The principal scientific journal for the profession in New Zealand

Gagan Gurung, Sarah Derrett, Robin Gauld

The role and functions of community health councils in New Zealand’s health system: a document analysis

The broader community can bring unique and valuable perspectives to the health system.

Matthew R Blakiston, Joshua T Freeman

Population-level exposures associated with MRSA and ESBL-E. coli infection across district health boards in Aotearoa New Zealand: an ecological study

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat, undermining the sustainability and safety of modern healthcare.

Michael O’Grady, Rebecca Firth, Ross Roberts

Intensive care unit utilisation post-oesophagectomy

Worldwide, oesophageal cancer is the sixth most common cancer, and the seventh most common cause of cancer-related mortality—responsible for 1 in 20 cancer deaths in 2018.

Deborah L Snell, K Anne Sinnott Jerram, Jennifer A Dunn, C Jean Hsieh, Gerben DeJong, Gary J Hooper

Use of rehabilitation after hip and knee replacement in New Zealand: a national survey

Long-term outcomes following primary hip and knee joint replacement are favourable with most patients experiencing positive functional outcomes over time.

Sukhbir K Sandhu, Vickie M Corbett, Lynne Chepulis, John Goldsmith, Priya Joseph, Sonya K Fraser, Joanna M McClintock, Ryan G Paul

The prevalence of microvascular complications in Waikato children and youth with type 1 diabetes has reduced since 2003

It is well known that good glycaemic control in type 1 diabetes (T1D) prevents, delays and slows the progression of microvascular complications such as diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy.

Megan Pledger, Phoebe Dunn, Janet McDonald, Jacqueline Cumming, Kay Saville-Smith

Is the use of health services by older adults in New Zealand associated with their housing tenure?

Internationally and within New Zealand, research has demonstrated an association between housing tenure and health, with home owners generally in better health than renters.

Sheila Bacus, John Parsons, Jocelyne Benatar, Jithendra Somaratne, Mark Webster, Rachael Parke

Fasting prior to cardiac catheterisation: a single-centre observational study

Angiography is a common procedure, undertaken in almost 20,000 patients in New Zealand in 2017.

Vol 133 No 1509: 7 February 2020

Epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury in New Zealand (2007–2016)

John Mitchell, Joanne Nunnerley, Chris Frampton, Tracey Croot, Alpesh Patel, Rowan Schouten

A traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a life-changing event for an individual and their family/whānau. Vast costs are also associated with the extensive treatment, rehabilitation and lost productivity incurred.

Vol 133 No 1509: 7 February 2020

Good care close to home: local health professional perspectives on how a rural hospital can contribute to the healthcare of its community

Katharina Blattner, Tim Stokes, Marara Rogers-Koroheke, Garry Nixon, Susan M Dovey

Geographic isolation from urban centres where specialist and diagnostic resources are concentrated has been identified as the starting point for understanding rural remote health with access to healthcare widely recognised as the major rural health issue.

Vol 133 No 1509: 7 February 2020

Ethnic inequities in life expectancy attributable to smoking

Michael Walsh, Karen Wright

There are large and persistent inequities in mortality and life expectancy among Māori and Pacific when compared with non-Māori/non-Pacific people, in New Zealand.

Vol 133 No 1508: 17 January 2020

Disasters, policies and micronutrients: the intersect among ethics, evidence and effective action

Neville M Blampied, Roger T Mulder, M Usman Afzali, Oindrila Bhattacharya, Meredith Blampied, Julia J Rucklidge

We will address health system policy issues relating to the ethical approval process for health research and dissemination as well as the willingness of the health system to incorporate information from published health research into clinical practice.

Michael J Maze, Lutz Beckert

The 1918–1919 influenza epidemic in New Zealand: end of the century reflections

The influenza epidemic from 1918–1919 caused an estimated 9,000 deaths among New Zealanders, and disproportionately affected Māori.

Bridget H Robson, Lis Ellison-Loschmann, Mona Jeffreys, Fiona McKenzie

Cancer survival equity by 2030: a Treaty compliant systems approach required

The Waitangi Tribunal’s Inquiry into Health Services and Outcomes WAI2575 is underway and includes claims related to cancer outcomes for Māori.

Vol 132 No 1505: 8 November 2019

The primary healthcare claims to the Waitangi Tribunal

Over the past 40 years, primary healthcare policy in New Zealand has developed in a context of competing political, social, economic and professional forces.

Vol 132 No 1504: 25 October 2019

A measles epidemic in New Zealand: Why did this occur and how can we prevent it occurring again? | OPEN ACCESS

Nikki Turner

In 2019 New Zealand has seen an upsurge in measles cases

Vol 132 No 1503: 4 October 2019

Medicinal Cannabis Scheme in New Zealand: lessons from international experience and our own recent drug policy reform setbacks

Marta Rychert, Chris Wilkins, Geoff Noller

The Ministry of Health (MOH) recently released a consultation document outlining proposals for the New Zealand Medicinal Cannabis Scheme (NZMCS)

Vol 132 No 1502: 20 September 2019

New Zealand's big psychotherapy programme requires evaluation

Tarun Bastiampillai, Stephen Allison, David Castle, Ben Beaglehole, Roger Mulder

New Zealand is following the UK and Australia by developing a national psychotherapy programme

Vol 133 No 1508: 17 January 2020

Teeth or no teeth: exploring punitive measures for adults smoking in cars containing children in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Frank Houghton, Diane O’Doherty, Ben Houghton

Smoking remains the world’s leading causes of preventable mortality and morbidity. Alongside the human cost are the significant economic costs of smoking.

John Horrocks, Nick Wilson

“Beasts”—New Zealand’s utility vehicles: their climate change emissions and macho marketing

“You’re Going to Need a Bigger Garage” reads an advertisement for the 2019 Ford Ranger Raptor in New Zealand Autocar magazine

Mary Nowlan, Diana Murfitt, Nikki Turner

Age is not just a number—synopsis of the 5th New Zealand Influenza Symposium 2019

The 5th New Zealand Influenza Symposium took a focus on both the uptake of the influenza vaccine and long-term consequences of influenza.

Irene Kereama-Royal, Sara Jones, Elisa Lavelle Wijohn, Claire Doole, Elisabeth Burgess, Heather Came

Resisting ethnic inequities in advanced breast cancer: a call to action

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Aotearoa New Zealand. There are systemic ethnic inequities across the cancer continuum, from diagnosis and receiving treatment, through to mortality rates

Taking BMI off the table

Lucy Carey

All four-year-olds in New Zealand are offered a B4 School Check—a health and development check which aims to identify and address any concerns before children start school

Kerryanne Johnson, Helen Walsh, Alex Sasse, Mark Davis, Belinda Buckley, Sally Greaves, Andrew To

New Zealand Minimum dataset for a standard transthoracic echocardiogram

The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) ensures the high quality of cardiac care across Australasia

Jason Gurney, Shelley Campbell, Chris Jackson, Diana Sarfati

Equity by 2030: achieving equity in survival for Māori cancer patients | OPEN ACCESS

The recent Cancer Care at a Crossroads conference, jointly convened by the University of Otago and Cancer Society of New Zealand

Vol 133 No 1508: 17 January 2020

Response to Ben Gray: Sun protection policy in New Zealand

Bronwen McNoe, Anthony Reeder

We recently published findings from an ecological study of school sun protection policies.1 In a critique of our publication

Jennifer B Kidd, Jonathan Jarman

Vaping in Taranaki Schools: A need for policies to prohibit the use and possession of vaping devices in schools

The number of people vaping worldwide is rising dramatically and this trend is also seen in New Zealand youth

David Gwynne-Jones, Gary Hooper

The projected burden of knee osteoarthritis in New Zealand: healthcare expenditure and total joint provision

We commend Wilson and Abbott on their paper highlighting the projected burden of knee osteoarthritis in New Zealand.1 Their projections are worrying and match our previous findings.

On the health effects of radiofrequency radiation

Robin Kelly

As a concerned general practitioner of 38 years standing, I have been following the ongoing debate about the potential harm to patients of both existing non-ionising radiofrequency radiation (RFR)

J Mark Elwood, Andrew W Wood

Animal studies of exposures to radiofrequency fields

We thank Dr Kelly for his interest in our paper on health effects of radiofrequency fields

Vol 132 No 1505: 8 November 2019

Ethnic disparities in community antibacterial dispensing in New Zealand—is current antibacterial dispensing for Māori and Pacific people insufficient or excessive, or both?

Mark Thomas, Naomi Whyler, Andrew Tomlin, Murray Tilyard

We thank Metcalfe et al (18 January 2019)1 for their careful consideration of our article describing ethnic disparities in community antibacterial dispensing in New Zealand during 2015

Vol 132 No 1505: 8 November 2019

An open letter to general practitioners in New Zealand

James Church

I am sitting here in Cleveland, Ohio as a Kiwi expat, troubled to the depths of my soul by what I have been reading about the ravages of bowel cancer in my homeland.

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