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Chang Yu image.

Research Fellow: University of Otago, Wellington

Contact details

Email chang.yu@otago.ac.nz

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Commerce, Curtin University (Australia)
  • Master of Finance, University of Technology, Sydney (Australia)
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Victoria University of Wellington

Research interests and activities

Chang Yu is an economist and statistician with expertise in analysing linked administrative data within New Zealand's Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI). He uses large-scale longitudinal data to understand how housing, health, and social conditions interact to shape wellbeing and government service use. His research has examined service use among people receiving Emergency Housing Special Needs Grants (EHSNG), the contribution of housing assistance to reducing youth offending, and the effects of economic and social policies on health and wellbeing.

A major focus of his work has been the development of innovative methods to identify and measure housing insecurity using administrative data. Most recently, he developed a novel measure of housing tenure trajectories that captures patterns of housing stability, instability, and mobility over time, providing new opportunities to investigate the relationships between housing experiences and health and social outcomes. In 2026, he was awarded a Health Research Council (HRC) Explorer Grant to investigate the effects of economic policy changes on health and wellbeing using linked data from the IDI.

He has extensive experience translating complex statistical analyses into evidence that informs policy and practice, particularly in areas where housing, health, and social outcomes intersect.

Funding

  • Primary investigator: Economic policy and people’s health in Aotearoa New Zealand (HRC)
  • 2026 Health Research Council (HRC) Explorer Grant (24 months, NZ$150,000)
  • Project title: Economic Policy and People's Health in Aotearoa New Zealand

In the media

Editorial board

Publications

Yu, C., Fraser, B., Pehi, T., Buchanan, M., & Pierse, N. (2026). Housing tenure trajectory and student absenteeism: Evidence from New Zealand. Journal of Social Policy. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1017/S0047279426101822 Journal - Research Article

Yu, C., Aspinall, C., Le Gros, L., Fraser, B., Buchanan, M., Howden-Chapman, P., O'Sullivan, K., & Pierse, N. (2026). Tenure trajectories of children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand between 2013-2022. Journal of Youth Studies. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/13676261.2026.2731458 Journal - Research Article

Yu, C., Bierre, S., Pehi, T., & Pierse, N. (2026). Continued tenancy in public housing and youth justice outcomes: Evidence from New Zealand. Social Policy & Administration, 60(7), 1316-1328. doi: 10.1111/spol.70093 Journal - Research Article

Buchanan, M., Yu, C., Aspinall, C., Watt, R., Howden-Chapman, P., & Pierse, N. (2026). People with disabilities in emergency housing: An analysis of a national administrative database. International Journal on Homelessness, 6(1), 115-138. doi: 10.5206/ijoh.2023.3.22807 Journal - Research Article

Lin, H., & Yu, C. (2026). Disciplinary effect of short selling: Evidence from mergers and acquisitions. China Accounting & Finance Review, 28(1), 57-88. doi: 10.1108/CAFR-07-2024-0092 Journal - Research Article

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