The principal scientific journal for the profession in New Zealand

Exploring admissions for Māori presenting with major trauma at Christchurch Hospital

Injury remains one of the leading causes of years of life lost worldwide. In 2015, the New Zealand Major Trauma Registry was developed to provide a comprehensive data registry within New Zealand for looking at the outcomes and determinants of major trauma.

Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme: learnings from a youth-led community-based intervention study | OPEN ACCESS

Prediabetes is a common condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be defined as type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

The 777 Planner: improving the resuscitation call experience at North Shore Hospital

Resuscitation events in hospital are invariably high-stake challenging situations that require effective communication, leadership and coordination.

Attitudes towards and use of cannabis in New Zealand patients with in-flammatory bowel disease: an exploratory study

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), two chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal system.

Multidisciplinary pigmented lesion clinic at Auckland District Health Board: impacts on melanoma diagnosis and treatment outcomes

Australasia has the highest rates of melanoma worldwide. In New Zealand, melanoma is the fourth most common cancer and sixth most common cancer resulting in death.

Shared electric scooter injuries at Auckland City Hospital: a comparative review one year after their introduction

An electric scooter (e-scooter) is a micro-mobility device with a small electric-powered motor allowing speeds exceeding 25km/hr.

Impact of burnout on empathy

Burnout—a syndrome that is characterised by emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and low sense of personal accomplishment—has been associated with a higher frequency of medical errors, lapses in professionalism, impeded learning, problematic alcohol use and suicidal ideation.

Nick Wilson, Tony Blakely, Michael G Baker, Martin Eichner

Estimating the risk of outbreaks of COVID-19 associated with shore leave by merchant ship crews: simulation studies for New Zealand | OPEN ACCESS

Historically, shipping has been involved in the global spread of pandemics, and maritime quarantine has been used as a successful control measure (eg, in the 1918 influenza pandemic).

Benjamin J Smith, Arthur J Morris, Ben Johnston, Stephen Child, Simon Thornley

Estimating the effect of selective border relaxation on COVID-19 in New Zealand | OPEN ACCESS

At the time of writing, the New Zealand government allows only citizens, residents and a small number of other exceptions to travel to New Zealand, and all these travellers must undergo a 14-day managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) on arrival.

Vili Hapaki Nosa, Gemma Malungahu, Janine Paynter, Dudley Gordon Ralph Gentles, David Newcombe

Pacific peoples and alcohol: a review of the literature

This paper provides an update on research on alcohol use by Pacific peoples.

The Climate Change Act will now shape the nation’s health: an assessment of the first policy recommendations to reach our zero carbon target

Alex Macmillan

This year, the Government will finally be forced to act on its responsibility to protect global and national health from runaway climate change.

COVID-19, 20, 21: lessons from New Zealand’s 2020 response for 2021 and beyond | OPEN ACCESS

Ashley Bloomfield

Just over a year ago on 29 January 2020, following the recommendations of the Emergency Committee, the World Health Organization Director-General declared that the COVID-19 outbreak constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations.

Suzanne Pitama, Tania Huria, Cameron Lacey

2021: here we come / tēnei te whakatau! | OPEN ACCESS

The New Zealand Medical Journal (NZMJ) was first published 47 years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Amanda Kvalsvig, Jennifer Summers, Lesley Gray, Lucy Telfar Barnard, Michael G Baker

COVID-19 outbreaks in Aotearoa New Zealand: urgent action is required to address systematic causes and consequences of border failures | OPEN ACCESS

By May 2020, Aotearoa New Zealand had successfully eliminated community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The only remaining source of new infections in this island nation was then by introduction through the border.

Philip Bagshaw, Brian Cox

Adequacy of publicly funded colonoscopy services in New Zealand

Colonoscopy for the investigation of patients with colorectal disease has had a chequered history in New Zealand. In the 1980s, as endoscopic technology became more advanced and equipment more widely available, it was increasingly accepted as the investigation of choice for symptomatic patients, often through open access clinics.

Vol 133 No 1525: 20 November 2020

Ethnic inequity in diabetes outcomes—inaction in the face of need

Rawiri McKree Jansen, Gerhard Sundborn, Rick Cutfield, Dahai Yu, David Simmons

Evaluation of a longstanding primary care audit and diabetes care support service (DCSS) programme was reported in a paper published in Lancet Global Health on 15 October 2020.

Vol 133 No 1524: 30 October 2020

Oh my

Peter Crampton

NZDep is a small area index of relative socioeconomic deprivation based on census data. Ethnicity graphs for NZDep illustrate how socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage are distributed throughout our society.

Telehealth as a tool for equity: pros, cons and recommendations

The COVID-19 crisis has forced an abrupt change to the way our society functions.

Catherine Habel, Jerome Ng, Phil Shoemack, Kate Grimwade, Fiona Miller, Jen Boryer, Hayley Bennett, Stephanie Chisholm

COVID-19 outbreak management in a hospital ward: lessons learned to prevent, prepare for and respond to infectious disease outbreaks in healthcare settings | OPEN ACCESS

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an international public health response that has stretched the limits of many healthcare systems, including those in high-income countries.

Orna McGinn, Vicki Mount, Helen Fulcher

Increasing access to contraception in New Zealand: assessing the impact of a new funding initiative

In November 2019, New Zealand’s long-awaited draft cross-sector Reproductive Health Action Plan was withdrawn.

Andrew McCombie, Malcolm Arnold, Marian O’Connor, Richard Stein, James Fulforth, Belinda Brown, Richard Gearry

Why does Pharmac neglect inflammatory bowel disease?

New Zealand has the third highest prevalence of IBD in the world, and the incidence is still increasing. A burden-of-disease report published in 2017 reported that IBD costs New Zealand an estimated $245,000,000 in healthcare costs and lost productivity.

Nicole Chien, Ken Romeril, Bart Baker, Hugh Goodman, Henry Chan

Consensus statement on the treatment of transplant-eligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma in New Zealand

In New Zealand, around 400 new cases of multiple myeloma (MM) are reported each year. This equates to an age standardised incidence rate of 5.19 cases per 100,000 population, which is similar to other western countries and is increasing with time.

Robyn Whittaker, Rosie Dobson, Lara Hopley, Delwyn Armstrong, Barbara Corning-Davis, Penny Andrew

Training clinicians to lead clinical IT projects

Digital health has evolved rapidly over the last two decades, creating enormous potential to transform the healthcare sector.

Increased unemployment from the COVID-19 pandemic, what might be the adverse impacts on cardiovascular disease in Aotearoa/New Zealand and how might this be prevented? | OPEN ACCESS

Until at least early August 2020, New Zealand had successfully eliminated community transmission of COVID-19 from the country, but then an outbreak was detected on 11 August (at the time of writing). Nevertheless, the associated response to the initial epidemic, including lockdowns and declines in global trade, has resulted in a range of negative social and economic impacts including job losses.

Ineffective, meaningless, inequitable: analysis of complaints to a voluntary alcohol advertising code

Aotearoa New Zealand has a vision of being the best place in the world for children and young people: a place where children live in healthy, sustainable environments.

Improving efficiency of current diagnostic pathways for investigation of colorectal cancer in symptomatic patients

We read with interest the commentary from Bagshaw and Cox regarding the adequacy, or lack thereof, of publicly funded colonoscopy services in New Zealand.

DNA information: access, use and implications for healthcare in Aotearoa New Zealand

A recently published study on public attitudes towards genomic data sharing has highlighted issues around whether and how people are willing to share their DNA information.

Nick Wilson, Geoffrey Rice, George Thomson, Michael G Baker

Remembering past pandemics to ensure we plan for the future: updated New Zealand survey of memorials to the 1918 influenza pandemic | OPEN ACCESS

New Zealand has had a problem with insufficient pandemic planning, as indicated by its low score on a validated Global Health Security Index in 2019.

Lynne Chepulis, Christopher Mayo, Ryan Paul

Updated algorithms are required to differentiate type 1 from type 2 diabetes using the Virtual Diabetes Register

The Virtual Diabetes Register (VDR) is an annually updated national register of all patients with diabetes mellitus.

The beginning of End of Life Choice

Miles Williams

The coming into force of the End of Life Choice Act (EOLC) has been a uniquely New Zealand experience. Politicians have toured the country to hear and read submissions from thousands of their fellow countrymen and women. The EOLC bill was vigorously debated in Parliament and voting was by conscience vote rather than along party lines.

Karyn Dunn, John Thwaites

The impact of COVID-19 on RMO medical education and training at CDHB | OPEN ACCESS

The COVID-19 virus has caused unprecedented disruption to health services across the world. As a result, the education and training of Resident Medical Officers (RMOs) has also been greatly affected.

From Southland to Surgery: A Journey around Values

Richard Acland

Professor John Morton has not only written an intriguing catalogue of the Christchurch surgical scene in the latter part of the 20th century, but has also provided a well-considered philosophy for medical care.

Vol 133 No 1521: 4 September 2020

My Life in Public Health

In the time of Covid, some of the superheroes of the health sector are the public health physicians. This book outlines the active and varied personal and professional life of one New Zealand public health physician.

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

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 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 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