Public Health

The aim of this project is to determine if there was duplication of effort in order to produce the evidence which underpinned NZ’s health response to COVID-19, both nationally and locally, within DHB’s and in primary care. The first step will be to identify any evidence-based documents that were used to inform the Covid-19 health response in New Zealand. These will include but are not limited to guidelines, pathways, college documents and ministerial reports. Once the documents have been identified they will be analysed. Analysis will concentrate on determining the sources of evidence used in the documents, any consultation that took place to produce the documents and the timeline taken. Comparisons will then be made evaluating New Zealand’s evidence response with other countries such as Australia.

This project will suit students who are interested in learning more about how health recommendations are generated, as well as providing skills in research evaluation. The results of this project will be used to suggest more efficient processes that can be used for future challenges in the health system and will likely result in a publication that will include authorship for the student involved.

This project involves exploring the potential of graphic novels as teaching resources for undergraduate and post-graduate nursing students. The research will involve interviewing School of Nursing lecturers about their perceptions of Vivian, a graphic novel which includes themes related to palliative care, ageing and gender. The student will gain experience conducting research interviews, reviewing academic literature and writing reports that inform academic publications. If desired, the student may be involved in writing a journal article based on the study. This research informs Te Arai Palliative Care and End of Life Research Groups body of work in the research of Arts-Based Knwoledge Translation.

The Te Arai Palliative and End of Life Care group developed a graphic novel - Vivian - to highlight gendered inequities in palliative and end of life care. A U21 funded research project is piloting the use of Vivian within undergraduate nursing education. This research would extend the project to medical undergraduate teaching. Interviews and focus groups will be used to examine School of Medicine staff perceptions of education provided in the undergraduate medical curriculum about gender inequities in healthcare and explore the use of Vivian as an educational tool. This research would complement an on-going study exploring medical students’ perceptions of the education they receive around gender inequities in healthcare and the use of Vivian as a teaching aid.

This project will suit a student interested in feminist perspectives on healthcare. The student will gain skills in qualitative research and have the opportunity to lead a paper for publication.

Research interest in psychedelics is currently undergoing a revival, with an increasing number of publications reporting potential benefits. However, despite great scientific interest in this area, if psychedelic assisted therapies are to become integrated into mainstream medicine it is important to consider the current attitudes and perceptions of clinicians, patients, and the public.

The aim of this project is to assess the current opinions and perceptions of these three key groups. Has increasing scientific interest and recent favourable media coverage been impactful on the opinions of these populations? Or has war-on-drugs era messaging remained central to current opinion? Historically, psychedelics and their usage have been very polarising. Current attitudes towards psychedelics have an impact on research initiation and participation, on governments willingness to support ongoing research or eventual implementation, and of course on the patients and publics acceptance of such therapies.

The student will gain valuable skills in conducting a systematic review of the relevant literature, writing the review for publication, and readying it for submission. The student will also assist in putting together an ethics application for a subsequent piece of cross-sectional research on this topic.

• Reviewing the literature in long-term conditions and it's association with mental health
• Assessing pathways of care involving community pharmacies
• Qualitative methods and interviews
• Summarising, analysing and reporting findings from qualitative interviews
• Working towards publication of findings together with the research team which may continue beyond the research elective

Ideal applicants:

• Students with prior research skills
• Interest in mental health and the overlap with physical health
• Keen to work towards future publication
  

In Aotearoa New Zealand, we don’t have good data on the prevalence of many conditions linked to healthy ageing, including vision impairment, hearing impairment, and foot problems, and the impact these conditions have on individuals, whanau and communities. In 2023, researchers from The University of Auckland will begin a community-based survey to estimate the prevalence of these conditions in New Zealand adults.

The aim of this summer student project is to optimise the assessments that will be performed as part of this survey. Working with clinic patients, students will perform vision and eye tests, in addition to assessments of general health, hearing, and foot health. The student will compare different equipment and workflows to identify the best methods to collect all the necessary data in a short timeframe. In addition, the student will be involved in planning and testing a participant experience form. This project is suitable for an organised student who is interested in contributing towards research that can have an impact on public health of New Zealanders.

The reducing food-related choking for babies and young children at early childhood centres policy was introduced in December 2020. An online survey investigating the impact of this policy on the food environment within early learning services will be conducted in June 2022 across Auckland, Waikato, and Lakes/Bay of Plenty regions. Menus and nutrition policies were collected from early learning services as part of this survey.

The aim of this project is to compare menus and policies to the reducing food-related choking for babies and young children and nutrition policy standards.

The student will gain skills in writing a study protocol, comparing and analysing data against standards, policy analysis and scientific report writing. This project would suit a nutrition or health sciences student with good attention to detail and an interest in the healthiness of children’s food environments.

BACKGROUND

Fast-food is appealing to consumers because it is cheap and convenient, yet most items available for sale at fast-food restaurants are considered unhealthy; this is despite some chains developing ‘healthier’ choices. Consumers may be encouraged to make ‘healthier’ choices if these options are promoted at the point of purchase, particularly if they are cheaper than their regular counterparts. However, we currently do not know whether ‘healthier’ choices are as cheap or promoted as frequently as their regular counterparts, or whether they are nutritionally superior.

AIM

The aim of this project is to assess the nutritional quality of products promoted via price reductions and sold through common market channels by major fast-food chains.

PROJECT SUMMARY

The project will involve:
- Collecting data on fast food products from in-store menus, company websites and apps, and using Uber Eats. Data will be collected by taking photographs and screenshots, and entered into an existing database of fast-food products sold in New Zealand (the Nutritrack database)
- Analysing the data to determine the price, size, and frequency of promotion, as well as the nutritional quality of products, the latter determined using national/international nutrient targets or guidelines.

CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will have an interest in population health and nutrition, excellent written and oral communication skills, be self-motivated, and able to work independently and as part of a team. Experience/skills working with quantitative research methods and nutritional databases would be an advantage. The successful applicant will gain experience in writing a study protocol, data collection and management, analysis, and scientific writing.

Young onset dementia (YOD) is defined as dementia with symptom onset before the age of 65. People living with dementia have different needs than their older counterparts. The aim of this project is to use routinely collected health data to identify sub-groups of YOD patients, based on clinical and sociodemographic measures. Identification of these sub-groups would allow improved management of people living with YOD. This study will use the interRAI (International Residential Assessment Instrument) dataset. InterRAI is a comprehensive assessment that is mandated for all New Zealanders living at home who are assessed for needing care, and all New Zealanders living in long-term care facilities. All New Zealanders who had an interRAI assessment between 2016 and 2019, and had a diagnosis of YOD, will be included in this study. Latent class analyses will be used to cluster patients into sub-groups. Tasks for the summer research project will include literature review, data entry, academic writing and basic quantitative data analysis. Depending on the student’s interest, there will be an opportunity to learn how to perform latent class analyses.

Skills

• Literature Review
• Excel sorting
• Basic statistical skills

Every child has the right to grow up in an environment that allows them to be healthy, no matter where they live. However, environments that promote and normalise unhealthy food and drink over healthier options, as well as factors such as poverty and food insecurity, mean that for many children, achieving a healthy diet or weight is not easy or equitable. Aotearoa New Zealand children experience excessive levels of unhealthy food and drink marketing every day. It affects their food preferences and eating behaviour, leading to a variety of health problems, which can set them up for a lifetime of adverse health-related and social consequences.

The research student will use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map and analyse various datasets related to children's exposure to unhealthy marketing in their neighbourhood environments, and other known factors influencing children's health. The evidence generated will contribute to ongoing efforts to inform policy to improve the healthiness of children's environments in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Some prior experience using GIS software would be preferred, though not essential. Basic quantitative research skills and proficiency in Microsoft Excel would also be an asset.

The AWESSoM Ageing Well programme has described multi-morbidity on a population of older people living the community settings one region of New Zealand. This project will describe the burden of multi-morbidity, understand the clusters of conditions in older people and begin to develop thinking about best management of the combinations of disorders, rather than individual management of single conditions.

Skills that the student will achieve:

• Literature searching specifically with a view to combinations of conditions
• working with clinicians and researchers on best management ideas
• working with older people about impact of condition combinations
  

Clinical and non-clinical students may apply.

Young adolescents around the age of 12 are growing to become active, autonomous members of the community. Relationships with parents, peers and others plays an essential role in influencing how adolescents interact with the complex factors that shape their development. The Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study of children’s development has collected data on more than 6000 New Zealand children and their families. This project will describe current relationships for young rangatahi in New Zealand using the Growing Up in New Zealand data, and explore the literature on links between positive relationships and the health and wellbeing of children and their whanau.

Skills that the student will achieve:

• Performing a literature review and creating an annotated bibliography
• Experience understanding longitudinal data collection and analyses
• Working with researchers from varied backgrounds (psychology, education, family wellbeing)
  

The community group Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM) initially began to assist Auckland Pacific and Maori people to manage body weight, predominantly through free community-based exercise sessions. BBM’s activities have expanded to include other components of wellbeing in response to community need. Outreach expanded with COVID-19 pandemic, including a Foodbank and vaccine drives. A strong social media has served as the main means of engaging with the community as well as traditional media (written, radio, television). The kaupapa of the overall project is a mixed method process evaluation of BBM’s community engagement through its various outreach activities with respect to health and wellbeing of Pasifika and Maori people in their community over time.

The objective is to assess how BBM’s community engagement both in-person and through social media has been impacted in response to COVID-19.

The applicant will be comfortable with an inter-disciplinary and collaborative team approach. Pasifika or Maori students particularly welcome. The student will use qualitative and basic quantitative methods to analyse data.

Data are already available and ethical approval obtained. This project’s overarching kaupapa uses a co-design approach informed by Pacific and Maori theoretical constructs, and we are collaborating with supervisors from the faculties of health and business.

As part of the Staying Upright in Residential Care study, we have completed measurements for some residents of the distances they typically travel, elevations they negotiate and environmental hazards they encounter moving from their rooms to dining, bathing, and recreational areas. Environmental hazards have been assessed adapting a new tool and there is very little previous research in this area.

Incorporating physical performance and mobility data from Staying Upright study, this project will examine the inter-relationships between environmental factors, caregiver-reported life-space mobility, accelerometry-derived mobility, physical performance test measures and falls and fall-related injuries. Because of the time-frame of data collection, there is also the opportunity to describe changes in habitual mobility of our study participants from early in the COVID pandemic to 2022.

This project would suit a student interested in the area of falls prevention in older populations and with some skills in data analysis and presentation.

This project will involve reviewing the literature to define co-design in the context of health services development, particularly in the primary health care space and describe key elements required to be high quality, effective -- and to help achieve equity goals. It will be used to inform a larger 5-year Health Research Council-funded programme grant between the UoA and Victoria University that is examining primary health care changes and drivers of change since the early 2000s and the introduction of the Primary Healthcare Strategy to the changes underway currently in light of the latest health system redesign.

Desirable Skills/interests: strong writing or interest in developing writing skills; ability to work independently; strong time-management and organisational skills; experience of using a reference management system; interest in equity in health and health care; interest in community engagement in healthcare design and delivery.

Output: support the drafting of a journal article.

Longitudinal studies of human health and wellbeing are typically conducted over many years or decades, with the purpose being to identify the timing and sequence of events that contribute to the onset of disease. A recent paper by Theodore et al (2019) noted that these research approaches are increasingly being used to inform public and social policy, and yet there are concerns about the level of Maori involvement in longitudinal studies, from research participation to governance.

The purpose of this project is to understand and document Indigenous involvement in longitudinal studies internationally. It will involve a document review to identify Maori participation in existing longitudinal studies and a quantitative analysis of Maori response and retention rates in the Growing Up in New Zealand study (GUiNZ) which is the largest contemporary longitudinal study of child development in Aotearoa. 1260 pregnant Maori women living in Auckland and Waikato were recruited to take part in the GUiNZ study, with data collected from these women, their partners and children multiple times over the past 12 years.

The student will be supported by GUiNZ researchers and have opportunities to network with other senior Maori health experts who have been involved in the development of Kaupapa Maori epidemiology, Indigenous data sovereignty and data justice.

Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) is Aotearoa's largest, contemporary longitudinal study of child development and wellbeing. Data from approximately 6,500 families have been collected since before the children were born, with our 12 year current data collection wave being undertaken right now. Longitudinal studies can further our understanding in many different areas, including health and wellbeing, behaviour and psychology, culture and identity, and education. The information collected over time helps researchers to identify the determinants of wellbeing and disease, as well as the determinants of resilience and success.

This summer studentship will provide an opportunity to work with the Maori theme from the GUiNZ to understand the pathways that support mental wellbeing for tamariki Maori. The student will undertake a literature review to identify international evidence and support the Maori theme with the interpretation and write-up of findings, including in the form of a technical paper and policy brief.

Longitudinal studies provide an opportunity for research to examine the pathways and mechanisms through which colonialism shapes Maori wellbeing over time (Moewaka Barnes et al. 2013). Birth cohort studies, in particular, are believed to hold great potential for quantitative investigation of the intergenerational effects of racism and (in)equity (Thurber et al. 2018). Whilst prospective follow-up of cohort participants and use of repeated measures provide important strengths to their study design, longitudinal studies are not guaranteed to produce beneficial or transformative outcomes for Maori. Theodore et al. (2019) described the need for longitudinal research that “…is controlled by Maori, addresses issues at the heart of Maori concerns, prioritises Maori in the study design and interpretation of findings, and is committed to transformative action” (p. 21).

This summer studentship will involve a critical Kaupapa Maori analysis of the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that underpin longitudinal studies and their analysis. The student will have the opportunity to engage with a range of experts and methods as part of this project, including undertaking literature review, presenting findings to the research team and/or study advisors and contributing to the write-up of outputs which could be in the form of a data analysis plan and/or journal article.

This project will review the evidence to determine whether a causal association is likely between scabies infestation and acute rheumatic fever (and rheumatic heart disease) - using the established epidemiological tool of the Bradford-Hill criteria. The student will systematically assess each criterion to determine whether it supports or opposes such an association. The Bradford-Hill criteria include plausibility (reasonable pathway to link outcome to exposure), consistency (same results if repeat in different time, place person), temporality (exposure precedes outcome), strength (with or without a dose response relationship), specificity (causal factor relates only to the outcome in question - not often), and change in risk factor (i.e. incidence drops if risk factor removed). The outcome of this summer-studentship will be the completion of an academic journal article to be submitted to an appropriate journal. Some preliminary work has already been carried out.

Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) is Aotearoa's largest, contemporary longitudinal study of child development and wellbeing, providing an up-to-date, population-relevant picture of what it is like to be a child growing up in New Zealand in the 21st century. GUiNZ has collected a wealth of information in many different areas, including health and wellbeing, behaviour and psychology, culture and identify, and education. One of the main objectives of the study is to create an evidence-base that will shape policy and decision-making in ways that are transformative. This is typically achieved through the production of papers that speak to an academic or policy audience. However, transformation of child wellbeing can also occur through communication of research findings directly to whanau and the communities who support them.

This summer studentship will support a student to work with the Maori theme as we explore opportunities to share research findings and insights in new and interesting ways. The student will review documents and websites to identify effective communication methods and mechanisms that are used by longitudinal studies internationally, and work with our team to develop social media content that speaks to the interests and priorities of tamariki and rangatahi Maori.

Rural students experience a number of educational disadvantages including lower literacy performance, greater teacher shortages and lower teachers stimulation of reading. In addition, small rural high schools may not have the resources or teaching capacity to teach a full range of science topics in Year 13. This educational disadvantage is likely to impact on the ability of rural students to enter tertiary health programmes and have a greater impact on Maori and students who experience socio-economic deprivation. Data from medical programme admissions demonstrates that rural students are under-represented. This summer students ship will look at what opportunities rural students have to study science subjects at school. The project involves creating a database of rural schools and using publicly available data to determine which science subjects are offered via face-to-face teaching and at what level. Skills developed include literature review techniques and statistical analysis.

Shingles is a common condition, occurring in up to 1 in 3 individuals over their lifetime, with an increased risk with age. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus is a frequent cause of vision loss among patients with shingles. We have compiled 10 year data on patients who have been treated for herpes zoster ophthalmicus at the Auckland District Health Board. This project will determine the approximate cost burden of the treatment of this condition. The results of this study could impact public health policies as there is now a vaccine available for shingles. The student’s role will include collection of additional data, determination of the cost-basis for treatment, analysis of data, and manuscript preparation.

Aim

The aim of this project is a literature review about alcohol use and other drugs amongst Pacific communities.

Objectives

To undertake a literature review to discuss alcohol use and other drugs amongst Pacific communities.

Skills that will be taught to the student:

• Searching data bases and research articles.
• Analysing relevant literature.
• Report writing.
• Developing a peer reviewed article for publication.

Research methods

The research methods for this review will include the searching of Library catalogues, Search engines for key databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed and Medline. On-line databases or abstracting and indexing services, which provide access to journal articles, papers in conference proceedings, reports, dissertations and other grey literature.

Data analysis

The data analysis will include a thematic content analysis on the key themes found in the literature review.

The Covid-19 lockdown experience affected Pacific families in many different ways. Literature evidence reported on social, economic, and mental health impacts of Covid 19 lockdown on New Zealand communities. Isolation and disconnection from extended families and community network support, and family ritual gathering during the lockdowns have a significant impact on the lives and wellbeing of Pacific families. This project will explore the experiences of Pacific families, the impacts of these issues on their social and mental health wellbeing, and their coping strategies.

The successful candidate for this summer research scholarship will be interested in broader health disparities, family connections, mental health, and Pacific wellbeing.

Skills required

The candidate for this project will need to have strong skills in writing a literature review.
Some interviewing skills and working with Pacific families are required. Some experience in transcribing and analysing interview data will be helpful.

The ethics approval will be obtained before the student starts this project.

The project will take around ten weeks of full-time work (40 hours per week) over the summer break. A student will gain experience and skills in qualitative research and Pacific health research and knowledge.

Participation in extra-curricular activities such as organised sports, drama, dance, music and community programs has been linked to various positive child outcomes including positive peer relationships, academic achievement, physical activity and civic engagement. The Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study of children’s development has collected data on more than 6000 New Zealand children and their families. This project will describe current participation trends in New Zealand using the Growing Up in New Zealand data, and explore the literature for links between children’s participation in extra-curricular activities and potential individual and family health and wellbeing outcomes.

Skills that the student will achieve:

• Performing a literature review and creating an annotated bibliography
• Experience understanding longitudinal data collection and analyses
• Working with researchers from varied backgrounds (psychology, education, family wellbeing)
  

To inform consumers of alcohol-related harm, governments are increasingly mandating compulsory on-pack health warning labels. However, the evidence around the effectiveness of health warning labels is mixed. One reason for this may be that consumers do not believe that the harm is specific to them, or the product they are considering purchasing. Using construal level theory, this project will trial a novel idea to re-frame the information provided on health warning labels, with the aim of making the information more relevant to consumers, thus making the warning more effective.

The project aims to determine how abstract information on health warning labels can be framed to be more specific, thus decreasing the psychological distance of alcohol’s harm in relation to consumers who are considering purchasing alcohol.

The project will involve a literature review and conduct of a clinical trial delivered within an online research retail environment (with real-world alcohol warning labels tested).

This is a “sister project” run in conjunction with a summer student from the Marketing Department, i.e., both students will work together, as will the supervisors. A key output is a journal publication, for which, depending on their performance during the Summer Studentship, both students could become co-authors.

Mothers in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand come from diverse ethnic backgrounds, with varied family structures and support available. Traditional attitudes to breastfeeding practices are varied across ethnicities and can change over time as society and its policies and advocacy change. The Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study of children’s development has collected data on more than 6000 New Zealand children and their families, and includes information gathered about mothers’ attitudes to and experiences of breastfeeding. This project will describe current attitudes and experiences of mothers towards breastfeeding in New Zealand using the Growing Up in New Zealand data, and explore the literature on differences and similarities in breastfeeding practices across ethnicities.

Skills that the student will achieve:

• Performing a literature review and creating an annotated bibliography
• Experience understanding longitudinal data collection and analyses
• Working with researchers from varied backgrounds (psychology, education, family wellbeing)
• Working towards the development of a manuscript/short report
  

There is a wealth of evidence about the varied and positive health and social wellbeing impacts of gardening. We are interested to explore experiences of gardening with a particular focus on well-being and connection among Pacific families and communities in Auckland.

The aims of this project are to explore families’ experiences of gardening and ways gardening and gardens contribute to well-being and to strengthen intergenerational and community connections.

The successful candidate for this summer research scholarship will be interested in broader determinants of health, mental health and wellbeing, and family connections.

Skills required

It would be helpful to have strong skills in writing and literature review. Some interviewing is likely, experience in conducting, transcribing, and analysing interviews is helpful but not required as there will be strong supervisor support for this. It would be advantageous to have familiarity with Pacific cultures and languages and with gardening. We are keen to work with a student who is willing to get your hands dirty!

The project would need ethics approval, this will be obtained before the student starts. The project will take around ten weeks of full-time work (40 hours per week) over the summer break. A student will gain experience and skills in qualitative research and Pacific health knowledge.

Soil affects our daily lives, often in ways we don't recognise. The soil around us can turn to dust and be inhaled and is the medium in which much of our food is grown. Over the past year, Soilsafe Aotearoa has been gathering soil samples and soil values to determine how healthy our soil is and why we value it. Nearly a quarter of Aotearoa's population is a child or youth, and it is important we understand what children and young people think about soil. This is especially important as children often have more frequent and different interactions with soil than adults do. Soilsafe Kids began collecting this data through school-based outreach projects in 2022. The summer scholar will use this data to investigate how kids' health and wellbeing is influenced by soil.

The ideal scholar for this position will have an understanding of how outreach programmes can also be used to collect research data and be comfortable with analysing and interpreting qualitative data. The scholar should also be familiar with the connection between soil and health. Finally, the scholar should be comfortable producing research summaries with a target audience of primary school students (children aged 5 - 11 years).

More information on the SoilSafe projects can be found here:
https://soilsafe.auckland.ac.nz/home/soilsafe-kids/
https://soilsafe.auckland.ac.nz/

The use of cannabis is relatively common in NZ, but is not without harm (particularly with heavy use and/or early age of onset of use). There is a strong association between cannabis use and mental health problems (anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, paranoia, suicidal ideation), and psychosis. Repeated long-term use of cannabis can also be associated with chronic bronchitis and dependence. Few people in NZ report having received support and treatment to moderate or abstain from cannabis use. Recently, lower-risk cannabis use guidelines have being published providing ‘10 recommendation clusters’ to reduce the harm from cannabis use.

This summer student project aims to determine the acceptability of the guidelines to cannabis users in NZ. The project will involve the conduct of an online cross-sectional survey, with participants recruited via a market research company. The project presents high value to students because it takes them through much of the research process, including writing a journal publication. The project is excellent preparation for budding post-graduate research students, and ideally suited to someone who is highly motivated, has excellent writing and presentation skills, and experience in basic statistical analysis.

New Zealander's intakes of wholegrains and fibre are below recommended intakes. Eating more wholegrains and foods with good carbohydrate quality is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer, all of which have high rates in New Zealand. There is a lack of research on consumer knowledge, attitudes, and acceptability, of whole grains.

The aim of this project will be to conduct a scoping literature review of methods to assess the consumer knowledge, attitudes, and acceptability of wholegrains. The review will include an exploration of applicability to the NZ setting, including Maori and Pacific.

The student will gain skills in literature searching and selection, summarising literature and scientific report writing. This project would suit a nutrition or health sciences student, an interest in the role of wholegrains in the diet.

This project will provide an overview of the evidence from 2012 to 2022 estimating the prevalence of health profession students' AOD use and its implications for student success, health, and wellbeing. It aims to inform the feasibility of conducting a multicentre study with the U21 group.

Over the 10 weeks, the student will: complete a literature search and using the Whittmore & Knafl (2005) craft the first draft of an integrative literature review.

This research is important as it will examine the prevalence of alcohol use across the spectrum of use, for health profession students internationally. It will also provide some understanding of alcohol use and the impact for students on academic life, health and wellbeing.

This summer studentship is to support the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching with research on academic leadership and teaching quality. The student will be onboarded into the existing study design, be mentored in terms of qualitative research methods, conducts literature reviews, and garner some experience coding qualitative data.

The student will need to have completed a research methods course that included qualitative methods (though qualitative methods need not be the focus of the course). Strong writing skills, being extremely self-directed, and intellectual curiosity are all pluses.

We hypothesise that the composition of the microbiome is associated with S. pyogenes colonisation (differences in diversity and/or abundance of specific bacteria) and may be associated with the development of throat infections in children colonised with S. pyogenes. Using the Growing Up in New Zealand data we aim to:

• determine the microbial composition of the throat in healthy children
• determine the microbial diversity of the throat microbiome and how it differs between children colonised with S. pyogenes and those who are not colonised with S. pyogenes
• determine which microbes present in the throat are associated with not experiencing a throat infection in the past year and not being colonised with S. pyogenes.

The summer project aims:

• to describe the Strep colonisation rates of pre-school children in the cohort
• to further explore the prevalence rates of those children with recent antibiotic use or sore throats
• to do a global literature review of microbiome research in the throat in relation to colonisation of common bacteria
• to look at the NZ context for throat infections, antibiotic use, and subsequent health outcomes

Outputs:

This summer project will contribute directly to the publication of one peer-reviewed manuscript in the next 12 months.

A 2022 formative evaluation of the marking practices in a 3rd year paper in the School of Population Health gave weight to the value students experience associated with receiving direct and specific feedback from their markers. The literature suggests that learning how to respond to feedback is a key employability skill and that undergraduate students in particular benefit from early and regular specific feedback regarding their academic work and progress.

A recent article published by our peers at AUT proposes a model of marking practice informed by the Maori cultural concepts of Mana, and Whakamana, where students are told clearly, and relationally where they are going wrong, and possible ways of addressing the gaps in their academic writing skills. We are keen to explore what the literature tells us about the most effective marking practices, and to use this as a foundation for establishing a positive and constructive approach to marking across the school. The focus on curriculum transformation, relational teaching practices, and an increased focus on Maori informed pedagogy, make this a timely and relevant summer project that has the capacity to support increased Maaori responsiveness.

Over the last 2 and a half years, Covid19 has made us deliver care at a distance so that we can avoid becoming infected. Typically we think about this kind of care being done by doctors (telemedicine), but any healthcare professional can do it if it's within their scope of practice. We know that pharmacists help their patients on the phone and via text, but do they use video and social media as well? Our research question is: What tools do pharmacists use to deliver care at a distance for their patients/consumers? To answer this question we need to complete a literature review first.

Skills required: The ability to search the literature, filter appropriate research literature for analysis, analyse the literature you find and write it up as a journal article.

Anticipated research impact: The work of pharmacists has changed because of the last couple of years. They are now obliged to use a range of technologies to deliver their services from a distance. Knowing what they use can help redefine the scope of practice for pharmacists and enable them to extend their reach for making a difference in people's lives.

Tobacco control policies are being introduced used in NZ that could lead to a rise in the illicit trade in tobacco. Current methods for assessing the size of the illicit trade are imprecise and often biased. Novel approaches are needed. This project will involve a review of the literature and key informant interviews to identify potential novel ways to better measure the size and trends in the illicit trade. The project will be part of a large programme of work supported by the Ministry of Health on this topic.

Literature review and liaison with UoA econometrics expertise to identify key questions about illicit tobacco markets and smoker behaviours as tobacco control policies change, and data analysis to identify initial answers.

Quantitative skills useful.

Ageing happens to all of us. Each generation seems to age better than the generation before them. People carry their generational expectations into their old age, e.g., use of information technologies. Carers support people as they age. The future of caring will involve digital technologies, e.g., service robots, electronic recording of healthcare notes, and collections of sensors that enable people to remain independent longer than anticipated. The research question is, "How confident are carers about the increasing digitisation of their work?"

To answer this research question, we will conduct interviews with carers working in community settings (subject to ethics approval).

Required skills: Interviewing skills (we will train you but good interpersonal skills are necessary), literature search skills, and writing in English.

Research impact: The digitisation of society affects how people age (using technologies to support their independence) and how people care for and support them. This means that carers will soon be required to be digitally competent at work. The results of this research will help bring digital skills and competences into the carer scope of practice to enhance their work and its effectiveness. We will write a paper for publication to share the findings.

We have recently completed the main analyses on a project examining trends in ischaemic heart disease hospitalisations in New Zealand between 2005 and 2019. The project was stimulated by recent international publications suggesting that ischaemic heart disease rates might have plateaued and started to increase in some developed countries, after decades of declining rates. The analyses were undertaken by a student completing a BSc (honours) dissertation in Statistics, supervised by a biostatistician (KP) and an epidemiologist (RJ). The student has since left the University to take up a full-time job and this studentship offers a student, with interests in epidemiology and biostatistics, the unique opportunity to work with the supervisors of the dissertation to take this project from the analyses stage to a complete paper, which will be submitted for publication.

The findings of this study will be of international interest and will be submitted a high impact international journal. The studentship will require an applicant with the aptitude to rapidly develop skills in searching and appraising the epidemiological literature on trends in ischaemic heart disease, to be able to rapidly develop an understanding of the time series statistical methods used in the trend analyses and have good writing skills.

According to news reports, tobacco is being grown and sold, illegally within Auckland's Pacific (particularly Tongan) communities, at levels that may be a challenge to the dramatic declines in smoking prevalence needed to achieve NZ's Smoke-free 2025 goal. However, there has been no research investigating the reasons behind this issue, such as who the growers are, who the users are that are demanding the product, how it is used, marketed and sold.

Aims: The aims of this project are to describe the product and it's supply-chain to consumers; and to describe their knowledge of the law and the health effects of smoking tobacco in any form.

Methods: Potential participants will be identified via community networking and snowballing techniques. Qualitative research methods will be used, collecting data via key informant interviews with a sample of growers, sellers and users; and analysing the data using general thematic analysis.

Some experience in conducting interviews would be helpful but not essential as the supervisors have a vast experience in this approach. A student with Tongan language fluency and cultural familiarity, would be advantageous.

Because of the illegal nature of growing tobacco for sale in NZ, security risks may exist, and the student would need to be aware of and prepared for, to ensure safety.

The project would need ethics approval; this will be obtained before the student starts. The project will take around 10 weeks over the summer break.

National Women's Health at Auckland District Health Board curates a 30 year repository of clinical data used for quality improvement and research; and plans to improve their usability. This requires alignment of the various data repositories, description of the data contained, development of a data dictionary, a plan for determining the accuracy of data items, and a plan for data governance.

This studentship is data based and would suit a student with an interest in data quality and some skill in development of databases.

The lymphatic system is an extensive network of vessels situated in all perfused tissues. They are critical for vital functions, so much in fact that their congenital absence is incompatible with life. They are responsible for fluid homeostasis, immune responses and absorption of fats and other large molecules. For all their versatility and the crucial physiological role they play, lymphatics are barely considered when discussing the physiopathology or treatment of disease. We believe this oversight of the lymphatic system starts at the undergraduate level. Our project aims to obtain information on the following areas:

• The extent of knowledge of lymphatic anatomy, physiology and relevance in medical students.
• The extent of the teaching of lymphatic anatomy, physiology and relevance during medical education.

We are hoping to involve a student to start the research on these areas. Over the course of the summer, the student will:

• Complete a systematic literature review on animal models for VILI.
• Review the curriculum of the MBChB programme to identify how the lymphatic system is taught.
• Research the student's knowledge of the lymphatic system via a survey.
  

Data about patients, including their medical conditions, treatments ('exposures') and outcomes, are routinely collected nationally and internationally. These 'real-world' health data are collected through clinical care and administrative processes and, increasingly, are stored in electronic databases/records. A limitation of these data is that they focus on prescribed and/or funded treatments. The extent to which data on the use of non-funded/non-prescription ('over-the-counter') medicines, including traditional and complementary/alternative medicines ('TCAMs', e.g. herbal medicines, dietary supplements) are captured in these datasets is not known.

This project is part of a larger research programme exploring current practices and future plans for routine collection of data on the use of TCAMs in 'real-world' health datasets. The summer studentship comprises identifying major existing 'real-world' health datasets internationally using a multi-faceted systematic search approach, including online/website searches, literature searches, and contacting key stakeholders. Data extraction for key characteristics of the datasets identified will be undertaken and summarised descriptively.

This project would suit a student with an interest in big/real-world health data and its future potential for exploring health outcomes associated with the use of TCAMs.

Skills the student will develop include: literature searching skills, data extraction, descriptive data analysis, and writing skills.

Project aims

Shortages of doctors continue to affect healthcare delivery in rural areas. Each year since 2012, the Medical School Outcomes Database and Longitudinal Tracking (MSOD) project has collected demographic and career intention data from University of Auckland (UoA) MBChB students at entry and exit to their programme in addition to follow-up surveys in the postgraduate years. As a part of the MSOD project, we can link these data to information on clinical placements in the MBCHB programme and Ministry of Health information regarding career outcomes in terms of location of practice and specialty. This study aims to:

i. Relate the career intentions of UoA medical graduates at the end of medical school to their early postgraduate practice outcomes, including location.
ii. Describe the patterns in the key factors that influence UoA medical graduate career choices, including location.

Skills taught

• Data processing and exploration techniques for large datasets
• Anonymised data will be processed to relate career intentions and medical school experiences to career outcomes and identify key predictors
  

Statistics

• Summary statistics, non-parametric and parametric comparisons, regression analysis
  

Data visualisation

• Data visualization techniques to illustrate associations between categorical variables and geographical distributions

Writing for publication

• The student is expected to contribute significantly to a research paper
  

Expected research impact

This will be the first longitudinally linked analysis of UoA student data from graduation into the early years of practice incorporating:

• practice location three years post graduation;
• career intentions at medical school, including location;
• placements during the final years of medical school;
• career specialty intentions;
• early postgraduate placements;

This analysis can be used to better understand the predictors of rural career outcomes to inform wider areas of workforce planning and medical school placements.

Responsiveness to Maori

Maori have a higher proportion living in small urban and rural areas of Aotearoa compared to non-Maori. Key to mitigating inequities in healthcare is ensuring that enough health practitioners are accessible to rural communities. This research project will provide insight into the training and career trajectories of our rural medical workforce and may inform initiatives to encourage a rural career path in future graduates.

Hearing loss affects a large proportion of the population. The World Health Organisation estimates that 1.5 billion people globally have some degree of hearing loss, which will increase to 2.5B by 2050. In the World Report on Hearing, the WHO identified a number of potential causative and protective factors for hearing loss and suggest that over 60% of hearing loss is preventable. Understanding the true contribution of these factors could be used to inform public health approaches to reduce hearing disability and stem the rate at which this is estimated to rise. This information could be made available to educate the public about the risk and how it can be mitigated by lifestyle changes.

The student will review literature on protective and causative factors and interrogate the data to understand the degree of evidence and gaps in knowledge. We will use this to generate a conceptual risk profile for hearing loss across the lifecourse that could be the basis for developing a public health programme to prevent hearing loss and its impact in New Zealand.

The student will develop an understanding of hearing loss and the associated causes and develop skills of searching literature databases and critically analysing literature.

Researchers from the University of Auckland and A Better Start – E Tipu e Rea National Science Challenge developed Headstrong. Developed by rangatahi with help from experts, Headstrong is a secure digital app that connects users with a virtual guide. Young people can use it to build resilience and a healthy outlook on life.

We know that digital tools are effective, but only if young people engage with them. If they do, there is tremendous capacity to impact positively on wellbeing. We are interested in how social media can be used to reach young people. We are looking for a student to run a study on increasing the followers and reach of the Headstrong social media platforms. This will involve designing and posting assets and analysis of data.

The applicant will also undertake a literature review. This study will support our on-going roll out of Headstrong to young people in Aotearoa. The applicant should be interested in social media, mental health, digital technologies and connecting with rangatahi.

Skills required:

• Interest in mental health and digital technologies
• Knowledge and experience using social media
• Ability to effectively communicate

Skills developed include:

• Literature review
• Teamwork
• Data entry and analysis
• Academic and report writing
  

There is a substantial lack of ear and hearing care services in the Pacific Island countries. Despite a very high prevalence of ear disease and hearing loss among Pacific Island communities, there is a limited number of audiology and otology/Ear nose throat (ENT) ear specialists professionals throughout the region.

This project will seek to understand the audiology service requirements in the region to develop a working plan to recruit and train and build a community-based ear and hearing care workforce in the region. The student will conduct a literature review of community-based ear and hearing care services in other low-to-middle income countries and undertake a survey of key health professionals in Pacific Island Countries to understand the local workforce needs, including working with members of the Pacific ENT and Audiology Group (PENTAG). The student will also look at regional training opportunities, especially at Fiji National University, the National University of Samoa and The University of Auckland.

Skills learnt: The student will develop skills in undertaking a literature review, setting up and conducting an interview-based survey and thematic analysis of qualitative research results. They will learn to work with Pacific Communities.

The Growing Up in NZ study is NZ's largest longitudinal study, providing valuable information to guide practice and policy relevant to NZ's diverse population. You will be working with data for the Asian cohort in this study to provide novel insights to further guide research and policy.
NZ has a rapidly changing population, with childcare beliefs influenced by (among others) cultural factors, work and caregiver roles, shifting migration patterns and intercultural partnerships. Yet historically research into the health needs of Asian NZers has been poorly funded and prioritised, making GUINZ data valuable.

You will work with named investigators for GUINZ to look at longitudinal data sets, to ask questions such as:

• How do Asian mothers and their partners approach child rearing? What are their beliefs and perceived needs?
• What kind of information and support are they receiving and is this adequate and/or appropriate for their needs?
• What is the impact of extended family , community, work and support services? Are there any gaps?
• Is there a difference between NZ-born and migrant Asian families?
• How do Asians see themselves as parents, and how does this compare to other ethnicities in NZ?
• What happens with intercultural partnerships (mother and partner)?
• What is the influence of language ability, and cultural beliefs?
• What is the impact of social and community factors, eg employment, access to transport, community supports and whether they feel part of NZ?
  

The Growing Up in NZ (GUINZ) study is NZ's largest longitudinal study, providing valuable information to guide practice and policy relevant to NZ's diverse population. One of the unique features of GUINZ is its focus on understanding the needs and experiences of fathers. You will be working with data for the Asian cohort in this study to provide novel insights to further guide research and policy.

NZ has a rapidly changing population, with childcare beliefs influenced by (among others) cultural factors, work and caregiver roles, shifting migration patterns and intercultural partnerships. Yet historically research into the health needs of Asian NZers has been poorly funded and prioritised, making GUINZ data valuable.

You will work with named investigators for GUINZ to look at longitudinal data sets, to ask questions such as:

• Better understand the role that Asian fathers play in the lives of their children (including expected, actual and ideal roles).
• Promote policies and advocacy that provide relevant support for fathers, in particular Asian fathers.
  Understand how the role of Asian fathers change or differ with migration background and acculturation.
• Look at the growing group of intercultural parenting partnerships (eg, Asian mother with different ethnicity partner)
  

The Growing Up in NZ study is NZ's largest longitudinal study, providing valuable information to guide practice and policy relevant to NZ's diverse population. You will be working with data for the Asian cohort in this study to provide novel insights to further guide research and policy.
NZ has a rapidly changing population, with childcare beliefs influenced by (among others) cultural factors, work and caregiver roles, shifting migration patterns and intercultural partnerships. Yet historically research into the health needs of Asian NZers has been poorly funded and prioritised, making GUINZ data valuable.

You will work with named investigators for GUINZ to look at longitudinal data sets for the 2 year – 54 month period, to ask questions such as:

• How are Asian families engaging with health services in NZ?
• What kind of health information are they receiving and is this adequate and/or appropriate for their needs?
• Do their health beliefs and engagement change through early childhood? How does this build on or change from previous?
• Is there a difference between NZ-born and migrant Asian families?
• What is the influence of language ability and cultural beliefs?
• What is the impact of social and community factors, eg employment, access to transport, community supports and whether they feel part of NZ?
• Is there any early impact we can measure on child health and development?
• How can we address barriers to access?
  

This research seeks to explore the specific health needs of the Indigenous African migrant population in Aotearoa. The needs for this community are not clearly understood, due to the lack of specific research. This research will apply an Indigenous African methodology to appropriately and adequately explore Indigenous African experiences in a culturally safe and sensitive manner. This research will not do harm to tangata whenua. This research will be conducted in ways that acknowledge tangata whenua and will align to the obligations of te Tiriti.

Project

Counting Ourselves is the first comprehensive national survey of the health and wellbeing of trans and non-binary people living in Aotearoa New Zealand. The first survey was carried out in 2018, with reports and publications from 2019. The survey will be run again in July 2022.

This project involves the student cleaning, coding, and analysing data for the 2022 wave and helping to create a community report similar to the 2019 community report, https://countingourselves.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Counting-Ourselves_Report-Dec-19-Online.pdf

Counting Ourselves involves collaboration with a wide range of academics, health professionals, community organisations and policymakers with an interest in the wellbeing of transgender and non-binary people.

This project will be co-supervised by Dr Jaimie Veale from the Transgender Health Research Lab at the University of Waikato.