Donna Cormack, Department of Public Health, Our people, University of Otago, Wellington, University of Otago, New Zealand

BA (Hons), MA

Senior Research Fellow; TRRHAEP

Contact details
Research interests and activities
Publications

Contact details

Tel 64 4 385 5418
Email donna.cormack@otago.ac.nz

Research interests and activities

Donna (Kāti Mamoe, Kai Tahu) has been involved in work on the collection and classification of ethnicity data in Aotearoa/New Zealand, particularly as it relates to measuring and monitoring inequities. Recently, Donna has been focused on work examining the impacts of racism on Māori health and health inequities.

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Publications

Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee, including Edmonds, L., Berry, M., Cormack, D., and also Te Rōpū Kohi Pitopito Mōhiotanga mō te Take Mate | New Zealand Mortality Review Data Group, including Dawson, P., Burgess, W., Roy, M., Paterson, H., Crengle, S., McDonald, G., Hii, J., Szymanska, K., Wolfe, N., Lawrence Lodge, R., Rayner, C., & Chalmers, S. (2022). Fifteenth annual report of the Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee | Te pūrongo ā-tau tekau mā rima o te Komiti Arotake Mate Pēpi, Mate Whaea hoki: Reporting mortality and morbidity 2020 | Te tuku pūrongo mō te mate me te whakamate 2020. Commissioned by Health Quality & Safety Commission. Wellington, New Zealand: Perinatal and Maternal Mortality Review Committee. 209p. Retrieved from https://www.hqsc.govt.nz/our-programmes/mrc/pmmrc/

King, P. T., Cormack, D., Harris, R., Paine, S.-J., & McLeod, M. (2022). ‘Never-ending beginnings’: A qualitative literature review of Māori temporal ontologies. Kōtuitui. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2022.2138467

Cormack, D., & Kukutai, T. (2022). Indigenous peoples, data, and the coloniality of surveillance. In A. Hepp, J. Jarke & L. Kramp (Eds.), New perspectives in critical data studies: The ambivalences of data power. (pp. 121-141). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-96180-0

King, P. T., & Cormack, D. (2022). ‘It feels special when you’re Māori’: Voices of mokopuna Māori aged 6 to 13 years. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2022.2064520

Haitana, T., Pitama, S., Cormack, D., Clark, M. T. R., & Lacey, C. (2022). "If we can just dream…": Māori talk about healthcare for bipolar disorder in New Zealand: A qualitative study privileging Indigenous voices on organisational transformation for health equity. International Journal of Health Planning & Management. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/hpm.3486

Chapter in Book - Research

Kukutai, T., & Cormack, D. (2021). "Pushing the space": Data sovereignty and self-determination in Aotearoa NZ. In M. Walter, T. Kukutai, S. R. Carroll & D. Rodriguez-Lonebear (Eds.), Indigenous data sovereignty and policy. (pp. 21-35). London, UK: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429273957

Chapter in Book - Research

Paine, S.-J., Cormack, D., Reid, P., Harris, R., & Robson, B. (2021). Kaupapa Māori-informed approaches to support data rights and self-determination. In M. Walter, T. Kukutai, S. R. Carroll & D. Rodriguez-Lonebear (Eds.), Indigenous data sovereignty and policy. (pp. 187-203). London, UK: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780429273957

Chapter in Book - Research

Cormack, D., Harris, R., Stanley, J., Jones, R., Lacey, C., & Curtis, E. (2019). Beliefs about Māori health and inequalities: Findings from a cross-sectional study of final year medical students in Aotearoa/New Zealand. In Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education LIME Good practice case studies (Vol. 5). (pp. 13-28). Melbourne, Australia: Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne.

Chapter in Book - Research

Cormack, D. (2007). The Māori population. In B. Robson & R. Harris (Eds.), Hauora: Māori standards of health IV: A study of the years 2000-2005. (pp. 11-20). Wellington, New Zealand: Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare, University of Otago.

Chapter in Book - Research

Cormack, D., Purdie, G., & Robson, B. (2007). Cancer. In B. Robson & R. Harris (Eds.), Hauora: Māori standards of health IV: A study of the years 2000-2005. (pp. 103-119). Wellington, New Zealand: Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare, University of Otago.

Chapter in Book - Research

Robson, B., Cormack, D., & Cram, F. (2007). Social and economic indicators. In B. Robson & R. Harris (Eds.), Hauora: Māori standards of health IV: A study of the years 2000-2005. (pp. 21-32). Wellington, New Zealand: Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare, University of Otago.

Chapter in Book - Research

Journal - Research Article

Haitana, T., Pitama, S., Cormack, D., Clark, M. T. R., & Lacey, C. (2022). Culturally competent, safe and equitable clinical care for Māori with bipolar disorder in New Zealand: The expert critique of Māori patients and Whānau. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 56(6), 648-656. doi: 10.1177/00048674211031490

Journal - Research Article

Haitana, T., Pitama, S., Cormack, D., Clark, M. T. R., & Lacey, C. (2022). ‘It absolutely needs to move out of that structure’: Māori with bipolar disorder identify structural barriers and propose solutions to reform the New Zealand mental health system. Ethnicity & Health. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/13557858.2022.2027884

Journal - Research Article

Talamaivao, N., Baker, G., Harris, R., Cormack, D., & Paine, S.-J. (2021). Informing anti-racism health policy in Aotearoa New Zealand. Policy Quarterly, 17(4), 50-57. doi: 10.26686/pq.v17i4.7319

Journal - Research Article

Wild, C. E. K., Rawiri, N. T., Cormack, D. M., Willing, E. J., Hofman, P. L., & Anderson, Y. C. (2021). A collaborative indigenous-non-indigenous partnership approach to understanding participant experiences of a community-based healthy lifestyles program. Qualitative Health Research, 31(8), 1404-1411. doi: 10.1177/1049732321998640

Journal - Research Article

Cormack, D., Harris, R., & Stanley, J. (2020). Māori experiences of multiple forms of discrimination: Findings from Te Kupenga 2013. Kōtuitui, 15(1), 106-122. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2019.1657472

Journal - Research Article

Haitana, T., Pitama, S., Cormack, D., Clark, M., & Lacey, C. (2020). The transformative potential of Kaupapa Māori Research and indigenous methodologies: Positioning Māori patient experiences of mental health services. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1-12. doi: 10.1177/1609406920953752

Journal - Research Article

King, P. T., Cormack, D., & Keenan, R. (2020). COVID-19 and the mass incarceration of Indigenous peoples. Journal of Indigenous Social Development, 9(3), 141-157. Retrieved from https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/jisd/article/view/70937

Journal - Research Article

Paine, S.-J., Cormack, D., Stanley, J., & Harris, R. (2020). Caregiver experiences of racism are associated with adverse health outcomes for their children: A cross-sectional analysis of data from the New Zealand Health Survey. Critical Public Health, 30(5), 509-520. doi: 10.1080/09581596.2019.1626003

Journal - Research Article

Talamaivao, N., Harris, R., Cormack, D., Paine, S.-J., & King, P. (2020). Racism and health in Aotearoa New Zealand: A systematic review of quantitative studies. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1521), 55-68. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Wild, C. E. K., O'Sullivan, N. A., Lee, A. C., Cave, T. L., Willing, E. J., Cormack, D. M., … Anderson, Y. C. (2020). Survey of barriers and facilitators to engagement in a multidisciplinary healthy lifestyles program for children. Journal of Nutrition Education & Behavior, 52(5), 528-534. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2019.10.010

Journal - Research Article

Harris, R. B., Cormack, D. M., & Stanley, J. (2019). Experience of racism and associations with unmet need and healthcare satisfaction: The 2011/12 adult New Zealand Health Survey. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 43(1), 75-80. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12835

Journal - Research Article

Manhire-Heath, R., Cormack, D., & Wyeth, E. (2019). '...but I just prefer to treat everyone the same...': General practice receptionists talking about health inequities. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 25(5), 430-434. doi: 10.1071/PY19026

Journal - Research Article

Paine, S.-J., Harris, R., Cormack, D., & Stanley, J. (2019). Self-reported sleep complaints are associated with adverse health outcomes: Cross-sectional analysis of the 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey. Ethnicity & Health, 24(1), 44-56. doi: 10.1080/13557858.2017.1315368

Journal - Research Article

Cormack, D., Harris, R., Stanley, J., Lacey, C., Jones, R., & Curtis, E. (2018). Ethnic bias amongst medical students in Aotearoa/New Zealand: Findings from the Bias and Decision Making in Medicine (BDMM) study. PLoS ONE, 13(8), e0201168. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201168

Journal - Research Article

Cormack, D., Stanley, J., & Harris, R. (2018). Multiple forms of discrimination and relationships with health and wellbeing: Findings from national cross-sectional surveys in Aotearoa/New Zealand. International Journal for Equity in Health, 17, 26. doi: 10.1186/s12939-018-0735-y

Journal - Research Article

Harris, R. B., Stanley, J., & Cormack, D. (2018). Racism and health in New Zealand: Prevalence over time and associations between recent experience of racism and health and wellbeing measures using national survey data. PLoS ONE, 13(5), e0196476. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196476

Journal - Research Article

Harris, R., Cormack, D., Stanley, J., Curtis, E., Jones, R., & Lacey, C. (2018). Ethnic bias and clinical decision-making among New Zealand medical students: An observational study. BMC Medical Education, 18, 18. doi: 10.1186/s12909-018-1120-7

Journal - Research Article

Paine, S.-J., Harris, R., Stanley, J., & Cormack, D. (2018). Caregiver experiences of racism and child healthcare utilisation: Cross-sectional analysis from New Zealand. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 103(9), 873-879. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2017-313866

Journal - Research Article

Reid, J., Anderson, A., Cormack, D., Reid, P., & Harwood, M. (2018). The experience of gestational diabetes for indigenous Māori women living in rural New Zealand: Qualitative research informing the development of decolonising interventions. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth, 18, 478. doi: 10.1186/s12884-018-2103-8

Journal - Research Article

Ben, J., Cormack, D., Harris, R., & Paradies, Y. (2017). Racism and health service utilisation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 12(12), e0189900. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189900

Journal - Research Article

Harris, R., Cormack, D., Curtis, E., Jones, R., Stanley, J., & Lacey, C. (2016). Development and testing of study tools and methods to examine ethnic bias and clinical decision-making among medical students in New Zealand: The Bias and Decision-Making in Medicine (BDMM) study. BMC Medical Education, 16, 173. doi: 10.1186/s12909-016-0701-6

Journal - Research Article

Paine, S.-J., Harris, R., Cormack, D., & Stanley, J. (2016). Racial discrimination and ethnic disparities in sleep disturbance: The 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey. Sleep, 39(2), 477-485. doi: 10.5665/sleep.5468

Journal - Research Article

Reid, J., Cormack, D., & Crowe, M. (2016). The significance of relational continuity of care for Māori patient engagement with predominantly non-Māori doctors: Findings from a qualitative study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 40(2), 120-125. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12447

Journal - Research Article

Reid, J., Cormack, D., & Crowe, M. (2016). The significance of socially-assigned ethnicity for self-identified Māori accessing and engaging with primary healthcare in New Zealand. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness & Medicine, 20(2), 143-160. doi: 10.1177/1363459315568918

Journal - Research Article

Harris, R., Cormack, D., Stanley, J., & Rameka, R. (2015). Investigating the relationship between ethnic consciousness, racial discrimination and self-rated health in New Zealand. PLoS ONE, 10(2), e0117343. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117343

Journal - Research Article

Neuwelt, P., Crengle, S., Cormack, D., McLeod, M., & Bramley, D. (2014). General practice ethnicity data: Evaluation of a tool. Journal of Primary Health Care, 6(1), 49-55.

Journal - Research Article

Bécares, L., Cormack, D., & Harris, R. (2013). Ethnic density and area deprivation: Neighbourhood effects on Māori health and racial discrimination in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Social Science & Medicine, 88, 76-82. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.04.007

Journal - Research Article

Cormack, D. M., Harris, R. B., & Stanley, J. (2013). Investigating the relationship between socially-assigned ethnicity, racial discrimination and health advantage in New Zealand. PLoS ONE, 8(12), e84039. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084039

Journal - Research Article

Harris, R. B., Cormack, D. M., & Stanley, J. (2013). The relationship between socially-assigned ethnicity, health and experience of racial discrimination for Māori: Analysis of the 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey. BMC Public Health, 13, 844. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-844

Journal - Research Article

Harris, R., Cormack, D., Tobias, M., Yeh, L.-C., Talamaivao, N., Minster, J., & Timutimu, R. (2012). The pervasive effects of racism: Experiences of racial discrimination in New Zealand over time and associations with multiple health domains. Social Science & Medicine, 74(3), 408-415. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.11.004

Journal - Research Article

Harris, R., Cormack, D., Tobias, M., Yeh, L.-C., Talamaivao, N., Minster, J., & Timutimu, R. (2012). Self-reported experience of racial discrimination and health care use in New Zealand: Results from the 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey. American Journal of Public Health, 102(5), 1012-1019. doi: 10.2105/ajph.2011.300626

Journal - Research Article

Lawton, B. A., Rose, S. B., Pullon, S., Stanley, J., Garrett, S., Sykes, P., Cormack, D., Robson, B., Langdana, F., Cooper, A., & Filoche, S. K. (2012). The impact of outpatient booking systems on waiting times for investigation of suspected cancer: The case of post-menopausal bleeding. Clinical Ovarian & Other Gynecologic Cancer, 5(2), 87-93. doi: 10.1016/j.cogc.2013.06.001

Journal - Research Article

McLeod, M., Cormack, D., Harris, R., Robson, B., Sykes, P., & Crengle, S. (2011). Achieving equitable outcomes for Māori women with cervical cancer in New Zealand: Health provider views. New Zealand Medical Journal, 124(1334). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/124-1334/4661/content.pdf

Journal - Research Article

Cormack, D., Sarfati, D., Harris, R., Robson, B., Shaw, C., & Blakely, T. (2010). Re: 'An overview of cancer and beliefs about the disease in indigenous people of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US' [Letter]. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 34(1), 90-91. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00481.x

Journal - Research Article

Hill, S., Sarfati, D., Blakely, T., Robson, B., Purdie, G., Chen, J., Dennett, E., Cormack, D., Cunningham, R., Dew, K., … Kawachi, I. (2010). Survival disparities in indigenous and non-indigenous New Zealanders with colon cancer: The role of patient comorbidity, treatment and health service factors. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 64(2), 117-123. doi: 10.1136/jech.2008.083816

Journal - Research Article

Hill, S., Sarfati, D., Blakely, T., Robson, B., Purdie, G., Dennett, E., Cormack, D., Dew, K., … Kawachi, I. (2010). Ethnicity and management of colon cancer in New Zealand: Do indigenous patients get a worse deal? Cancer, 116(13), 3205-3214. doi: 10.1002/cncr.25127

Journal - Research Article

McLeod, M., Harris, R., Purdie, G., Cormack, D., Robson, B., Sykes, P., Crengle, S., Iupati, D., & Walker, N. (2010). Improving survival disparities in cervical cancer between Māori and non-Māori women in New Zealand: A National Retrospective Cohort Study. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 34(2), 193-199. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00506.x

Journal - Research Article

Sarfati, D., Hill, S., Blakely, T., Robson, B., Purdie, G., Dennett, E., Cormack, D., & Dew, K. (2009). The effect of comorbidity on the use of adjuvant chemotherapy and survival from colon cancer: A retrospective cohort study. BMC Cancer, 9, 116. doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-9-116

Journal - Research Article

Lawton, B. A., Rose, S. B., Cormack, D. M., Stanley, J., & Dowell, A. C. (2008). The menopause symptom profile of Maori and non-Maori women in New Zealand. Climacteric, 11, 467-474. doi: 10.1080/13697130802351094

Journal - Research Article

Raymont, A., Morgan, S., McLeod, D., Dowell, A., van Rij, A., Cumming, J., … Dew, K., & Cormack, D. (2008). New Zealand general practitioners' non-urgent referrals to surgeons: Who and why? New Zealand Medical Journal, 121(1275). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/121-1275/3091/content.pdf

Journal - Research Article

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