PhD Student; HEIRU
Contact details
Tel +64 4 385 5541
Fax +64 4 389 5319
Email amanda.kvalsvig@otago.ac.nz
Research interests and activities
Amanda has a dual background in clinical paediatrics and epidemiology. She is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department. Her research interests are centred on the social determinants of children’s health and wellbeing: current topics include infectious diseases, breastfeeding, child poverty and early child development. She also has a methodological interest in the challenges of analysing existing data to develop high-quality evidence for policy and practice.
Amanda recently obtained a PhD degree for her epidemiological investigation of meningococcal disease management; the thesis was awarded Exceptional status. Her supervisors were Professors Michael Baker and Tony Blakely, also from the Department of Public Health.
Publications
O'Connor, M., Cloney, D., Kvalsvig, A., & Goldfeld, S. (2019). Positive mental health and academic achievement in elementary school: New evidence from a matching analysis. Educational Researcher, 48(4), 205-216. doi: 10.3102/0013189x19848724
Oliver, J., Foster, T., Kvalsvig, A., Williamson, D. A., Baker, M. G., & Pierse, N. (2018). Risk of rehospitalisation and death for vulnerable New Zealand children. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 103(4), 327-334. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2017-312671
Goldfeld, S., O'Connor, M., Chong, S., Gray, S., O'Connor, E., Woolfenden, S., … Kvalsvig, A., & Badland, H. (2018). The impact of multidimensional disadvantage over childhood on developmental outcomes in Australia. International Journal of Epidemiology, 47(5), 1485-1496. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyy087
Kvalsvig, A. (2018, September). Pre-hospital management of meningococcal disease. Verbal presentation at the Otago Spotlight Symposium on Infectious Disease, Wellington, New Zealand.
Cunningham, R., Kvalsvig, A., Peterson, D., Kuehl, S., Gibb, S., McKenzie, S., Thornley, L., & Every-Palmer, S. (2018). Stocktake report for the Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry: A background report prepared for the Inquiry panel. Commissioned by Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry. Wellington, New Zealand: EleMent Research Group, University of Otago. 267p. Retrieved from https://mentalhealth.inquiry.govt.nz/whats-new/resources/university-of-otago-stocktake-report-for-the-mental-health-and-addiction-inquiry
Commissioned Report for External Body
Cunningham, R., Kvalsvig, A., Peterson, D., Kuehl, S., Gibb, S., McKenzie, S., Thornley, L., & Every-Palmer, S. (2018). Stocktake report for the Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry: A background report prepared for the Inquiry panel. Commissioned by Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry. Wellington, New Zealand: EleMent Research Group, University of Otago. 267p. Retrieved from https://mentalhealth.inquiry.govt.nz/whats-new/resources/university-of-otago-stocktake-report-for-the-mental-health-and-addiction-inquiry
Kvalsvig, A., D'Souza, A., Duncanson, M., & Simpson, J. (2015). Pathways to child health, development and wellbeing: Optimal environments for orchids and dandelions. An overview of the evidence. Commissioned by Ministry of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: University of Otago. 42p.
Kvalsvig, A. (2014). Better health for the new generation: Getting it right from the start. In J. Simpson, G. Oben, E. Craig, J. Adams, A. Wicken, M. Duncanson & A. Reddington (Eds.), The determinants of health for children and young people in the Hutt Valley, Capital & Coast and the Wairarapa DHBs. (pp. 157-178). Dunedin, New Zealand: New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiology Service. [Report Contribution].
Journal - Research Article
O'Connor, M., Cloney, D., Kvalsvig, A., & Goldfeld, S. (2019). Positive mental health and academic achievement in elementary school: New evidence from a matching analysis. Educational Researcher, 48(4), 205-216. doi: 10.3102/0013189x19848724
Oliver, J., Foster, T., Kvalsvig, A., Williamson, D. A., Baker, M. G., & Pierse, N. (2018). Risk of rehospitalisation and death for vulnerable New Zealand children. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 103(4), 327-334. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2017-312671
Goldfeld, S., O'Connor, M., Chong, S., Gray, S., O'Connor, E., Woolfenden, S., … Kvalsvig, A., & Badland, H. (2018). The impact of multidimensional disadvantage over childhood on developmental outcomes in Australia. International Journal of Epidemiology, 47(5), 1485-1496. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyy087
Goldfeld, S., Kvalsvig, A., Incledon, E., & O'Connor, M. (2017). Epidemiology of positive mental health in a national census of children at school entry. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 71(3), 225-231. doi: 10.1136/jech-2015-207061
Dennaoui, K., Nicholls, R. J., O'connor, M., Tarasuik, J., Kvalsvig, A., & Goldfeld, S. (2016). The English proficiency and academic language skills of Australian bilingual children during the primary school years. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 18(2), 157-165. doi: 10.3109/17549507.2015.1060526
Goldfeld, S., O'connor, M., Quach, J., Tarasuik, J., & Kvalsvig, A. (2015). Learning trajectories of children with special health care needs across the severity spectrum. Academic Pediatrics, 15(2), 177-184. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2014.09.001
Goldfeld, S., Kvalsvig, A., Incledon, E., O'Connor, M., & Mensah, F. (2014). Predictors of mental health competence in a population cohort of Australian children. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 68, 431-437. doi: 10.1136/jech-2013-203007
O'Connor, M., Howell-Meurs, S., Kvalsvig, A., & Goldfeld, S. (2014). Understanding the impact of special health care needs on early school functioning: A conceptual model. Child: Care, Health & Development, 41(1), 15-22. doi: 10.1111/cch.12164
Kvalsvig, A., O'Connor, M., Redmond, G., & Goldfeld, S. (2014). The unknown citizen: Epidemiological challenges in child mental health. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 68, 1004-1008. doi: 10.1136/jech-2013-203712
Baker, M. G., Telfar Barnard, L., Kvalsvig, A., Verrall, A., Zhang, J., Keall, M., Wilson, N., … Howden-Chapman, P. (2012). Increasing incidence of serious infectious diseases and inequalities in New Zealand: A national epidemiological study. Lancet, 379(9821), 1112-1119. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(11)61780-7
Baker, M. G., Kvalsvig, A., Zhang, J., Lake, R., Sears, A., & Wilson, N. (2012). Declining Guillain-Barré syndrome after campylobacteriosis control, New Zealand, 1988-2010. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 18(2), 226-233. doi: 10.3201/eid1802.111126
Journal - Research Other
Kvalsvig, A., & Baker, M. (2006). New Zealand guidelines for early management of meningococcal disease: Time for revision? [Letter]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 119(1235). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/119-1235/2017/content.pdf
Kvalsvig, A. J., & Unsworth, D. J. (2003). The immunopathogenesis of meningococcal disease [Review]. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 56(6), 417-422.
Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles
Kvalsvig, A. J. (2014). The joy of cochlear implants: Strategies for dealing with loss of hearing in adulthood. BMJ, 348, g2685. doi: 10.1136/bmj.g2685
Kvalsvig, A. (2003). Ask the elephant. Lancet, 362(December), 2079-2080.
Rowling, A. J., Kvalsvig, A. J., Sharples, P. M., Foot, A. B., & Unsworth, D. J. (2003). Pneumocystis carinii, cytomegalovirus, and severe transient immunodeficiency [Letter to JCP]. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 56(9), 718-719.
Kvalsvig, A. J., & Unsworth, D. J. (2002). Lumbar punctures and meningitis [Letters to the editor]. Pediatrics, 110(5), 1028.
Kvalsvig, A. J., & Unsworth, D. J. (2002). Ethics approvals and quagmires [Clinical and scientific letters]. Clinical Medicine, 2(6), 599.
Kvalsvig, A. J. (2002). Follow up of people fitted with hearing aids: A draft patient information sheet for new hearing aid users [Comment on Follow up of people fitted with hearing aids after adult hearing screening: The need for support after fitting]. BMJ, 325(7375), 1304.
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Goldfeld, S., Kvalsvig, A., O'Connor, M., Redmond, G., Incledon, E., & Mensah, F. (2014). Positive mental health in children: A public health concept whose time has come. Proceedings of the New Zealand Population Health Congress: Connecting Communities, Policy and Science. (pp. 90). Retrieved from http://www.pophealthcongress.org.nz/nzphc14/programme/programme
Kvalsvig, A., Baker, M., & Blakely, T. (2014). Prehospital treatment of meningococcal disease in New Zealand: Who gets it and does it work? Proceedings of the New Zealand Population Health Congress: Connecting Communities, Policy and Science. (pp. 186). Retrieved from http://www.pophealthcongress.org.nz/nzphc14/programme/programme
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Kvalsvig, A. (2018, September). Pre-hospital management of meningococcal disease. Verbal presentation at the Otago Spotlight Symposium on Infectious Disease, Wellington, New Zealand.
Duncanson, M., Kvalsvig, A., & D'Souza, A. (2015, October). Optimal environments for both orchid and dandelion children to grow and thrive: An overview of the literature. Verbal presentation at the 2nd Aotearoa New Zealand Childhood Studies Colloquium: What Does Childhood Studies Mean for Research, Policy and Practice? Dunedin, New Zealand.
Baker, M. G., Kvalsvig, A., Zhang, J., Lake, R., Sears, A., & Wilson, N. (2015, November). Guillain-Barre Syndrome incidence declines following successful countrywide control of Campylobacteriosis. Verbal presentation at the 18th International Conference on Campylobacter, Helicobacter, and Related Organisms (CHRO), Rotorua, New Zealand.
Awarded Doctoral Degree
Kvalsvig, A. J. (2018). Pre-hospital antibiotics in meningococcal disease (PhD). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/8214
