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Contact Details

Email
sarah.rhodes@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position
Lecturer
Qualifications
BSc(Hons) (Northumbria) PhD
Research summary
Cardio-respiratory physiotherapy and long-term conditions
Teaching
I have been involved in physiotherapy undergraduate teaching since 2016. This includes clinical education in an inpatient setting, creation and delivery of labs and lectures, as well as paper coordination responsibilities.
Memberships
  • Life member of Physiotherapy New Zealand (PNZ)
  • Secretary of the PNZ cardio-respiratory special interest group
  • Member of PNZ Otago branch
  • Allied Health representative on the Executive Committee of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) NZ branch
  • Treasurer of TSANZ NZ branch
Clinical
My background is as a cardio-respiratory physiotherapist. I have worked in a number of different clinical settings, including ICU and surgical wards, as well as rehabilitation units.

Research

I am a cardio-respiratory physiotherapist and early career researcher.

My research is broadly focused on better health outcomes for long term conditions particularly in the primary care space. My areas of interest are long COVID and sleep disordered breathing.

My research seeks to understand the lived experience of those with these conditions and explore cost effective person-centred solutions for management of these conditions.

Current research projects

  • Exploring user experiences of the Post COVID symptom map
  • Evaluation of a long COVID pilot clinic in primary care.
  • Exploring experiences of those living with long COVID in accessing primary care.
  • Health providers’ experiences of managing patients with long COVID in primary care.

Completed research projects

  • Exploring experiences of returning to exercise or sport following recovery from long COVID: a qualitative study.
  • The perspectives and experiences of physiotherapists on implementing self-management support in inpatient hospital settings.
  • Awareness, knowledge, and management of long COVID amongst a cohort of primary care-based physiotherapists in New Zealand: a survey of current practice.
  • The use of exercise and motivational text messaging to support physical activity behaviour change in an adult population with obstructive sleep apnoea.
  • Physical activity behaviour and barriers to activity in adults at high risk of obstructive sleep apnoea.

Publications

Boyd, J. K., Rhodes, S., & Gray, E. A. (2025). The perspectives and experiences of physiotherapists on implementing self-management support in inpatient hospital settings. Physiotherapy Research International, 30, e70020. doi: 10.1002/pri.70020 Journal - Research Article

Jeffreys, M., Kvalsvig, A., Rhodes, S., Dunford, F., Brooks, A., & Crossan, J. (2024, July). Evidence-based diagnosis and management of Long COVID. Verbal presentation at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Conference for General Practice, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Rhodes, S. (2024, June). Sleep quality and sleep disturbance in long covid and associated conditions: A narrative review. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Branch of the Australasian Sleep Association (ASA) Sleep in Aotearoa Annual Scientific Meeting, Dunedin, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Rhodes, S. (2023, August). Long COVID. Otago Access Radio (OAR), MS Momentum. Retrieved from https://oar.org.nz/ms-momentum/ Other Research Output

Rhodes, S., & Waite, E. (2023). Awareness, knowledge, and management of long COVID among a small cohort of primary care-based physiotherapists in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, 51(2), 78-89. doi: 10.15619/nzjp.v51i2.288 Journal - Research Article

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