Emeritus Professor Elisabeth Wells, Our people, University of Otago, Christchurch, University of Otago, New Zealand

Elisabeth Wells BSc(Hons) PhD

Projects

As a consultant biostatistician, I am involved with many projects, from providing minor assistance to being a co-investigator.

These projects come from nearly all departments of the CSMHS and range from laboratory science to clinical studies and epidemiology. Some of the variety of content areas is seen in my publication list.

Assistance is also provided for grant applications, ethics committee applications, referee and reviewer comments.

I am also involved as the principal statistician and a principal investigator of the Mental Health Epidemiology Study, which consists of a national survey in 2004 of 12,000 people aged 16 years and older (The New Zealand Mental Health Survey, Te Rau Hinengaro).

Research Interests

Psychiatric epidemiology
Survey methods

Awards

2009: Gold Medal for Research Excellence, from the University of Otago, Christchurch.

Grants

2012: (CMRF) Cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus in breast cancer. (A. Richardson, B. Robinson, L. Walker, M. Currie, H. Morrin, E. Wells, J. Potter.)
2011: (HRC) The Christchurch Health and Development Study – Birth to 35 Years. (D. Fergusson, J. Horwood, J. Boden, M. Kennedy, H. Gordon, A. Hikairo, R. Mulder, E. Wells, S. Gibb.)
2010: (CMRF and Genesis Oncology Trust (Bruce Blue Award)) Chemotherapy response in an obese mouse model with colorectal cancer. (G.U. Dachs, M.J. Currie, J. Willis, J.E. Wells, B.A. Robinson.)
2007: (HRC) Longitudinal studies of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing (D Fergusson, J Horwood, A Beautrais, E Wells, L Woodward.)
2005: (Lottery Health) New Zealand survey of mental health and well being. (JE Wells, MA Oakley Browne, J Baxter, AL Beautrais, KM Scott, R Tapsell, M Durie, D Schaaf.)
2004: (HRC) Longitudinal studies of mental health and psychosocial well-being. A programme grant. (DM Fergusson, LJ Horwood, AL Beautrais, JE Wells.)
2002: (HRC) A study of the dose response association between infant iron status and later cognitive functioning (D Richards, E Wells, L Toop et al.)
2001: (HRC) Psychiatric Disorder: Prevalence, Comorbidity and Treatment Seeking in Young Adults (D Ferguson & E Wells [5%])
2001: (HRC) Consequences of Alcohol Use/Abuse in Young Adulthood (D Ferguson & E Wells [5%])

Research Contracts and Consultancies

2007 – 2008: (Ministry of Health) Further use of datasets from the New Zealand Mental Health Survey.
2006 – 2008 (Ministry of Health) On the Interim Monitoring Group for the 2006-2007 New Zealand Health Survey.
2006: (Health Research Council): Senior editor/author of several chapters in report on substance use disorder results in the New Zealand Mental Health Survey. Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey
1999-2007: (Ministry of Health) Contract for the Mental Health Epidemiology Study, a New Zealand national survey of mental health.
2003: (Ngai Tahu Development Corporation) For pilot of a survey
1997: (Mental Health Commission) Appointed to a committee to review the ‘Blueprint for Mental Health Services’
1993-1995: (Public Health Commission) Consultant
1992-1994: (Ministry of Health). Consultant

Professional activities

Member of the New Zealand Statistical Association.
Elected member of the Epidemiology and Public Health Section of the World Psychiatric Association
Member of the Australasian Epidemiological Association.

Student Supervision

The mental health of Pacific people and their use of health services and practice for seeking help.
[PhD, in progress] Jesse Kokaua
(Primary supervisor with Patrick Graham and Richie Poulton as co-supervisors)
Decriminalisation: A harm minimisation and human rights approach to regulating sex work.
[PhD] Gillian Abel, 2010
(Primary supervisor with Lisa Fitzgerald and Cheryl Brunton as co-supervisors)
To establish the musculoskeletal treatment practices of primary health care practitioners to whom women can self refer, for chronic pelvic pain. [MHealSc] Warwick Shillitoe, 2009
(Co-supervisor: Jim Borowczyk)

Publication Supplementary Material

Past year drinking patterns, alcohol problems and alcohol diagnoses in the New Zealand Mental Health Survey

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Publications

Rapsey, C. M., Wells, J. E., Bharat, M. C., Glantz, M., Kessler, R. C., & Scott, K. M. (2019). Transitions through stages of alcohol use, use disorder and remission: Findings from Te Rau Hinengaro, The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. Alcohol & Alcoholism, 54(1), 87-96. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agy069

Wells, J. E., McGee, M. A., & Beautrais, A. L. (2017). Response to Greaves et al.'s (2017) "The diversity and prevalence of sexual orientation self-labels in a New Zealand national sample". Archives of Sexual Behavior, 46(8), 2207-2208. doi: 10.1007/s10508-017-1047-9

MacLachlan, C., Shipton, E. A., & Wells, J. E. (2016). The cold pressor test as a predictor of prolonged postoperative pain: A prospective cohort study. Pain & Therapy, 5, 203-213. doi: 10.1007/s40122-016-0056-z

Mangin, D., Dowson, C., Mulder, R., Wells, E., Toop, L., Dowell, T., & Arroll, B. (2016). Can't fight this feeling? When and how to stop antidepressants [Invited]. Proceedings of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Conference for General Practice. Retrieved from http://www.generalpractice.org.nz/gp16

Peek, K. N., Khashram, M., Wells, J. E., & Roake, J. A. (2016). The costs of elective and emergency abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: A comparative single centre study. New Zealand Medical Journal, 129(1433), 55-65. Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Oakley Browne, M. A., Wells, J. E., & Scott, K. M. (Eds.). (2006). Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health, 280p.

Edited Book - Research

Wells, J. E., Baxter, J., & Schaaf, D. (Eds.). (2006). Substance use disorders in Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. Wellington, New Zealand: Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand, 138p.

Edited Book - Research

Oakley Browne, M. A., Wells, J. E., & Scott, K. M. (Eds.). (2006). Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey: Summary. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health, 18p.

Edited Book - Other

Bruffaerts, R., Vilagut, G., Al-Hamzawi, A. O., Bunting, B., Demyttenaere, K., He, Y., … Wells, J. E., & Xavier, M. (2013). Partial disability associated with common mental and physical disorders. In J. Alonso, S. Chatterji & Y. He (Eds.), The burdens of mental disorders: Global perspectives from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. (pp. 149-170). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Faatoese, A. F., Pitama, S. G., Wells, J. E., & Cameron, V. A. (2013). Understanding cardiovascular disparities between Māori and non-Māori in New Zealand: Is there a way to reduce these disparities? In O. T. Jackson & K. A. Evans (Eds.), Health disparities: Epidemiology, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic risk factors and strategies for elimination. (pp. 77-102). New Yourk, NY: Nova.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wang, P. S., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Al-Hamzawi, A. O., Alonso, J., Andrade, L. H., Angermeyer, M. C., … Wells, J. E., & Kessler, R. C. (2011). Treated and untreated prevalence of mental disorders: Results from the World Health Organization World Mental Health (WMH) surveys. In G. Thornicroft, G. Szmukler, K. T. Mueser & R. E. Drake (Eds.), Oxford textbook of community mental health. Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/med/9780199565498.003.0027

Chapter in Book - Research

Heeringa, S. G., Wells, J. E., Hubbard, F., Mneimneh, Z. N., Chiu, W.-T., Sampson, N. A., & Berglund, P. A. (2008). Sample designs and sampling procedures. In R. C. Kessler & T. B. Üstün (Eds.), The WHO World Mental Health Surveys: Global perspectives on the epidemiology of mental disorders. (pp. 14-32). Cambridge University Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Oakley-Browne, M. A., Wells, J. E., & Scott, K. M. (2008). Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. In R. C. Kessler & T. B. Üstün (Eds.), The WHO World Mental Health Surveys: Global perspectives on the epidemiology of mental disorders. (pp. 486-508). Cambridge University Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Pennell, B.-E., Mneimneh, Z. N., Bowers, A., Chardoul, S., Wells, J. E., & et al (2008). Implementation of the World Mental Health Surveys. In R. C. Kessler & T. B. Üstün (Eds.), The WHO World Mental Health Surveys: Global perspectives on the epidemiology of mental disorders. (pp. 33-57). Cambridge University Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wang, P. S., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Alonso, J., Angermeyer, M. C., Borges, G., . . ., & Wells, J. E. (2008). Recent treatment of mental disorders in the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. In R. C. Kessler & T. B. Üstün (Eds.), The WHO World Mental Health Surveys: Global perspectives on the epidemiology of mental disorders. (pp. 541-554). Cambridge University Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Beautrais, A. L., & Wells, J. E. (2006). Suicidal behaviour. In J. E. Wells, J. Baxter & D. Schaaf (Eds.), Substance use disorders in Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 67-78). Wellington, New Zealand: Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand.

Chapter in Book - Research

Oakley Browne, M. A., & Wells, J. E. (2006). Health services. In J. E. Wells, J. Baxter & D. Schaaf (Eds.), Substance use disorders in Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 79-94). Wellington, New Zealand: Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand.

Chapter in Book - Research

Oakley Browne, M. A., & Wells, J. E. (2006). Health services. In M. A. Oakley Browne, J. E. Wells & K. M. Scott (Eds.), Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 115-138). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health.

Chapter in Book - Research

Oakley Browne, M. A., & Wells, J. E. (2006). Introduction. In M. A. Oakley Browne, J. E. Wells & K. M. Scott (Eds.), Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 1-22). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wells, J. E. (2006). Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. In J. E. Wells, J. Baxter & D. Schaaf (Eds.), Substance use disorders in Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 95-108). Wellington, New Zealand: Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wells, J. E. (2006). Prevalence and severity across aggregated disorders. In M. A. Oakley Browne, J. E. Wells & K. M. Scott (Eds.), Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 23-36). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wells, J. E. (2006). Twelve-month prevalence. In M. A. Oakley Browne, J. E. Wells & K. M. Scott (Eds.), Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 37-56). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wells, J. E., & Oakley Browne, M. A. (2006). Prevalence. In J. E. Wells, J. Baxter & D. Schaaf (Eds.), Substance use disorders in Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 19-48). Wellington, New Zealand: Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wells, J. E., & Oakley Browne, M. A. (2006). The study in perspective. In J. E. Wells, J. Baxter & D. Schaaf (Eds.), Substance use disorders in Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 109-116). Wellington, New Zealand: Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wells, J. E., McGee, M. A., & Oakley Browne, M. A. (2006). Methods. In M. A. Oakley Browne, J. E. Wells & K. M. Scott (Eds.), Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 218-251). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wells, J. E., Oakley Browne, M. A., & McGee, M. A. (2006). Introduction. In J. E. Wells, J. Baxter & D. Schaaf (Eds.), Substance use disorders in Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. 1-17). Wellington, New Zealand: Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand.

Chapter in Book - Research

Wells, J. E., Oakley Browne, M. A., & Scott, K. M. (2006). Executive summary. In J. E. Wells, J. Baxter & D. Schaaf (Eds.), Substance use disorders in Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. (pp. xxi-xxviii). Wellington, New Zealand: Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand.

Chapter in Book - Research

Journal - Research Article

MacLachlan, C., Shipton, E. A., & Wells, J. E. (2015). Perioperative pain correlates and prolonged postoperative pain predictors: Demographic and psychometric questionnaires. Pain & Therapy, 4(1), 119-133. doi: 10.1007/s40122-015-0037-7

Journal - Research Article

Simcock, B., Narayan, K., Drummond, E., Bernshaw, D., Wells, E., & Hicks, R. J. (2015). The role of positron emission tomography/computed tomography in planning radiotherapy in endometrial cancer. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, 25(4), 645-649. doi: 10.1097/igc.0000000000000393

Journal - Research Article

Wells, J. E., & McGee, M. A. (2015). Past year alcohol consumption patterns, alcohol problems and alcohol-related diagnoses in the New Zealand Mental Health Survey. Journal of Addiction & Prevention, 3(1), 11. doi: 10.13188/2330-2178.1000019

Journal - Research Article

Whalley, G. A., Pitama, S., Troughton, R. W., Doughty, R. N., Gamble, G. D., Gillies, T., Wells, J. E., Faatoese, A., Huria, T., Richards, M., & Cameron, V. A. (2015). Higher prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in two Māori cohorts: Findings from the Hauora Manawa/Community Heart Study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 39(1), 26-31. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12300

Journal - Research Article

Allen, C. L., Hooper, G. J., Oram, B. J., & Wells, J. E. (2014). Does computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty improve the overall component position and patient function? International Orthopaedics, 38(2), 251-257. doi: 10.1007/s00264-013-1996-0

Journal - Research Article

Andrade, L. H., Alonso, J., Mneimneh, Z., Wells, J. E., Al-Hamzawi, A., Borges, G., … Kessler, R. C. (2014). Barriers to mental health treatment: Results from the WHO World Mental Health surveys. Psychological Medicine, 44(6), 1303-1317. doi: 10.1017/S0033291713001943

Journal - Research Article

Foulds, J., Wells, J. E., & Mulder, R. (2014). The association between material living standard and psychological distress: Results from a New Zealand population survey. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 60(8), 766-771. doi: 10.1177/0020764014521394

Journal - Research Article

Glantz, M. D., Medina-Mora, M. E., Petukhova, M., Andrade, L. H., Anthony, J. C., de Girolamo, G., … Wells, J. E., … Kessler, R. C. (2014). Alcohol abuse in developed and developing countries in the World Mental Health Surveys: Socially defined consequences or psychiatric disorder? American Journal on Addictions, 23(2), 145-155. doi: 10.1111/j.1521-0391.2013.12082.x

Journal - Research Article

Currie, M. J., Beardsley, B. E., Harris, G. C., Gunningham, S. P., Dachs, G. U., Dijkstra, B., Morrin, H. R., Wells, J. E., & Robinson, B. A. (2013). Immunohistochemical analysis of cancer stem cell markers in invasive breast carcinoma and associated ductal carcinoma in situ: Relationships with markers of tumor hypoxia and microvascularity. Human Pathology, 44(3), 402-411. doi: 10.1016/j.humpath.2012.06.004

Journal - Research Article

Foulds, J., Wells, J. E., Lacey, C., Adamson, S., Sellman, J. D., & Mulder, R. (2013). A comparison of alcohol measures as predictors of psychological distress in the New Zealand population. International Journal of Alcohol & Drug Research, 2(1), 59-67. doi: 10.7895/ijadr.v2i1.73

Journal - Research Article

Shipton, E., Ponnamperuma, D., Wells, E., & Trewin, B. (2013). Demographic characteristics, psychosocial measures, and pain in a sample of patients with persistent pain referred to a New Zealand tertiary pain medicine center. Pain Medicine, 14(7), 1101-1107. doi: 10.1111/pme.12113

Journal - Research Article

Stamp, L. K., Wells, J. E., Pitama, S., Faatoese, A., Doughty, R. N., Whalley, G., Richards, A. M., & Cameron, V. A. (2013). Hyperuricaemia and gout in New Zealand rural and urban Māori and non-Māori communities. Internal Medicine Journal, 43(6), 678-684. doi: 10.1111/imj.12062

Journal - Research Article

Walker, L. C., McDonald, M., Wells, J. E., Harris, G. C., Robinson, B. A., & Morris, C. M. (2013). Dual-color fluorescence in situ hybridization reveals an association of chromosome 8q22 but not 8p21 imbalance with high grade invasive breast carcinoma. PLoS ONE, 8(7), e70790. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070790

Journal - Research Article

Wells, J. E., Oakley Browne, M., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Al-Hamzawi, A., Alonso, J., Angermeyer, M. C., … Kessler, R. C. (2013). Drop out from out-patient mental healthcare in the World Health Organization's World Mental Health Survey initiative. British Journal of Psychiatry, 202(1), 42-49. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.112.113134

Journal - Research Article

Cameron, V. A., Faatoese, A. F., Gillies, M. W., Robertson, P. J., Huria, T. M., Doughty, R. N., Whalley, G. A., … Richards, M. A., Troughton, R. W., Tikao-Mason, K. N., Wells, E. J., Sheerin, I. G., & Pitama, S. G. (2012). A cohort study comparing cardiovascular risk factors in rural Māori, urban Māori and non-Māori communities in New Zealand. BMJ Open, 2(3), e000799. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000799

Journal - Research Article

Foulds, J., Wells, J. E., Lacey, C., Adamson, S., & Mulder, R. (2012). Harmful drinking and talking about alcohol in primary care: New Zealand population survey findings. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 126(6), 434-439. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2012.01871.x

Journal - Research Article

Hudson, B., Zarifeh, A., Young, L., & Wells, J. E. (2012). Patients' expectations of screening and preventive treatments. Annals of Family Medicine, 10(6), 495-502. doi: 10.1370/afm.1407

Journal - Research Article

Mangin, D., Murdoch, D., Wells, J. E., Coughlan, E., Bagshaw, S., Corwin, P., Chambers, S., & Toop, L. (2012). Chlamydia trachomatis testing sensitivity in midstream compared with first-void urine specimens. Annals of Family Medicine, 10(1), 50-53. doi: 10.1370/afm.1323

Journal - Research Article

Troost, J. P., Barondess, D. A., Storr, C. L., Wells, J. E., Al-Hamzawi, A. O., Andrade, L. H., … Anthony, J. C. (2012). An updated global picture of cigarette smoking persistence among adults. Journal of Epidemiology & Global Health, 2(3), 135-144. doi: 10.1016/j.jegh.2012.06.003

Journal - Research Article

Faatoese, A. F., Pitama, S. G., Gillies, T. W., Robertson, P. J., Huria, T. M., Tikao-Mason, K. N., … Whalley, G. A., Richards, A. M., Troughton, R. W., Sheerin, I. G., Wells, J. E., & Cameron, V. A. (2011). Community screening for cardiovascular risk factors and levels of treatment in a rural Māori cohort. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 35(6), 517-523. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2011.00777.x

Journal - Research Article

Gale, C. K., Wells, J. E., McGee, M. A., & Oakley Browne, M. A. (2011). A latent class analysis of psychosis-like experiences in the New Zealand Mental Health Survey. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 124(3), 205-213. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2011.01707.x

Journal - Research Article

Harley, J. A., Wells, J. E., Frampton, C. M. A., & Joyce, P. R. (2011). Bipolar disorder and the TCI: Higher self-transcendence in bipolar disorder compared to major depression. Depression Research & Treatment, 529638. doi: 10.1155/2011/529638

Journal - Research Article

Merikangas, K. R., Jin, R., He, J.-P., Kessler, R. C., Lee, S., Sampson, N. A., … Wells, J. E., & Zarkov, Z. (2011). Prevalence and correlates of bipolar spectrum disorder in the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Archives of General Psychiatry, 68(3), 241-251. doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.12

Journal - Research Article

Moesbergen, T. C., de Ryke, R. J., Dunbar, S., Wells, J. E., & Anderson, N. G. (2011). Distal ureteral calculi: US Follow-up. Radiology, 260(2), 575-580. doi: 10.1148/radiol.11101077

Journal - Research Article

Pitama, S., Wells, J. E., Faatoese, A., Tikao-Mason, K., Robertson, P., Huria, T., Gillies, T., … Whalley, G., Troughton, R., Sheerin, I., Richards, M., & Cameron, V. A. (2011). A Kaupapa Māori approach to a community cohort study of heart disease in New Zealand. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 35(3), 249-255. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2011.00702.x

Journal - Research Article

More publications...

Emeritus Professor Elisabeth Wells

Projects

Research Interests

Awards

Grants

Research Contracts and Consultancies

Professional activities

Student Supervision

Publication Supplementary Material

Publications

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