Associate Professor Alesha Smith

Contact Details
- Phone
- 64 3 479 5052
- alesha.smith@otago.ac.nz
University Links
- Position
- Associate Professor and Associate Dean (Postgraduate)
- Qualifications
- MSc(Otago) PhD(Qld)
- Research summary
- Clinical pharmacy
Research
My research focuses on quality use of medicines. I am particularly interested in pharmacoepidemiological studies which investigate the use of medicines over time and between populations and jurisdictions. With the introduction of pharmacist prescribing and the potential expansion of nurse prescribing, I am interested in evaluating non-medical prescribing in NZ.Publications
Ghabour, M., Morris, C., Wilby, K., & Smith, A. (2023). New Zealand pharmacists' views regarding the current prescribing courses: Questionnaire survey. Journal of Primary Health Care. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1071/HC23021
Rajballi-Naidoo, N., Wilby, K. J., Young, A., & Smith, A. (2023). A review of pharmacy-led interventions: Identification of facilitators and barriers for the design of a new model of care for asthma. Journal of Pharmacy Practice & Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/jppr.1870
MacConald, C. B., Murphy, A. L., Isenor, J. E., Ramsey, T. D., Furlotte, K., Smith, A. J., … Wilby, K. J. (2023). Target users' acceptance of a pharmacist-led prescribing service for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Canadian Pharmacists Journal / Revue des Pharmaciens du Canada. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/17151635231177027
Ghabour, M., Wilby, K. J., Morris, C. J., & Smith, A. J. (2023). Overview of factors influencing successful implementation of non-medical prescribing. Journal of Pharmacy Practice & Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/jppr.1868
Broughton, L. C., Hughes-Medlicott, N., Zeng, J., & Smith, A. (2023). Perinatal psychotropic dispensing: A descriptive population-based study in New Zealand. Asia-Pacific Psychiatry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/appy.12539
Booker, C., Murphy, A. L., Isenor, J. E., Ramsey, T. D., Smith, A. J., Bishop, A., … Wilby, K. J. (2023). Community pharmacists' acceptance of prescribing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Canadian Pharmacists Journal / Revue des Pharmaciens du Canada, 156(3), 137-149. doi: 10.1177/17151635231152218
Journal - Research Article
Broughton, L. C., Hughes-Medlicott, N., Zeng, J., & Smith, A. (2023). Perinatal psychotropic dispensing: A descriptive population-based study in New Zealand. Asia-Pacific Psychiatry. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/appy.12539
Journal - Research Article
Ghabour, M., Morris, C., Wilby, K. J., & Smith, A. J. (2023). Pharmacist prescribing training models in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada: Snapshot survey. Pharmacy Education, 23(1), 100-108. doi: 10.46542/pe.2023.231.100108
Journal - Research Article
Ghabour, M., Morris, C., Wilby, K., & Smith, A. (2023). New Zealand pharmacists' views regarding the current prescribing courses: Questionnaire survey. Journal of Primary Health Care. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1071/HC23021
Journal - Research Article
MacConald, C. B., Murphy, A. L., Isenor, J. E., Ramsey, T. D., Furlotte, K., Smith, A. J., … Wilby, K. J. (2023). Target users' acceptance of a pharmacist-led prescribing service for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Canadian Pharmacists Journal / Revue des Pharmaciens du Canada. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/17151635231177027
Journal - Research Article
Norris, P., Cousins, K., Horsburgh, S., Keown, S., Churchward, M., Samaranayaka, A., Smith, A., & Marra, C. (2023). Impact of removing prescription co-payments on the use of costly health services: A pragmatic randomised controlled trial. BMC Health Services Research, 23, 31. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-09011-0
Journal - Research Article
McGregor, A. L., Hoque, M. R., Nickel, S., Smith, A. J., & Atiquzzaman, M. (2022). Anti-epileptic medication exposure influences functional status in New Zealand stroke patients: A retrospective population-level study. Drugs: Real World Outcomes, 9, 165-173. doi: 10.1007/s40801-021-00280-5
Journal - Research Article
Raghunandan, R., Howard, K., Marra, C. A., Tordoff, J., & Smith, A. (2022). Identifying New Zealand public preferences for pharmacist prescribers in primary care: A discrete choice experiment. Patient, 15, 77-92. doi: 10.1007/s40271-021-00529-9
Journal - Research Article
Leitch, S., Dovey, S. M., Cunningham, W. K., Smith, A. J., Zeng, J., Reith, D. M., … Williamson, M. I., & Lillis, S. (2021). Medication-related harm in New Zealand general practice: A retrospective records review. British Journal of General Practice, e626-e633. doi: 10.3399/bjgp.2020.1126
Journal - Research Article
Leitch, S., Smith, A., Crengle, S., & Stokes, T. (2021). The views of New Zealand general practitioners and patients on a proposed risk assessment and communication tool: A qualitative study using Normalisation Process Theory. Implementation Science Communications, 2, 16. doi: 10.1186/s43058-021-00120-1
Journal - Research Article
Leitch, S., Zeng, J., Smith, A., & Stokes, T. (2021). Medication risk management and health equity in New Zealand general practice: A retrospective cross-sectional study. International Journal for Equity in Health, 20, 119. doi: 10.1186/s12939-021-01461-y
Journal - Research Article
Nair, S., Chen, S., Gupta, D., Smith, A. J., & McGregor, A. L. (2021). Higher BMI confers a long-term functional status advantage in elderly New Zealand European stroke patients. Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 30(5), 105711. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2021.105711
Journal - Research Article
Nind, J., Smith, A., Devananda, M., & Auvray, B. (2021). A whole of population retrospective observational study on the rates of polypharmacy in New Zealand 2014 to 2018 Polypharmacy in New Zealand: What is the current status? Health Science Reports, 4, e263. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.263
Journal - Research Article
Norris, P., Cousins, K., Churchward, M., Keown, S., Hudson, M., Isno, L., Pereira, L., Klavs, J., Tang, L. L., Roberti, H., & Smith, A. (2021). Recruiting people facing social disadvantage: The experience of the Free Meds study. International Journal for Equity in Health, 20(1), 149. doi: 10.1186/s12939-021-01483-6
Journal - Research Article
Raghunandan, R., Howard, K., Marra, C. A., Tordoff, J., & Smith, A. (2021). Identifying community pharmacist preferences for prescribing services in primary care in New Zealand: A discrete choice experiment. Applied Health Economics & Health Policy, 19, 253-266. doi: 10.1007/s40258-020-00615-3
Journal - Research Article
Raghunandan, R., Marra, C. A., Tordoff, J., & Smith, A. (2021). Examining non-medical prescribing trends in New Zealand: 2016-2020. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 418. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-06435-y
Journal - Research Article
Yamoah, L., Dragojlovic, N., Smith, A., Lynd, L. D., & Marra, C. A. (2021). Evaluating New Zealanders' values for drug coverage decision making: Trade-offs between treatments for rare and common conditions. Pharmacoeconomics, 39, 109-119. doi: 10.1007/s40273-020-00974-8
Journal - Research Article
Burmeister, P., Su, S., Smith, A. J., & Wilby, K. J. (2020). The use of gentamicin for treatment of urogenital and extragenital gonorrhea: A systematic review of efficacy data. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 54(10), 1030-1037. doi: 10.1177/1060028020927057
Journal - Research Article
Hussain, F. N., Smith, A., & Wilby, K. J. (2020). The visibility of disabilities within pharmacy program recruitment material. INNOVATIONS in pharmacy, 11(3), 14. doi: 10.24926/iip.v11i3.3339
Journal - Research Article
Simpson, B. H., Reith, D. M., Medlicott, N. J., & Smith, A. J. (2020). Monitoring the use of dabigatran etexilate for stroke prevention: Compliance with renal function guidelines. Journal of Primary Health Care, 12(4), 327-334. doi: 10.1071/HC19115
Journal - Research Article
Fieldwick, D., Smith, A., & Paterson, H. (2019). General practitioners and gestational weight management. Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 39(4), 485-491. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2018.1530739
Journal - Research Article
Fountain, J. S., Reith, D. M., Tomlin, A. M., Smith, A. J., & Tilyard, M. W. (2019). Deaths by poisoning in New Zealand, 2008-2013. Clinical Toxicology, 57(11), 1087-1094. doi: 10.1080/15563650.2019.1582777
Journal - Research Article
Richards, N., Reith, D., Stitely, M., & Smith, A. (2019). Developmental outcomes at age four following maternal antiepileptic drug use. Epilepsy & Behavior, 93, 73-79. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.01.018
Journal - Research Article
Richards, N., Reith, D., Stitely, M., & Smith, A. (2019). The Before School Check (B4SC): Reporting outcomes and referral rates for all New Zealand children. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1496), 9-19. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Article
Simpson, B. H., Reith, D. M., Medlicott, N. J., & Smith, A. J. (2019). Exposure response supports therapeutic drug monitoring for dabigatran etexilate in patients with atrial fibrillation. TH Open, 3(3), e210-e215. doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1693486
Journal - Research Article
Tordoff, J. M., Brenkley, C., Krska, J., & Smith, A. (2019). Exploring medicines burden among adults in New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey. Patient Preference & Adherence, 13, 2171-2184. doi: 10.2147/PPA.S231202
Journal - Research Article
Young, A., Tordoff, J., Leitch, S., & Smith, A. (2019). Patient-focused medicines information: General practitioners’ and pharmacists’ views on websites and leaflets. Health Education Journal, 78(3), 340-351. doi: 10.1177/0017896918811373
Journal - Research Article
Young, A., Tordoff, J., Moore, S., & Smith, A. (2019). Patients' views of general practitioners' provision of medicine information leaflets. Journal of Primary Health Care, 11(4), 359-366. doi: 10.1071/HC19011
Journal - Research Article
Richards, N., Reith, D., Stitely, M., & Smith, A. (2018). Antiepileptic drug exposure in pregnancy and pregnancy outcome from national drug usage data. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth, 18(1), 84. doi: 10.1186/s12884-018-1728-y
Journal - Research Article
Richards, N., Reith, D., Stitely, M., & Smith, A. (2018). Are doses of lamotrigine or levetiracetam adjusted during pregnancy? Epilepsia Open, 3(1), 86-90. doi: 10.1002/epi4.12086
Journal - Research Article
Simpson, B. H., Reith, D. M., Medlicott, N. J., & Smith, A. J. (2018). Choice of renal function estimator influences adverse outcomes with dabigatran etexilate in patients with atrial fibrillation. TH Open, 2(04), e420-e427. doi: 10.1055/s-0038-1676356. ISSN 2512-9465
Journal - Research Article
Simpson, B. H., Reith, D., Medlicott, N. J., & Smith, A. (2018). Deprivation and inequalities lead to worse outcomes with dabigatran etexilate. Journal of Primary Health Care, 10(4), 303-311. doi: 10.1071/HC17081
Journal - Research Article
Smith, A. J., Scahill, S. L., Harrison, J., Carroll, T., & Medlicott, N. J. (2018). Service provision in the wake of a new funding model for community pharmacy. BMC Health Services Research, 18, 307. doi: 10.1186/s12913-018-3120-z
Journal - Research Article
Young, A., Tordoff, J., & Smith, A. (2018). Regulatory agencies' recommendations for medicine information leaflets: Are they in line with research findings? Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy, 14(2), 196-202. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2017.02.014
Journal - Research Article
Young, A., Tordoff, J., Leitch, S., & Smith, A. (2018). Do health professionals tell patients what they want to know about their medicines? Health Education Journal, 77(7), 762-777. doi: 10.1177/0017896918763679
Journal - Research Article
Young, A., Tordoff, J., Leitch, S., & Smith, A. (2018). Doctors and pharmacists provision and opinions of medicines information leaflets in New Zealand. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 40(3), 676-685. doi: 10.1007/s11096-018-0635-7
Journal - Research Article
Fieldwick, D., Smith, A., & Paterson, H. (2017). General practitioners and preconception weight management in New Zealand. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 57(4), 420-425. doi: 10.1111/ajo.12609
Journal - Research Article
Mulvogue, K., Roberts, J. A., Coombes, I., Cottrell, N., Kanagarajah, S., & Smith, A. (2017). The effect of pharmacists on ward rounds measured by the STOPP/START tool in a specialized geriatric unit. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics, 42(2), 178-184. doi: 10.1111/jcpt.12489
Journal - Research Article
Tomlin, A. M., Reith, D. M., Woods, D. J., Lloyd, H. S., Smith, A., Fountain, J. S., & Tilyard, M. W. (2017). A pharmacoepidemiology database system for monitoring risk due to the use of medicines by New Zealand primary care patients. Drug Safety, 40(12), 1259-1277. doi: 10.1007/s40264-017-0579-1
Journal - Research Article
Young, A., Tordoff, J., & Smith, A. (2017). 'What do patients want?': Tailoring medicines information to meet patients' needs. Research in Social & Administrative Pharmacy, 13(6), 1186-1190. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2016.10.006
Journal - Research Article
Noor, Z. M., Smith, A. J., Smith, S. S., & Nissen, L. M. (2016). A feasibility study: Use of actigraph to monitor and follow-up sleep/wake patterns in individuals attending community pharmacy with sleeping disorders. Journal of Pharmacy & BioAllied Sciences, 8, 173-180. doi: 10.4103/0975-7406.171739
Journal - Research Article
Williamson, D. A., Roos, R., Verrall, A., Smith, A., & Thomas, M. G. (2016). Trends, demographics and disparities in outpatient antibiotic consumption in New Zealand: A national study. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 71(12), 3593-3598. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkw345
Journal - Research Article
Gerard, K., Martinelli, M., Latter, S., Smith, A., & Blenkinsopp, A. (2015). Patients' valuation of the prescribing nurse in primary care: A discrete choice experiment. Health Expectations, 18(6), 2223-2235. doi: 10.1111/hex.12193
Journal - Research Article
Hubbard, R. E., Peel, N. M., Scott, I. A., Martin, J. H., Smith, A., Pillans, P. I., … Gray, L. C. (2015). Polypharmacy among inpatients aged 70 years or older in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia, 202(7), 373-378. doi: 10.5694/mja13.00172
Journal - Research Article
Tinelli, M., Blenkinsopp, A., Latter, S., Smith, A., & Chapman, S. R. (2015). Survey of patients' experiences and perceptions of care provided by nurse and pharmacist independent prescribers in primary care. Health Expectations, 18(5), 1241-1255. doi: 10.1111/hex.12099
Journal - Research Article
Niyomnaitham, S., Page, A., La Caze, A., Whitfield, K., & Smith, A. J. (2014). Utilisation trends of rosiglitazone and pioglitazone in Australia before and after safety warnings. BMC Health Services Research, 14(1), 151. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-14-151
Journal - Research Article
Noor, Z. M., Smith, A. J., Smith, S. S., & Nissen, L. M. (2014). A study protocol: A community pharmacy-based intervention for improving the management of sleep disorders in the community settings. BMC Health Services Research, 14, 74. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-14-74
Journal - Research Article
Smith, A., Latter, S., & Blenkinsopp, A. (2014). Safety and quality of nurse independent prescribing: A national study of experiences of education, continuing professional development clinical governance. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 70(11), 2506-2517. doi: 10.1111/jan.12392
Journal - Research Article
Gerard, K., Tinelli, M., Latter, S., Blenkinsopp, A., & Smith, A. (2012). Valuing the extended role of prescribing pharmacist in general practice: Results from a discrete choice experiment. Value in Health, 15(5), 699-707. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2012.02.006
Journal - Research Article
Latter, S., Smith, A., Blenkinsopp, A., Nicholls, P., Little, P., & Chapman, S. (2012). Are nurse and pharmacist independent prescribers clinically appropriate prescribing decisions? An analysis of consultations. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 17(3), 149-156. doi: 10.1258/jhsrp.2012.011090
Journal - Research Article
Ghabour, M., Wilby, K. J., Morris, C. J., & Smith, A. J. (2023). Overview of factors influencing successful implementation of non-medical prescribing. Journal of Pharmacy Practice & Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/jppr.1868
Journal - Research Other
Rajballi-Naidoo, N., Wilby, K. J., Young, A., & Smith, A. (2023). A review of pharmacy-led interventions: Identification of facilitators and barriers for the design of a new model of care for asthma. Journal of Pharmacy Practice & Research. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/jppr.1870
Journal - Research Other
Nind, J., Smith, A., Scahill, S., & Marra, C. A. (2022). A systematic review of independent and chain pharmacies effects on medication adherence. Pharmacy, 10(5), 124. doi: 10.3390/pharmacy10050124
Journal - Research Other
Broughton, L. C., Medlicott, N. J., & Smith, A. J. (2021). Effectiveness of patient decision aids in women considering psychotropic medication use during pregnancy: A literature review. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 24, 569-578. doi: 10.1007/s00737-021-01118-3
Journal - Research Other
Cousins, K., Norris, P., Horsburgh, S., Smith, A., Keown, S., Samaranayaka, A., Marra, C., & Churchward, M. (2021). Impact of removing prescription charges on health outcomes: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 11, e049261. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049261
Journal - Research Other
Leitch, S., Smith, A., Zeng, J., & Stokes, T. (2021). Using an information package to reduce patients' risk of renal damage: Protocol for a randomized feasibility trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 10(4), e29161. doi: 10.2196/29161
Journal - Research Other
Wilby, K. J., Chun, L. D., Ye, R., & Smith, A. J. (2021). Students' experiences with racism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Academic Medicine, 96(1), e4-e5. doi: 10.1097/acm.0000000000003801
Journal - Research Other
Smith, A. J., & Wilby, K. J. (2020). Health services for sexually transmitted infections: Where are we at in New Zealand? A narrative literature review. Journal of Primary Health Care, 12(4), 335-344. doi: 10.1071/HC20039
Journal - Research Other
Wilby, K. J., & Smith, A. J. (2020). A narrative review of continuing professional development needs for pharmacists with respect to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Pharmacy, 8(2), 84. doi: 10.3390/pharmacy8020084
Journal - Research Other
Raghunandan, R., Tordoff, J., & Smith, A. (2017). Non-medical prescribing in New Zealand: An overview of prescribing rights, service delivery models and training. Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, 8(11), 349-360. doi: 10.1177/2042098617723312
Journal - Research Other
Young, A., Tordoff, J., Dovey, S., Reith, D., Lloyd, H., Tilyard, M., & Smith, A. (2016). Using an electronic decision support tool to reduce inappropriate polypharmacy and optimize medicines: rationale and methods. JMIR Research Protocols, 5(2), e105. doi: 10.2196/resprot.5543
Journal - Research Other
Williamson, D. A., Ritchie, S. R., Best, E., Upton, A., Leversha, A., Smith, A., & Thomas, M. G. (2015). A bug in the ointment: Topical antimicrobial usage and resistance in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 128(1426). Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Other
Thomas, M. G., Smith, A. J., & Tilyard, M. (2014). Rising antimicrobial resistance: A strong reason to reduce excessive antimicrobial consumption in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 127(1394). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Journal - Research Other