Profile

Contact Details

Email: xaviour.walker@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position

Geriatrician

Department

Department of Medicine (Dunedin)

Qualifications

MB ChB MPH DTM&H FRACP

Research summary

Healthy ageing, geriatrics, Pacific Island health, medical education

Teaching

MICN 2-6: Pacific Island mentor and tutor
MICN 4: Clinical teaching, lectures, tutorials and examiner
MICN 6: Clinical teaching, lectures and tutorials

Memberships

American Geriatrics Society
American College of Preventive Medicine
American College of Physicians
Chair, Kiwi Leadership Network USA
Pacific Leadership Group
Older Persons Health course convenor
Takiala Pacific Leadership Network (chair)
University of Otago Senate
World Medical Association

Clinical

Geriatrician and Internal Medicine Consultant
Preventive Medicine and Public Health

Research

Xaviour Walker is a graduate of the University of Otago Medical School and is triple American Board certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

He completed his post graduate medical training from Harvard, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he also received his Master’s in Public Health, National Institutes of Health (NIH) and University of California, Irvine.

He lectures internationally on healthy ageing, preventive medicine and public health. He has research interests in healthy ageing, geriatrics, tropical medicine, Pacific Island health and workforce and medical education.

Current research studies

The Epidemiological Profile of Older Pacific Peoples in New Zealand Assessed for Home Support and Residential Care?
Games Athletes Medical Evaluation and Status (GAMES) Study

Additional details

Honors and Prizes

2014 - International Resident Leadership Award (Inaugural recipient) Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Canada
2014 - David Patton Scholarship in Preventive Medicine Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2012 - Dr. Robert B. Ullian Award, Commitment to Exemplary Medical Service and Patient Care, Mount Auburn Hospital, Harvard Medical School
2012 - David Frommer M.D. Award, Senior Medical Resident who Exemplifies Traits of Dr. David Frommer Mount Auburn Hospital, Harvard Medical School
2006 - Deans Prize for Greatest Contribution to the Medical Faculty, University of Otago, New Zealand
2006 - Top Trainee Intern Teacher, University of Otago, New Zealand
2006 - Certificate for Outstanding Service and Contribution Pacific Island Health Student Professional Students’ Association

Publications

Vlietstra, L., Fordyce, A., Costa, E. C., Coffey, S., Walker, X. J., Whalley, G. A., & Waters, D. L. (2025). Exercise interventions to improve physical frailty and physical frailty components in older adults with hypertension: A systematic review. Ageing Research Reviews, 107, 102714. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2025.102714 Journal - Research Other

Peddie, M., Gale, J. T., Harland, M., Grenfell, S., Walker, X. J., Gerrard, D., Russell-Camp, T., Waters, D. L., & Vlietstra, L. (2024). Micronutrient intakes of former New Zealand representative athletes over the age of 60 years. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand (NSNZ) 58th Annual Conference: Kotahitanga. (pp. 47). Retrieved from https://www.nsnzconference.co.nz/ Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

March de Ribot, F., Walker, X., & Bergler, U. (2024). Use of vision aids among older frail adults living in an aged residential care facility in NZ. Proceedings of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) New Zealand Branch Annual Scientific Meeting. Retrieved from https://web.cvent.com/event/90a69dc2-937d-4747-be96-7d01f4c2bc8c/summary Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Booth, T., Walker, X., Sole, G., Waters, D., & Vlietstra, L. (2024). Footwear and falls in older people. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 43(Suppl. 1), OR02. doi: 10.1111/ajag.13323 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Cheung, G., Beyene, K., Chan, A. H. Y., Drayton, B. A., Jamieson, H., Lyndon, M., … Walker, X., & Rivera-Rodriguez, C. (2024). Falls risk in long-term care residents with cognitive impairment: Effects of COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 25, 182. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2023.11.006 Journal - Research Article

2025

Journal - Research Other

2024

Journal - Research Article

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Booth, T., Walker, X., Sole, G., Waters, D., & Vlietstra, L. (2024). Footwear and falls in older people. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 43(Suppl. 1), OR02. doi: 10.1111/ajag.13323

2023

Journal - Research Article

March de Ribot, F., March de Ribot, A., Walker, X., Jamieson, H., & Cheung, G. (2023). Dementia and cataract surgery in Australia and New Zealand. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 42, 450-454. doi: 10.1111/ajag.13208

Whitehead, J., Blattner, K., Miller, R., Crengle, S., Ram, S., Walker, X., & Nixon, G. (2023). Defining catchment boundaries and their populations for Aotearoa New Zealand's rural hospitals. Journal of Primary Health Care, 15(1), 14-23. doi: 10.1071/hc22133

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Scoon, C., Walker, X. J., Gale, J. T., Gerrard, D., Peddie, M., Russell-Camp, T., Waters, D. L., Osborne, H., … Vlietstra, L. (2023). The physical function of retired elite athletes compared to the general population: A preliminary analysis. Journal of Sport & Exercise Science, 7(4), (pp. 134). doi: 10.36905/jses.2023.04.01

2022

Journal - Research Article

Cheung, G., Bala, S., Lyndon, M., Ma'u, E., Rivera Rodriguez, C., Waters, D. L., Jamieson, H., Nada-Raja, S., … Walker, X. (2022). Impact of the first wave of COVID-19 on the health and psychosocial well-being of Māori, Pacific Peoples and New Zealand Europeans living in aged residential care. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 41, 293-300. doi: 10.1111/ajag.13025

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Walker, X. (2022, September). Equality for our Pacific elders: Using interRAI to understand older Pacific people in New Zealand. Verbal presentation at the Pasifika Medical Association Conference, Wellington, New Zealand.

Walker, X. (2022, February). Older Pacific peoples in New Zealand and research. Verbal presentation at the Collaboration of Ageing Research Excellence (CARE) Research Symposium, [Online].

2021

Journal - Research Other

Alamri, Y., Walker, X., & Wilkinson, T. J. (2021). The case for junior doctor academic internships: A narrative review of the published literature. Advances in Medical Education & Practice, 2021(12), 799-808. doi: 10.2147/AMEP.S302441

Mehta, P., Lemon, G., Hight, L., Allan, A., Pandher, S. K., Brennan, J., Arumugam, A., Walker, X., & Waters, D. L. (2021). A systematic review of clinical practice guidelines for identification and management of frailty. Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 25(3), 382-391. doi: 10.1007/s12603-020-1549-3

2020

Journal - Research Other

Walker, X. J., Waters, D. L., & Millar, N. (2020). New Zealand nursing homes (aged residential care facilities) and COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Nursing Home Research, 6, 38-39. doi: 10.14283/jnhrs.2020.9

2019

Chapter in Book - Other

Walker, X., & Lamb, J. (2019). Treating the dysmetabolism underlying osteoporosis. In I. Kohlstadt & K. Cintron (Eds.), Metabolic therapies in orthopedics. (2nd ed.) (pp. 263-282). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. doi: 10.1201/9781315176079

2018

Chapter in Book - Research

DeCamp, M., Crump, J. A., Sugarman, J., Todd, T., Walker, X., & Ali, A. (2018). Existing and emerging ethical standards in global health education. In A. N. Arya & J. Evert (Eds.), Global health experiential education: From theory to practice. (pp. 114-131). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

2017

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Walker, X. J., Tillano, D., & Fahimian, N. (2017). Catatonia: An important reversible cause of major cognitive impairment. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(Suppl. 1), (pp. S33). doi: 10.1111/jgs.14915

2015

Journal - Research Article

Walker, X. J., Barnett, E. D., Wilson, M. E., Macleod, W. B., Jentes, E. S., Karchmer, A. W., … Chen, L. H. (2015). Characteristics of travelers to Asia requiring multidose vaccine schedules: Japanese encephalitis and rabies prevention. Journal of Travel Medicine, 22(6), 403-409. doi: 10.1111/jtm.12237

Journal - Research Other

Wiley, E., Vozzella Hall, D., Hornung, T., Stocks, C., Roditis, K., Lim, J., … Walker, X., … Di Salvo, I. (2015). Beyond Chlor Hühner & Nürnberger Bratwürste: The case for physician and organised medical advocacy to promote health in trade agreement negotiations. World Medical Journal, 61(1), 35-41. Retrieved from https://www.wma.net/publications/world-medical-journal/

2013

Journal - Research Article

Walker, X., Lee, J., Koval, L., Kirkwood, A., Taylor, J., Gibbs, J., … Celi, L. A. (2013). Predicting ICU admissions from attempted suicide presentations at an Emergency Department in Central Queensland. Australasian Medical Journal, 6(11), 536-541. doi: 10.4066/AMJ.2013.1730

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Walker, X. J., Chen, L. H., Macleod, W. B., Wilson, M. E., Jentes, E. S., Karchmer, A. W., … Hamer, D. H. (2013). An analysis of travelers to Asia seen in the Boston Area Travel Medicine Network (BATMN). American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, 86(5, Suppl. 1), (pp. 221). doi: 10.4269/ajtmg.2013.89.153

Walker, X. J., Chen, L. H., Macleod, W. B., Wilson, M. E., Jentes, E. S., Karchmer, A. W., … Hamer, D. H. (2013). Characteristics of travelers to Asia requiring complex multi-dose vaccine schedules: Rabies and Japanese encephalitis prevention. American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, 86(5, Suppl. 1), (pp. 220). doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2013.89.153

2012

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Walker, X., Loh, L., & Hornung, T. (2012). Junior Doctors Network. World Medical Journal, 58(3), 119-120. [Commentary].