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

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Me, Myself, and IE: Describing the Actualities of Undertaking Institutional Ethnography
(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2026-03-10) Birch, Oliver; Adams, Peter; Cohen, Bruce; Newcombe, David
Through Institutional Ethnography (IE), one can explicate how people’s lives are being socially organised. The ethnographer creates an empirical account of what happens within a complex of institutional order, moving iteratively between data collection methods to see how the ‘institution’ occurs through people’s work, how texts are used to coordinate it, and how these texts reproduce ideology. They follow findings as they arise, with reference to the perspectives of ‘standpoint informants’. However, because this process is iterative, descriptions of IE studies vary greatly. Guidance on how to undertake IE’s methods is often specific to the institution being studied. To aid prospective ethnographers, the article describes a step-by-step process through which IE was interpreted and implemented in practice in a healthcare setting. Though it references research at an Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) service, the account is not prescriptive; rather, it illustrates how one might undertake IE-informed data collection and analysis while being consistent with what is expected of an IE.
School Absenteeism is an Early Indicator of Suicidality in Young People: A Retrospective Longitudinal Matched Case-Control Study Using New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure
(Elsevier BV, 2026-03-27) Zeng, Irene Suilan; Foster, Mandie; Garrett, Nick; Jones, Kelly; Cosmos, Dorothy; Ka'ai, Tania; Ng, Lillian
Objective School absenteeism, associated with social isolation and loneliness, may signal hidden risks that increase the likelihood of suicidal ideation and behaviors. Few studies have explored longitudinal associations between school absenteeism and suicidality. This study sought to examine longitudinal associations between school absenteeism (a potential early marker) and suicidality to identify other risk and protective factors of students and schools for suicide prevention. Study design Retrospective longitudinal matched case-control study. Methods We used the New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) database to integrate mental health outcomes with educational data. Based on clinical International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and descriptions, we identified 3042 cases from 562,455 students (school year 6–13) enrolled in the education system in 2018, who had a subsequent hospital admission due to suicidality (2019–2021). Cases were matched using a 1:4 ratio with 12,168 control students by sex, school year-level, and ethnicity. Results School absenteeism was significantly associated with subsequent suicidality (adjusted odds ratio (aOR: 2.21, 95% CI 2.02–2.41). Other significant factors included students' post-school activities and previous suicidality; the school's region (secondary/minor urban schools vs. main urban), decile (a socio-economic index), and availability of Māori language learning (level C/D & above vs. not available). Conclusions School absenteeism is an early indicator of suicidality. Combined with other identified student and school factors, a risk stratification strategy for suicide prevention may be established to provide timely early prevention strategies for schools and students at high risk.
Sociodemographic Characteristics of Aotearoa New Zealand Oral Health Students: Do Student Cohorts Reflect the Society They Will Serve?
(Wiley, 2026-02-04) Loch, Carolina; Brunton, Paul; Moffat, Susan; Aarts, John; Carrington, Samuel; Lyons, Karl; Gray, Andrew; Curtis, Elana; Bristowe, Zoe; Kool, Bridget; Hendry, Chris; Bagg, Warwick; Scarf, Damian; Shaw, Susan; Tukuitonga, Collin; Williman, Jonathan; Wilson, Denise; Crampton, Peter
This study evaluated sociodemographic characteristics of students enrolled in dentistry, oral health and dental technology in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) between 2016 and 2020. Sociodemographic data were obtained from central student record systems and NZ population data from the 2018 Census. Age, gender and citizenship status were analysed for the whole cohort, whilst other categories were analysed for NZ citizens and permanent residents only. Descriptive statistics were presented as raw counts or rates per 100,000 of the population. Most NZ students were educated in the public system. For dentistry and dental technology, a third of the cohort were international students, contrasting with only 4% of oral health students. Most NZ-educated students attended schools serving socioeconomically privileged communities. For all programmes, most students came from urban areas and there were more female than male students enrolled. Māori and Pacific students represented 9.3% and 5.4% of enrolments, despite representing 20% and 9% of the NZ population. Māori and Pacific peoples and those from rural and low socioeconomic areas were underrepresented, despite efforts to address such inequities. Admission policies in NZ universities need to ensure that Māori and Pacific peoples and those from rural and low socioeconomic areas are considered from a social justice and equity positioning.
What App? Demographic and Drug Use Predictors of Buying Drugs via Different Social Media and Messaging Apps
(Elsevier BV, 2026-03-05) van der Sanden, R; Wilkins, C; Parker, K; Rychert, M
Introduction: Improving our understanding of how demographic and drug use factors shape social media drug market engagement is integral to targeting harm reduction and prevention responses to high-risk drug use and digital harm. Aim To identify demographics and drug use patterns that correlate with using specific social media platforms to purchase drugs. Methods: An anonymous online survey of New Zealanders who use drugs (N = 10,781) was used to explore social media drug purchasing. Logistic regression models were fitted to identify demographic and drug use correlates of using Facebook/Messenger, Snapchat, Instagram or high security apps (Telegram, Signal, Wickr) to purchase drugs. Results: Sixteen percent reported purchasing drugs via social media (n = 1731). Facebook/Messenger was most used (54.2 %), followed by Snapchat (47.5), Instagram (24.7) and high security apps (17.6). Respondents aged under 30 were more likely to report using Snapchat and less likely to report using Facebook/Messenger or high security apps. Snapchat purchasers were more likely to be Asian, students, use MDMA/ecstasy and cocaine, and purchase via “friends/family”. High security app purchasers were more likely to identify as male, reside in urban areas, use methamphetamine, psychedelics and cocaine, and purchase from a “drug dealer”. Facebook/Messenger purchasers were more likely to report a low income, reside in small town/rural area; and purchase from “gang members”, “drug dealers” and “friends/family”. Instagram purchasers were more likely to report cocaine use and purchasing from “friends/family”. Conclusions: Use of social media apps for drug buying are influenced by demographics (mainly age), drug market contexts, and drug type used.
Healthy Ageing in a Smart Urban Future: Co-designing this with Asian Older Adults in Auckland
(Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Library, 2026-03-24) Wang, Cassie Xi; Conn, Cath; Trafford, Julie
Auckland mirrors global patterns of urbanization and population ageing, where digital innovation and demographic change evolve together. As the economic dependency ratio rises, questions of how cities support older adults’ wellbeing become urgent. By 2043, Asian communities will form almost half of Auckland’s population, with a rapidly growing 65+ group. Many faces language, culture and digital barriers. These realities raise the guiding question of this study: How can Auckland’s evolving smart city systems be leveraged to support future healthy ageing among Asian populations? The research is framed by critical realism, which recognises both the lived experiences of individuals and the structural forces that shape them, and by critical inquiry and anticipatory governance, which together ask who benefits or is left behind in smart urban, and how governance can adapt to disruptive future uncertainties such as AI, biotechnology, and climate change. Using a co-design approach, bringing together older adults and key stakeholders in a culturally adapted “World Teahouse” workshop (an iteration of the World Café inspired by Asian tea culture to foster comfort and participant). Across 2-4 sessions, participants engage in games, storytelling, and mapping to co-create insights on how healthy ageing, migrant, technology and co-design intersect in Auckland’s future urban governance. The study will generate a shared artefact (e,g. ecosystem map, narrative scenarios, or a community-based co-design model) that acts as a signpost for policymakers and communities. Data will be analysed through a participatory and reflexive process, combining collaborative sense-making with thematic analysis and integrating participant feedback throughout. As a practice-led inquiry grounded in the researcher’s cross-cultural perspective,the study’s contribution lies in reframing healthy ageing as a governance as well as urbanism challenge rather than only a medical issue, and in showing how co-design with Asian elders can open new, inclusive, and future-ready pathways for urban systems that can help Auckland and other cities.
Amharic Oral Health Tools for Refugees: A Hybrid Review of OHIP-14 and WHO Adaptations
(BMC, 2026-02-11) Ketema, Betelehem; Lansdown, Karen; Al Naasan, Zeina; Han, Heuiwon; Trafford, Julie
Background: Despite the growing need for culturally valid oral health tools in refugee populations, no validated Amharic-language versions of key instruments currently exist. This review synthesises how the OHIP-14 and WHO Oral Health Assessment tools have been adapted across linguistic and cultural contexts, with implications for Amharic-speaking Ethiopian refugees. Aim: To assess how OHIP-14 and WHO-OHAFT have been cross-culturally adapted and validated globally, and to identify gaps and equity implications for developing Amharic-language tools in refugee contexts. Methods: We conducted a hybrid systematic–narrative review of 21 studies, using structured database and grey-literature searches followed by descriptive mapping and thematic synthesis. Studies were charted by language, adaptation procedures, and psychometric properties (e.g., Cronbach’s α, intraclass correlation coefficients). Cross-cultural adaptation frameworks, such as those of Beaton et al. and WHO translation guidelines, guided the assessment of methodological and linguistic rigour across studies. Results: Three main themes emerged: [1] consistent psychometric strength across diverse cultural adaptations; [2] methodological variation and reporting gaps in cross-cultural validation; and [3] a complete absence of validated Amharic-language tools. While Cronbach’s α values ranged from 0.72 to 0.99 (mean = 0.88), many studies omitted essential adaptation steps. Refugee-specific oral health beliefs, such as spiritual interpretations of pain, are rarely integrated. Conclusion: This review highlights both strong potential and critical limitations in current cross-cultural oral health assessments. It emphasises the ethical and clinical needs for developing validated, culturally appropriate Amharic tools. Cross-cultural adaptation should be seen as a step towards linguistic justice and oral health equity for Amharic-speaking refugee and displaced populations.
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.

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