Research Associate Professor Ruth Cunningham
Contact Details
- Phone
- +64 4 385 5541
- ruth.cunningham@otago.ac.nz
- Position
- Research Associate Professor
- Department
- Department of Public Health (Wellington)
- Qualifications
- MBChB MPH FNZCPHM
- Research summary
- Public health; mental health
Research
Ruth is a public health physician and epidemiologist working in the areas of mental health research, social epidemiology, cancer epidemiology and health services research. The main focus of her current work is mental health epidemiology and the physical health of people with experience of mental health conditions.
Ruth leads the Electronic data for Mental health research (EleMent) group: Te Raraunga Hinengaro. EleMent are a multidisciplinary research group bringing together expertise in epidemiology, public health and data science with clinical and lived experience of mental distress. The group use routinely collected electronic data from health and other sources to understand the distribution and determinants of mental health and mental distress, with a focus is on making the best use of available information to improve the mental health of New Zealanders.
Ruth is principal investigator the Tupuānuku research project funded by the Health Research Council to investigate the factors contributing to inequities in physical health outcomes for people with experience of mental illness or addiction in Aotearoa. Ruth is also working on a number of projects using routine data on mental health service use in New Zealand (PRIMHD) linked to other datasets, including projects examining mental health service use in later life, mental health care in emergency departments, and mental health service provision for Māori. Ruth is also working with Dr Paula King on the health and wellbeing impacts of incarceration for Māori.
Ruth welcomes expressions of interest from masters’ and PhD students.
Publications
Cunningham, R., Imlach, F., Every-Palmer, S., Haitana, T., & Peterson, D. (2023). Dealing with discrimination in physical health care services: Strategies of people with mental health and substance use conditions. Journal of Patient Experience. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/23743735231211778
Clark, M. T. R., Manuel, J., Lacey, C., Pitama, S., Cunningham, R., & Jordan, J. (2023). ‘E koekoe te Tūī, e ketekete te Kākā, e kuku te Kererū, The Tūī chatters, the Kākā cackles, and the Kererū coos’: Insights into explanatory factors, treatment experiences and recovery for Māori with eating disorders: A qualitative study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/00048674231207583
Cunningham, R., Imlach, F., Haitana, T., Every-Palmer, S., Lacey, C., Lockett, H., & Peterson, D. (2023). It’s not in my head: A qualitative analysis of experiences of discrimination in people with mental health and substance use conditions seeking physical healthcare. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1285431. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1285431
Manuel, J., Pitama, S., Clark, M., Crowe, M., Crengle, S., Cunningham, R., Gibb, S., Petrović-van der Deen, F. S., Porter, R. J., & Lacey, C. (2023). Racism, early psychosis, and institutional contact: A qualitative study of Indigenous experiences. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/00207640231195297
Cunningham, R., Imlach, F., Lockett, H., Lacey, C., Haitana, T., Every-Palmer, S., Clark, M. T. R., & Peterson, D. (2023). Do patients with mental health and substance use conditions experience discrimination and diagnostic overshadowing in primary care in Aotearoa New Zealand? Results from a national online survey. Journal of Primary Health Care, 15(2), 112-121. doi: 10.1071/HC23015
Cunningham, R., Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2017). Like minds, like mine: Seventeen years of countering stigma and discrimination against people with experience of mental distress in New Zealand. In W. Gaebel, W. Rössler & N. Sartorius (Eds.), The stigma of mental illness: The end of the story? (pp. 263-287). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-27839-1_15
Chapter in Book - Research
Fleming, S. T., Sarfati, D., Kimmick, G., Schoenberg, N., & Cunningham, R. (2016). Impact of comorbidity on cancer screening and diagnosis. In B. Koczwara (Ed.), Cancer and chronic conditions: Addressing the problem of multimorbidity in cancer patients and survivors. (pp. 105-129). Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-981-10-1844-2
Chapter in Book - Research
Carr, G., Cunningham, R., Petrović-van der Deen, F. S., Manuel, J., Gibb, S., Porter, R. J., Pitama, S., Crowe, M., Crengle, S., & Lacey, C. (2023). Evolution of first episode psychosis diagnoses and health service use among young Māori and non-Māori: A New Zealand national cohort study. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 17(3), 290-298. doi: 10.1111/eip.13327
Journal - Research Article
Clark, M. T. R., Manuel, J., Lacey, C., Pitama, S., Cunningham, R., & Jordan, J. (2023). Reimagining eating disorder spaces: A qualitative study exploring Māori experiences of accessing treatment for eating disorders in Aotearoa New Zealand. Journal of Eating Disorders, 11, 22. doi: 10.1186/s40337-023-00748-5
Journal - Research Article
Clark, M. T. R., Manuel, J., Lacey, C., Pitama, S., Cunningham, R., & Jordan, J. (2023). ‘E koekoe te Tūī, e ketekete te Kākā, e kuku te Kererū, The Tūī chatters, the Kākā cackles, and the Kererū coos’: Insights into explanatory factors, treatment experiences and recovery for Māori with eating disorders: A qualitative study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/00048674231207583
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Imlach, F., Every-Palmer, S., Haitana, T., & Peterson, D. (2023). Dealing with discrimination in physical health care services: Strategies of people with mental health and substance use conditions. Journal of Patient Experience. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/23743735231211778
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Imlach, F., Haitana, T., Every-Palmer, S., Lacey, C., Lockett, H., & Peterson, D. (2023). It’s not in my head: A qualitative analysis of experiences of discrimination in people with mental health and substance use conditions seeking physical healthcare. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1285431. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1285431
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Imlach, F., Lockett, H., Lacey, C., Haitana, T., Every-Palmer, S., Clark, M. T. R., & Peterson, D. (2023). Do patients with mental health and substance use conditions experience discrimination and diagnostic overshadowing in primary care in Aotearoa New Zealand? Results from a national online survey. Journal of Primary Health Care, 15(2), 112-121. doi: 10.1071/HC23015
Journal - Research Article
Lian, A., Carr, G., Peterson, D., Jenkin, G., Lockett, H., Every-Palmer, S., & Cunningham, R. (2023). Still in the shadows: A national study of acute mental health unit location across New Zealand hospitals. BMC Health Services Research, 23, 21. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-09004-z
Journal - Research Article
Manuel, J., Cunningham, R., Gibb, S., Petrović-van der Deen, F. S., Porter, R. J., Pitama, S., Crowe, M., Crengle, S., Carr, G., & Lacey, C. (2023). Non-Indigenous privilege in health, justice and social services preceding first episode psychosis: A population-based cohort study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 57(6), 834-843. doi: 10.1177/00048674221119964
Journal - Research Article
Manuel, J., Pitama, S., Clark, M. T. R., Crowe, M., Crengle, S., Cunningham, R., Gibb, S., Petrović-van der Deen, F. S., Porter, R. J., & Lacey, C. (2023). Racism, early psychosis and institutional contact: A qualitative study of Indigenous experiences. International Review of Psychiatry, 35(3-4), 323-330. doi: 10.1080/09540261.2023.2188074
Journal - Research Article
Manuel, J., Pitama, S., Clark, M., Crowe, M., Crengle, S., Cunningham, R., Gibb, S., Petrović-van der Deen, F. S., Porter, R. J., & Lacey, C. (2023). Racism, early psychosis, and institutional contact: A qualitative study of Indigenous experiences. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/00207640231195297
Journal - Research Article
Petrović-van der Deen, F. S., Kennedy, J. D., Stanley, J., Malihi, A., Gibb, S., & Cunningham, R. (2023). Health service utilisation by quota, family-sponsored and convention refugees in their first five years in New Zealand. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 47(3). doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100064
Journal - Research Article
Werkmeister, C., Cunningham, R., Freeland, A., Stanley, J., Every-Palmer, S., & Kuehl, S. (2023). Missed presentations, missed opportunities: A cross-sectional study of mental health presentation undercounting in the emergency department. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 35, 276-282. doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.14114
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., King, P. T., Telfer, K., Crengle, S., Carr, J., Stanley, J., Gibb, S., & Robson, B. (2022). Mortality after release from incarceration in New Zealand by gender: A national record linkage study. SSM Population Health, 20, 101274. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101274
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Milner, A., Gibb, S., Rijnberg, V., Disney, G., & Kavanagh, A. M. (2022). Gendered experiences of unemployment, suicide and self-harm: A population-level record linkage study. Psychological Medicine, 52, 4067-4075. doi: 10.1017/s0033291721000994
Journal - Research Article
Every-Palmer, S., Cunningham, R., Jenkins, M., & Bell, E. (2021). The Christchurch mosque shooting, the media, and subsequent gun control reform in New Zealand: A descriptive analysis. Psychiatry, Psychology & Law, 28(2), 274-285. doi: 10.1080/13218719.2020.1770635
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Crowe, M., Stanley, J., Haitana, T., Pitama, S., Porter, R., Baxter, J., Huria, T., Mulder, R., Clark, M. T. R., & Lacey, C. (2020). Gender and mental health service use in bipolar disorder: National cohort study. BJPsych Open, 6(6), 138. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2020.117
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Stanley, J., Haitana, T., Pitama, S., Crowe, M., Mulder, R., Porter, R., & Lacey, C. (2020). The physical health of Māori with bipolar disorder. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 54(11), 1107-1114. doi: 10.1177/0004867420954290
Journal - Research Article
Lacey, C., Cunningham, R., Rijnberg, V., Manuel, J., Clark, M. T. R., Keelan, K., Pitama, S., Huria, T., Lawson, R., & Jordan, J. (2020). Eating disorders in New Zealand: Implications for Māori and health service delivery. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 53, 1974-1982. doi: 10.1002/eat.23372
Journal - Research Article
Newton-Howes, G., Cunningham, R., & Atkinson, J. (2020). Personality disorder prevalence and correlates in a whole of nation dataset. Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 56(4), 679-685. doi: 10.1007/s00127-020-01876-y
Journal - Research Article
Peterson, D., & Cunningham, R. (2020). Experiencing breast cancer in the context of mental illness in New Zealand. Kōtuitui, 15(1), 236-245. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2020.1728346
Journal - Research Article
Petrović-van der Deen, F., Cunningham, R., Manuel, J., Gibb, S., Porter, R. J., Pitama, S., Crowe, M., Crengle, S., & Lacey, C. (2020). Exploring indigenous ethnic inequities in first episode psychosis in New Zealand: A national cohort study. Schizophrenia Research, 223, 311-318. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.09.004
Journal - Research Article
Richardson, A., Richard, L., Gunter, K., Cunningham, R., Hamer, H., Lockett, H., Wyeth, E., Stokes, T., … Cox, A., & Derrett, S. (2020). A systematic scoping review of interventions to integrate physical and mental healthcare for people with serious mental illness and substance use disorders. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 128, 52-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.05.021
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Peterson, D., & Sims, A. (2019). Specialist mental health care for older adults in New Zealand: An exploration of service models and routine data. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1489), 30-38. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Poppe, K., Peterson, D., Every-Palmer, S., Soosay, I., & Jackson, R. (2019). Prediction of cardiovascular disease risk among people with severe mental illness: A cohort study. PLoS ONE, 14(9), e0221521. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221521
Journal - Research Article
McLeod, M., King, P., Stanley, J., Lacey, C., & Cunningham, R. (2017). Ethnic disparities in the use of seclusion for adult psychiatric inpatients in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 130(1454), 30-39. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Article
Woodhead, C., Cunningham, R., Ashworth, M., Barley, E., Stewart, R. J., & Henderson, M. J. (2016). Cervical and breast cancer screening uptake among women with serious mental illness: A data linkage study. BMC Cancer, 16, 819. doi: 10.1186/s12885-016-2842-8
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2015). Cancer survival in the context of mental illness: A national cohort study. General Hospital Psychiatry, 37, 501-506. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2015.06.003
Journal - Research Article
Signal, V., Sarfati, D., Cunningham, R., Gurney, J., Koea, J., & Ellison-Loschmann, L. (2015). Indigenous inequities in the presentation and management of stomach cancer in New Zealand: A country with universal health care coverage. Gastric Cancer, 18(3), 571-579. doi: 10.1007/s10120-014-0410-y
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Peterson, D., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., & Collings, S. (2014). Premature mortality in adults using New Zealand psychiatric services. New Zealand Medical Journal, 127(1394). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Article
Chamberlain, J., Sarfati, D., Cunningham, R., Koea, J., Gurney, J., & Blakely, T. (2013). Incidence and management of hepatocellular carcinoma among Māori and non-Māori New Zealanders. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 37(6), 520-526. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12108
Journal - Research Article
Swart, E. M., Sarfati, D., Cunningham, R., Dennett, E., Signal, V., Gurney, J., & Stanley, J. (2013). Ethnicity and rectal cancer management in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 126(1384). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Article
Blakely, T., Shaw, C., Atkinson, J., Cunningham, R., & Sarfati, D. (2011). Social inequalities or inequities in cancer incidence? Repeated census-cancer cohort studies, New Zealand 1981-1986 to 2001-2004. Cancer Causes & Control, 22(9), 1307-1318. doi: 10.1007/s10552-011-9804-x
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Carter, K., Connor, J., & Fawcett, J. (2010). Does health status matter for the risk of injury? New Zealand Medical Journal, 123(1327). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/123-1327/4479/content.pdf
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Shaw, C., Blakely, T., Atkinson, J., & Sarfati, D. (2010). Ethnic and socioeconomic trends in breast cancer incidence in New Zealand. BMC Cancer, 10, 674. doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-10-674
Journal - Research Article
Hill, S., Sarfati, D., Blakely, T., Robson, B., Purdie, G., Chen, J., Dennett, E., Cormack, D., Cunningham, R., Dew, K., … Kawachi, I. (2010). Survival disparities in indigenous and non-indigenous New Zealanders with colon cancer: The role of patient comorbidity, treatment and health service factors. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 64(2), 117-123. doi: 10.1136/jech.2008.083816
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Sarfati, D., Hill, S., Dennett, E., & O'Donnell, A. (2009). Colon cancer management in New Zealand: 1996-2003. New Zealand Medical Journal, 122(1294). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/122-1294/3581/content.pdf
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., Sarfati, D., Hill, S., & Kenwright, D. (2008). An audit of colon cancer data on the New Zealand Cancer Registry. New Zealand Medical Journal, 121(1279). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/121-1279/3191/content.pdf
Journal - Research Article
Cunningham, R., MacDonald, J., McLean, M., & Shaw, C. (2007). An outbreak of infectious syphilis in Wellington, New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 120(1260). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/120-1260/2680/content.pdf
Journal - Research Article
Every-Palmer, S., Koning, A., Smith, L., Cunningham, R., Lacey, C., Peterson, D., … Scott, K. M., Dowell, T., … Lockett, H. (2022). Structural discrimination in the COVID-19 vaccination programme for people with mental health and addiction issues: Now is the time to be equally well. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1550), 121-127. Retrieved from https://journal.nzma.org.nz/
Journal - Research Other
Lockett, H., Koning, A., Lacey, C., Every-Palmer, S., Scott, K. M., Cunningham, R., Dowell, T., Smith, L., Masters, A., … Chambers, S. (2021). Addressing structural discrimination: Prioritizing people with mental health and addiction issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1538), 128-134. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Other
Pilleron, S., Gower, H., Janssen-Heijnen, M., Signal, V. C., Gurney, J. K., Morris, E. J. A., Cunningham, R., & Sarfati, D. (2021). Patterns of age disparities in colon and lung cancer survival: A systematic narrative literature review. BMJ Open, 11, e044239. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044239
Journal - Research Other
Lacey, C., Clark, M., Manuel, J., Pitama, S., Cunningham, R., Keelan, K., Rijnberg, V., Cleland, L., & Jordan, J. (2020). Is there systemic bias for Māori with eating disorders? A need for greater awareness in the healthcare system. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1514), 71-76. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Other
Shaw, C. V., D'Souza, A. J., Cunningham, R., & Sarfati, D. (2020). Revolutionized public health teaching to equip medical students for 21st century practice. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 59(2), 296-304. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.02.019
Journal - Research Other
Sarfati, D., Garvey, G., Robson, B., Moore, S., Cunningham, R., Withrow, D., … Bray, F. (2018). Measuring cancer in Indigenous populations. Annals of Epidemiology, 28(5), 335-342. doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2018.02.005
Journal - Research Other
Shaw, C., Cunningham, R., & Sarfati, D. (2008). From screening criteria to colorectal cancer screening: What can New Zealand learn from other countries? [Viewpoint]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 121(1279). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/121-1279/3186/content.pdf
Journal - Research Other