BSocSc(Hons)
Research Fellow; Integrated Data Research Group, EleMent: Mental health
Contact details
Tel +64 4 806 1485
Fax +64 4 389 5319
Email kendra.telfer@otago.ac.nz
Research interests and activities
Kendra is a Research Fellow within the Integrated Data Research Group and EleMent: Mental health research group. She is currently working on a range of projects using linked data, frequently using Statistics New Zealand’s Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI). As part of the Tupuānuku research project, she is investigating the role of health services as a cause, and a solution to, the physical health inequity associated with mental illness and addiction. Kendra also supports high value and high quality research through her role in the Virtual Health Information Network.
Within the wider Public Health Department, Kendra has contributed to epidemiological and economic simulation models of intervention impact, and strengthened disease indicators.
She has also worked several years for New Zealand’s Ministry of Health. Her key responsibilities included providing fit for purpose health information and advice to a variety of customers, such as the media and researchers. She was the big data lead for the IDI and an advisor on mental health and diabetes information, managing the Virtual Diabetes Register algorithm.
Publications
Grout, L., Telfer, K., Wilson, N., Cleghorn, C., & Mizdrak, A. (2021). Prescribing smartphone apps for physical activity promotion in primary care: Modeling study of health gain and cost savings. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(12), e31702. doi: 10.2196/31702
Telfer, K., Wilson, N., Direito, A., & Mizdrak, A. (2020). Technical report for BODE3 intervention parameter selection: Mobile health for physical activity: Burden of Disease Epidemiology, Equity and Cost-Effectiveness Programme (BODE3) [Public Health Monograph Series No. 38: Version 1.0]. Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Public Health, University of Otago. 11p. [Technical/Scientific Report].
Mizdrak, A., Telfer, K., Direito, A., Cobiac, L. J., Blakely, T., Cleghorn, C. L., & Wilson, N. (2020). Health gain, cost impacts, and cost-effectiveness of a mass media campaign to promote smartphone apps for physical activity: Modeling study. JMIR mHealth & uHealth, 8(6), e18014. doi: 10.2196/18014
