
(Wiley, 2026-01-28) Jackson, Debra; Bond, Carmel; McCormack, Brendan; Watson, Adrianna; Wilson, Denise; Cleary, Michelle
Kindness is frequently framed as an unassailable virtue, celebrated across social, professional and political domains as a simple and uncomplicated good. It is rarely problematised, and its assumed benefits are seldom interrogated, leaving kindness largely positioned as a self-evident moral imperative. In this paper, we adopt a Foucauldian lens, not to seek an essential definition of kindness, but to consider how it circulates and operates discursively, what effects it produces and what is surrendered in its performance. We position kindness as a discourse that does not merely encourage compassion or generosity but also regulate behaviour, shapes subjectivities and establishes boundaries around what may or may not be said. Through such mechanisms, the imperative to 'be kind' can act to silence resistance, temper critique and foster compliance, functioning as a subtle technology of governance. By problematising kindness in this way, we reveal how a practice so often presented as wholly benevolent can also operate as a powerful disciplinary force. We suggest that alternatives to the disciplinary framing of kindness may be found within First Nations knowledge systems, which offer different ways of understanding generosity and care beyond Western institutional logics. Our purpose is not to argue for the abandonment of kindness, but to highlight that it should not be accepted uncritically; its operations and consequences must be understood in order for it to be engaged ethically and politically.
Speaking to Silence: Palestine, Psychotherapy, and Transactional Analysis
(Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Library, 2025-12-09) Khader, N; Joudeh, J; Pool, J; Bunsie, Z; Fong Clarke, S; Turner, N; Tudor, K
This article, written by members of the group ‘Transactional Analysis and Palestine’, offers seven individual but related reflections on psychotherapy—the field, its practice, and its practitioners— in the context of the genocide in Gaza, and the work of the group to date. It discusses silence, colonisation, decolonising psychotherapy, dissociation, and power, and ends with some reflections on the purpose, structure, and process of the group, and on allyship.
Exploring the Determinants of Intrauterine Device Acceptance in Family Planning in Kolaka, 2024
(Atlantis Press International BV, 2025-11-17) Permatasari, Andi Ita; Yusran, Sartiah; Jufri, Nurnashriana; Andajani, Sari
The usage of intrauterine devices (IUDs) as a long-term contraceptive method remains low in Kolaka Regency. This study aims to analyze the determinants influencing family planning acceptors’ interest in IUD usage, focusing on factors such as knowledge, attitudes, spousal support, number of children, and the availability of health facilities. An analytical cross-sectional design was employed, involving 185 women as research subjects. Data were collected through structured interviews using a questionnaire to assess the relevant factors. The findings reveal that attitude, spousal support, number of children, and health facility availability significantly impact family planning acceptors’ interest in IUDs, with a p-value < 0.05. Among these, spousal support was the most influential variable, exhibiting an odds ratio (OR) of 87.127, followed by attitude (OR = 6.559) and education (OR = 2.932). The number of children had the smallest effect, with an OR of 0.237. In conclusion, attitude, spousal support, number of children, and health facilities are key determinants of family planning acceptors’ interest in IUD use in Kolaka Regency in 2024. To enhance IUD adoption, it is recommended that the Family Planning Coordination Board (BKKB) of Kolaka Regency strengthen health promotion efforts regarding IUD usage among mothers and women of childbearing age.
Investigating Factors Associated With the Adoption of Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (IUDs) by Women of Reproductive Age in Puuwatu District, 2023
(Atlantis Press International BV, 2025-11-15) Yafie, Zurezki Yuana; Yusran, Sartiah; Susanty, Sri; Zainuddin, Asnia; Asriati, Asriati; Binekada, I Made Christian; Andajani, Sari
Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world, with a population that continues to grow steadily. Effective contraception is essential for managing this growth, and the Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUD) is a prominent long-term method in the country. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing IUD usage among Women of Reproductive Age (WRA) in Puuwatu District in 2023. This quantitative research utilized a cross-sectional design, surveying 87 WRA who use either IUD or non-IUD contraceptive methods in Puuwatu District, Kendari City. Independent variables examined include parity, economic status, knowledge, attitudes, husband support, and healthcare provider support, while the dependent variable is the choice to use IUD. Data analysis employed univariate, bivariate, and multivariate methods, including chi-square tests and logistic regression. The analysis revealed the following p-values: parity (0.41), economic status (0.293), knowledge (0.036, OR: 3.839), attitude (0.06, OR: 3.424), husband support (0.023, OR: 3.361), and healthcare provider support (0.72). Significant relationships were found between knowledge, attitude, and husband support, with knowledge being the most influential factor in IUD usage among WRA in Puuwatu District in 2023. No significant associations were identified for parity, economic status, or healthcare provider support.
Person, Paideia, Politeia: The Person, Education, and Politics in Person-Centered Psychology
(Informa UK Limited, 2025-04-21) Tudor, K
This article, based on a keynote speech delivered at PCE2024 in Athens, Greece, aims to strike some keynotes on the theme(s) of the conference, that is, person, paideia (education), and politeia (politics). Despite its centrality to person-centered psychology, the concept of the person is under-theorized. First, expanding on Schmid’s identification of two strands in Rogers’ thinking about the person (the individualistic and the relational), the article explores the contextual person, that is a person who is inevitably embedded in a number of contexts, not least their culture. Second, the article revisits the radicalism of Rogers’ ideas about education, including that of educating therapists, and considers this in the light of the pressures on training as manifested in neoliberal institutions–and institutes–of education/training. Third, the article considers person-centered politics, specifically, the politics of theory, and how person-centered psychology can represent itself externally with more coherence and confidence–for the betterment of people, education and the (political) world. Notwithstanding this presentation as a journal article, its style retains something of the directness of the original form in addressing the original in-person and online audience–and, now, the reader.
Trauma-Informed Mental Health: Supporting Young People Involved With Child Protection Services
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2025-07-17) Appleby, Jo
Reported in this article are research findings about effective mental health practices for young people involved with child protection services. Five care-experienced young people and 45 stakeholders were interviewed to gather stories of effective mental health practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. The results illustrated what trauma-informed practice can look like throughout the mental health engagement, assessment, and intervention stages. The foundation of trauma-informed mental health care for this population is a deep understanding of the impact of trauma upon young people, recognition of care-experienced young people as a priority population, and a commitment from mental health services to responsively serve these young people. IMPLICATIONS Well-resourced specialised trauma-informed mental health care is important for young people who have been involved with child protection services, many of whom face inequitable barriers in accessing quality mental health care. Trauma-informed clinicians, including social workers, recognise trauma responses as adaptive behaviours rather than a reason to decline mental health service provision. Trauma-informed mental health interventions are based on principles of choice and predictability. Systemic trauma-informed care aligns with critical social work perspectives and antioppressive practice.

Browse

Recent Submissions