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Contact Details

Email
helen.fitt@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position
Senior Lecturer
Department
Department of Public Health (Christchurch)
Research summary
Transport and health

Research

Helen is a social scientist who takes a theoretically informed approach to the connections between mobilities and wellbeing. As such, she is interested in exploring always-emergent constellations of dynamic, contingent, and nuanced social processes. Her research to date has focused primarily on transport mobilities. Helen has explored the influence of social meanings on transport practices, including on driving, motorcycling, walking, cycling, and bus use. She has also led and participated in projects concerning the potential wellbeing implications of new and emerging transport technologies, including electric vehicles, e-scooters, and automated (driverless) cars. Her current research explores whether access to shared transport can increase accessibility and wellbeing for residents of social housing and retirement provision.

Helen's work is primarily qualitative and she is interested in exploring the effective use of novel and innovative methods. Helen also has ongoing interests in research ethics and communications. As such, she has been working on using illustration in research communications, including in informed consent processes.

Helen has worked in a range of environments including government, NGO, and private sectors. She has a BA(Hons) in Economics and French from the University of Leeds (UK), an MRes in Development Studies from the University of East Anglia (UK), and PhD in Human Geography from the University of Canterbury (NZ). She has also worked as a researcher at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research and as a lecturer at the University of Canterbury and at Lincoln University.

Publications

Sims, G., Crossin, R., & Fitt, H. (2026). Social influences across vaping trajectories of female tertiary students. Drug & Alcohol Review, 45, e70116. doi: 10.1111/dar.70116 Journal - Research Article

De La Roche, D., Curl, A., & Fitt, H. (2025). The power of community: Perspectives from women with disabilities on making healthcare journeys in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Journal of Transport Geography, 124, 104182. doi: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2025.104182 Journal - Research Article

Russell, E., McKerchar, C., Berghan, J., Curl, A., & Fitt, H. (2024). Considering the importance of transport to the wellbeing of Māori social housing residents. Journal of Transport & Health, 36, 101809. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2024.101809 Journal - Research Article

Curl, A., Coppens, A., Dares, C., Williman, J., Fitt, H., & Kingham, S. (2024). Accessibility and affordability impacts of half price public transport fares in Aotearoa New Zealand. Findings, (February). doi: 10.32866/001c.92735 Journal - Research Article

Kingham, S., Curl, A., Fitt, H., Dares, C., Russell, E., Coppens, A., McKerchar, C., … Berghan, J., & Williman, J. (2023). The impact of shared mobility on community wellbeing in two contrasting communities in Christchurch. Proceedings of the State of Australasian Cities (SOAC) Conference. (pp. 169). Retrieved from https://apo.org.au Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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