The principal scientific journal for the profession in New Zealand

Kendall Stevenson, Sara Filoche, Fiona Cram, Beverley Lawton

Te Hā o Whānau: A culturally responsive framework of maternity care

The maternal-infant healthcare system is failing Māori, evident in the maternal and infant health inequities between Māori and non-Māori.

Tamara Glyn Mullaney, Andrew McCombie, Christopher Wakeman, Timothy Eglinton, Richard Gearry

Surveillance for dysplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: an updated national survey of colonoscopic practice in New Zealand

There is an increasing rate of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in New Zealand. Patients with IBD are known to have an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Sue Wells, Romana Pylypchuk, Suneela Mehta, Andrew Kerr, Vanessa Selak, Katrina Poppe, Corina Grey, Rod Jackson

Performance of CVD risk equations for older patients assessed in general practice: a cohort study

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of potentially preventable global health loss and demand for health and disability services for older people.

Harriet S Cheng, Coco Kerckhoffs, Nicky Perkins, Lois Eva

Demographics of New Zealand women with vulval lichen sclerosus: is specialist care equitable?

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic, pruritic skin condition with autoimmune aetiology and is relatively common, affecting approximately 1% of women.

Rhona Winnington, Roderick MacLeod

Social consequences of assisted dying: a case study | OPEN ACCESS

The End-of-Life Choice Bill has now passed its third reading in the New Zealand Parliament, which takes the final decision on this divisive legislation into the public arena as the End of Life Choice Act (EoLCA).

Alice L Reid, Marianne J Chapman, Sandra L Peake, Rinaldo Bellomo, Andrew R Davies, Adam M Deane, Michael Horowitz, Sally Hurford, Kylie Lange, Lorraine Little, Diane M Mackle, Stephanie N O’Connor, Jeffrey J Presneill, Emma J Ridley, Patricia J Williams, Paul J Young, on behalf of the TARGET Investigators and the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group‍

Energy-dense vs routine enteral nutrition in New Zealand Europeans, Māori, and Pacific Peoples who are critically ill

Over 14,000 critically ill patients are admitted to New Zealand intensive care units (ICUs) annually. Nutrition therapy is an essential standard of care for all patients who require life support (invasive mechanical ventilation) as calorie deficits in such patients are associated with poor outcomes.

Daniel Chan, Robert N Doughty, Janine Mazengarb, Andy McLachlan, Andrew J Kerr

Heart failure clinics improve use of evidence-based heart failure therapies in patients with reduced ejection fraction following acute coronary syndrome (ANZACS-QI 48)

Heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction associated with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is associated with adverse prognosis.

Adam Dennison, Briar Peat, Elizabeth Wilson, Alison Leversha, Miriam Wheeler, Simon Briggs, Yvonne Galloway, Janine Ryland, Nigel Wilson

Rheumatic fever recurrences in New Zealand 2010–14

Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an uncommon autoimmune disease following a group A streptococcal (GAS) infection.

Joanna Hikaka, Rhys Jones, Carmel Hughes, Nataly Martini

“It is through shared conversation, that I understand”—Māori older adults’ experiences of medicines and related services in Aotearoa New Zealand

Patients’ experiences of healthcare services are important, not only in evaluating current services, but also for improving them. The centrality of patient experience to service design is explicit in Māori approaches to research and service development.

Mohammed A Moharram, Hamish M Aitken-Buck, Robin Reijers, Isabelle van Hout, Michael JA Williams, Peter P Jones, Gillian A Whalley, Regis R Lamberts, Sean Coffey

Correlation between epicardial adipose tissue and body mass index in New Zealand ethnic populations

Obesity is a global epidemic linked to increased cardiovascular risk. In particular, increased visceral adiposity is associated with dyslipidaemia, insulin resistance, hypertension and higher cardiovascular risk.

Amanda Kvalsvig, Nick Wilson, Ling Chan, Sophie Febery, Sally Roberts, Bryan Betty, Michael G Baker

Mass masking: an alternative to a second lockdown in Aotearoa | OPEN ACCESS

Aotearoa New Zealand succeeded in eliminating COVID-19, but this success has been challenged by poor management of cases at the border in mid-June 2020.

Richard Edwards, Janet Hoek, Andrew Waa

E-cigarettes, vaping and a Smokefree Aotearoa: where to next?

This edition of the Journal includes a commentary by Burrowes et al discussing the validity of the claim that e-cigarettes are 95% safer than smoking.

Why are alcohol companies in our schools?

Jennie Connor

In a recent Viewpoint article, Nicki Jackson and Rachael Dixon examined a high school alcohol education programme called “Smashed” from public health and health education perspectives.

Chris Wilkins, Marta Rychert

The Government’s proposal to legalise cannabis in New Zealand: 10 key questions

A national referendum on the legal status of recreational cannabis use and supply in New Zealand will be held at the next general election in September 2020.

Vol 133 No 1514: 8 May 2020

While we have your attention… | OPEN ACCESS

Felicity Dumble, Jim Miller, Maria Poynter, Phil Shoemack

In normal times, public health professionals work in the background to ensure that the myriad health risks faced by our population do not see the light of day. Pandemics and other major outbreaks or health emergencies remind the public of the importance of public health services.

Vol 133 No 1513: 24 April 2020

COVID-19—the frontline (a GP perspective) | OPEN ACCESS

Kate Baddock

On the day 28 February 2020, the world changed for New Zealand, as it confirmed its first case of COVID-19.

Vol 133 No 1512: 3 April 2020

Here we go again? A new pandemic of the 21st century | OPEN ACCESS

Geoffrey Rice

As the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened rapidly over the past few weeks, comparisons have been made with the great influenza pandemic of 1918, with people asking “Are we about to see a repeat of that global disaster?”

Kelly S Burrowes, Lutz Beckert, Stuart Jones

Human lungs are created to breathe clean air: the questionable quantification of vaping safety “95% less harmful”

It is projected that smoking will kill one billion people worldwide this century. Up to two-thirds of those who smoke will die prematurely due to smoking.

Bruce Hamilton, Lynley Anderson, Nat Anglem, Stuart Armstrong, Simon Baker, Sarah Beable, Peter Burt, Lynne Coleman, Rob Doughty, Tony Edwards, Dan Exeter, Mark Fulcher, Stephen Kara, John Mayhew, Sam Mayhew, Chris Milne, Brendan O’Neill, Hamish Osborne, Melinda Parnell, Jake Pearson, Karen Rasmussen, Judikje Scheffer, Martin Swan, Mark Thomas, David Gerrard

Medical considerations for supporting elite athletes during the post-peak phase of the New Zealand COVID-19 pandemic: a New Zealand sporting code consensus | OPEN ACCESS

In late December 2019, a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases in Wuhan China resulted in the identification of novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and a disease known as COVID-19.

Matt Boyd, Michael G Baker, Cassidy Nelson, Nick Wilson

The 2019 Global Health Security Index (GHSI) and its implications for New Zealand and Pacific regional health security | OPEN ACCESS

Recent events such as the 2019 measles epidemic in New Zealand and the South Pacific, as well as the emergence of a novel coronavirus in China in 2019 (COVID-19), underscore that all countries must ensure capabilities to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to public health emergencies.

Nicki Jackson, Rachael Dixon

The practice of the alcohol industry as health educator: a critique

Due to typically heavy patterns of drinking as well as differences in alcohol sensitivities and risk-taking behaviours, adolescents experience disproportionately more harm from their drinking than older drinkers.

Andrew Dickson, Joanna Manning

A balanced opinion? Considering the role of the external clinical advisor in ACC processes

The role of the external clinical advisor (ECA) is critical to the adjudication of complex claims in the processes of the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC).

Susanna Galea-Singer, David Newcombe, Virginia Farnsworth-Grodd, Janie Sheridan, Peter Adams, Natalie Walker

Challenges of virtual talking therapies for substance misuse in New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic: an opinion piece | OPEN ACCESS

In November 2019, the world was hit by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (referred to as COVID-19). The first cases emerged from Wuhan in China, but rapidly spread across the world.

Rohan Ameratunga, Klaus Lehnert, Euphemia Leung, Davide Comoletti, Russell Snell, See-Tarn Woon, William Abbott, Emily Mears, Richard Steele, Jeff McKee, Andrew Muscroft-Taylor, Shanthi Ameratunga, Natalie Medlicott, Shyamal Das, William Rolleston, Miguel E Quiñones-Mateu, Helen Petousis-Harris, Anthony Jordan

Inhaled modified angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a decoy to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection | OPEN ACCESS

COVID-19 is an emerging zoonotic disease, caused by SARS-CoV-2, which appears to have been transmitted to humans in late 2019 in the Hubei province of China, probably from an intermediate host in a live animal market.

Kam Lun Hon, Karen Ka Yan Leung

Health advice for counselling: would parvovirus infection in puppies affect children and women?

On Lunar New Year’s eve of 2020, an owner of two two-month-old puppies sought advice about her ill puppy with vomiting and mild loose stools.

Christy O’Toole, Ryan Gage, Christina McKerchar, Viliami Puloka, Rachael McLean, Louise Signal

Is snacking the new eating norm for New Zealand children? An urgent call for research

Up-to-date evidence on dietary intake and habits is important for informing policy. However, in recent years there has been a distinct lack of research on children’s snacking patterns in New Zealand. The 2002 Children’s Nutrition Survey is markedly outdated.

Can we teach psychiatry in medical school in a better way?

Nicholas R Wilson

As a final year medical student who has finished their psychiatry medical school training through the University of Auckland, I feel able to comment on the current teaching model, being aware that my perspective is but my own over a short space of time.

Phil Bagshaw, Sue Bagshaw

Towards a better world after COVID-19 | OPEN ACCESS

Recorded human history has not followed a linear course. Nodal points of significant change have occurred, when the collective human consciousness has been focused by sudden positively progressive or devastatingly destructive events.

Emma Espiner, Selah Hart, Garth Poole, Tamara Glyn Mullaney, Su Mei Hoh

Beyond COVID-19: five actions which would improve the health of all New Zealanders | OPEN ACCESS

We congratulate the New Zealand government for the unprecedented steps taken to protect our population from the potentially catastrophic threat to public health posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vol 133 No 1514: 8 May 2020

Takotsubo syndrome co-exıstıng with acute myocardial infarctıon: an overlooked phenomenon in clinical practice

Kenan Yalta, Tulin Yalta, Muhammet Gurdogan

Over the past years, takotsubo syndrome (TS) has drawn a particular attention as a transient form of acute cardiomyopathy that usually mimicks acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in clinical practice.

Vol 133 No 1514: 8 May 2020

Pulmonary embolism following total hip and knee arthroplasty

Richard Seigne

I found the paper by Millar et al of great interest as I have access to similar data from Burwood Hospital, Christchurch.

Vol 132 No 1489: 1 February 2019

Mind That Child; A Medical Memoir

This a book that recounts the experience of the Auckland Starship’s paediatrician Dr Simon Rowley over his professional lifetime.

Vol 132 No 1488: 18 January 2019

Fat Off; the Right Way A clever and sustainable eating guide for weight loss and healthy living

Paul Anderson is a New Zealander who trained in general surgery and works part-time in Australia and part-time in New Zealand.

Vol 132 No 1488: 18 January 2019

The Art of Recovery: six personal journeys

As an editor you receive books for review, which are sent to suitable people following an email agreement to review.

Vol 131 No 1477: 22 June 2018

The Older Traveller: A guide for the health professional

When I found this book was returned from the initial reviewer without a review from the person who had “volunteered” to review it

Vol 131 No 1477: 22 June 2018

Black Flu 1918; The story of New Zealand s worst public health disaster

This is the account of the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Vol 130 No 1463: 6 October 2017

Governor William Hobson: his health problems and final illness

Yee Chen Lau

Captain William Hobson, our first governor, had a tumultuous year before his untimely death in 1842

Vol 130 No 1463: 6 October 2017

Not Our Problem