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Contact Details

Email
jude.ball@otago.ac.nz
Position
Senior Research Fellow
Department
Department of Public Health (Christchurch)
Qualifications
BA(Psych), MA(Crit Psych), GradDipPH, PhD
Research summary
Youth health, substance use, addiction, mental health

Research

Dr Jude Ball is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Christchurch. Her research focuses on youth health, with particular interests in mental health, substance use, and addiction. She uses epidemiological and mixed-methods approaches to examine how social, cultural, and policy changes shape trends in health behaviours and wellbeing among young people.

Jude’s work has examined long-term trends in adolescent smoking, vaping, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviour, and mental health. Her current research includes:

  • Studies of the impact of novel nicotine products on young people
  • The Rangatahi Drug Realities project (2025–2028), which explores the lived experience of drug-related harm among young people

Publications

Ball, J., Hoek, J., Cochran, C., & Katoa, L. (2026). New laws shift the vape market, but challenges for youth protection continue. The Briefing, (17 June). Retrieved from https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/new-laws-shift-vape-market-challenges-youth-protection-continue Journal - Research Other

Ball, J., Katoa, L., Cochran, C., & Hoek, J. (2026). Retail compliance and industry adaptation following restrictions on disposable vapes and product visibility in Aotearoa New Zealand: A compliance audit. Tobacco Control. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1136/tc-2025-059976 Journal - Research Article

van der Sanden, R., Wilkins, C., Rychert, M., Ball, J., Hoek, J., Truman, P., … Tautolo, E.-S. (2026). Scoping the vape retail environment and retailers' responses to vape control measures in selected Auckland suburbs with different levels of socio-economic deprivation. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 139(1629), 28-40. doi: 10.26635/6965.7038 Journal - Research Article

Reid, J. L., Burkhalter, R., Ball, J., Cummings, K. M., East, K., Edwards, R., … Hammond, D. (2025). Awareness and use of oral nicotine pouches among youth and young adults, 2022-2024: Repeat cross-sectional surveys in Canada, England, the USA and New Zealand. BMJ Public Health, 3, e003457. doi: 10.1136/bmjph-2025-003457 Journal - Research Article

Ball, J., Hoek, J., Edwards, R., Teddy, L., & Waa, A. (2025). Are we there yet? Aotearoa’s Smokefree 2025 goal and what comes next. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 138(1627), 9-12. doi: 10.26635/6965.e1627 Journal - Research Other

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