Public Health Expert

Preventing falls can be very cost-effective in NZ

Public Health Expert • Feb 06, 2018

• AI,
• Chinese,
• elderly,
• exercise,
• Falls,
• government,
• Health,
• Medicine,
• Mental health,
• Mortality,
• New Zealand,
• Psychiatry,
• Robot,
• symposium,
• TAIZO

Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Giorgi Kvizhinadze, Dr Linda Cobiac, Prof Tony Blakely We have just published a modelling study on exercise programmes in NZ to prevent falls in older people. This work suggests that this approach (home-based or group-based exercise) is good value for money for the NZ Government. In this blog we consider these results alongside other fall prevention … Read More

What public health lessons can NZ still learn from the United States?

Public Health Expert • Jan 30, 2018

• alcohol consumption,
• bike lanes,
• commuting,
• Mass media,
• media government,
• New Zealand,
• pregnancy,
• public health,
• Smoking,
• Sugar Tax,
• taxation,
• tobacco industry,
• United States,
• vegetables

Prof Nick Wilson, A/Prof George Thomson The United States has many major health problems – including declining life expectancy and an exorbitantly expensive health care system. However, the large number of state and local governments provide a wealth of potential lessons that NZ could learn from. In this blog we briefly consider some of these, particularly in the domains of … Read More

The Havelock North drinking water inquiry: A wake-up call to rebuild public health in New Zealand

Public Health Expert • Dec 21, 2017

• government,
• greens,
• Havelock north inquiry,
• health infrastructure,
• Labour,
• Ministry of Health,
• New Zealand,
• Public Health Commission,
• water

Prof Michael Baker, Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Alistair Woodward The huge campylobacteriosis outbreak in Havelock North in August 2016 caused by contaminated drinking water was a public health disaster. The second report of the Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry describes a long list of failings that contributed to the outbreak. In this blog we argue that the failings are much … Read More

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Smokefree cars legislation: Should the new government make this a priority?

Public Health Expert • Dec 12, 2017

• car,
• legislation,
• New Zealand,
• secondhand smoke,
• smokefree,
• tobacco

George Thomson, Richard Edwards, Richard Jaine, Janet Hoek, Jude Ball, Nick Wilson This blog briefly reviews the case for the prioritisation by the new Government of a law for smokefree cars carrying children. This would demonstrate their commitment to children’s health and well-being, respond to public and smoker opinion, follow official and Parliamentary advice, and fit with the research evidence … Read More

Patterns of declining smoking in NZ – But more action needed by the new government

Public Health Expert • Nov 21, 2017

• Achieving Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025,
• cigarettes,
• quit,
• smokefree,
• Smoking,
• tobacco

By Nick Wilson, Frederieke Sanne van der Deen, Richard Edwards, George Thomson, Anaru Waa, Tony Blakely Just published results from the NZ Health Survey indicate ongoing declines in smoking for Māori and for European New Zealanders. In this blog we comment on the possible reasons for these trends and describe recent work on how progress could be accelerated. The results … Read More

Walking and cycling for transport is good for physical activity levels in Kiwis!

Public Health Expert • Oct 31, 2017

• active transport,
• cancer,
• cycling,
• Health,
• physical activity,
• physical activity guidelines,
• public transport,
• transport,
• walking

By Dr Caroline Shaw, University of Otago.  Physical activity is good for health. Higher levels of physical activity are associated with reduced rates of breast and colon cancer, better mental health, lower obesity rates, lower heart disease, stroke (the list goes on). This blog looks at a new study we just published that found that New Zealanders who walk … Read More

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Home Modification to reduce falls – appears cost-effective in NZ

Public Health Expert • Oct 10, 2017

• Accidents,
• elderly,
• Falls,
• home safety

Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Giorgi Kvizhinadze, Dr Nisha Nair, Prof Tony Blakely We have just published a modelling study on a home safety and modification programme to prevent falls in older people. This work suggests that this intervention could produce considerable health gain and be cost-effective at a health district level in New Zealand. But in this blog we discuss … Read More

“Achieving Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025”: a response to critiques

Public Health Expert • Oct 06, 2017

• Action Plan,
• e-cig,
• e-cigarettes,
• Nicotine,
• policy,
• Smokefree Aotearoa 2025,
• Smoking,
• tobacco

Prof Richard Edwards, Prof Tony Blakely, Prof Chris Cunningham, Frederieke Sanne van der Deen, Stephanie Erick, Zoe Hawke, Prof Janet Hoek, A/Prof George Thomson, Louise Thornley, Anaru Waa, Prof Nick Wilson The “Achieving Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025” Action Plan was launched at Parliament on 2 August. A previous blog described its key features and a rationale for the recommended … Read More

Climate change and recent actions of NZ political parties

Public Health Expert • Sep 15, 2017

• Climate,
• climate change,
• Net Zero Report,
• New Zealand,
• OraTaiao,
• political parties,
• politics

Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Richard Edwards, Dr Cristina Cleghorn, Prof Michael Baker, Dr Caroline Shaw, A/Prof Ralph Chapman, Prof Philippa Howden-Chapman The health organisation OraTaiao convened a group of experts to analyse the climate change policies of NZ political party policies. It gave the highest grade to the Green Party, then the Labour Party, and then The Opportunities Party … Read More

A Statue of Merit: Dr Margaret Cruickshank and the 1918 influenza pandemic

Public Health Expert • Sep 12, 2017

• History,
• Influenza,
• Margaret Cruickshank,
• Medicine,
• public health,
• statues

Nick Wilson, Ben Schrader, Geoff Rice, Christine Clement, George Thomson, Catharine Ferguson, Michael Baker Some statues are getting bad press at present – and rightly so for the Confederate military statues which represent the racist history of the Southern United States. But in this blog we briefly look at a particular New Zealand statue that we think characterises some of … Read More

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