MBChB, MRCPCH, MSc (Epidemiology), PhD (Epidemiology)
Co-Director, HEIRU
Contact details
Tel +64 4 385 5541
Fax +64 4 389 5319
Email amanda.kvalsvig@otago.ac.nz
Research interests and activities
Dr Amanda Kvalsvig has a dual background in clinical paediatrics and epidemiology, and is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department. Her research activities currently have a strong focus on New Zealand’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic; she is the lead researcher of Co-Search, a COVID-19 research collaborative led by Professor Michael Baker. She is also lead researcher of SYMBIOTIC, a newly-funded HRC programme led by Michael Baker which aims to investigate the two-way relationships between infectious disease and long-term conditions.
Amanda’s other research interests are centred on the social determinants of health and wellbeing: topics include other infectious diseases (particularly meningococcal disease), breastfeeding, child poverty, and early child development. She supervises postgraduate students undertaking research on these topics, and also has a methodological interest in the challenges of analysing existing data to develop high-quality evidence for policy and practice.
Publications
Gray, L., Rose, S. B., Stanley, J., Zhang, J., Tassell-Matamua, N., Puloka, V., Kvalsvig, A., … Murton, S. A., … Baker, M. G. (2021). Factors influencing individual ability to follow physical distancing recommendations in Aotearoa New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic: A population survey. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2021.1879179
Kvalsvig, A., & Baker, M. G. (2021). How Aotearoa New Zealand rapidly revised its Covid-19 response strategy: Lessons for the next pandemic plan. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2021.1891943
Shackleton, N., Li, E., Gibb, S., Kvalsvig, A., Baker, M., Sporle, A., … Milne, B. J. (2021). The relationship between income poverty and child hospitalisations in New Zealand: Evidence from longitudinal household panel data and Census data. PLoS ONE, 16(1), e0243920. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243920
Gray, L., MacDonald, C., Tassell-Matamua, N., Stanley, J., Kvalsvig, A., Zhang, J., Murton, S., … Puloka, V., … Baker, M. G. (2020). Wearing one for the team: Views and attitudes to face covering in New Zealand/Aotearoa during COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown. Journal of Primary Health Care, 12(3), 199-206. doi: 10.1071/HC20089
Wilson, N., Boyd, M., Kvalsvig, A., Chambers, T., & Baker, M. (2020). Public health aspects of the Covid-19 response and opportunities for the post-pandemic era. Policy Quarterly, 16(3), 20-24.
Commissioned Report for External Body
Kvalsvig, A., Telfar Barnard, L., Gray, L., Wilson, N., & Baker, M. (2020). Supporting the COVID-19 pandemic response: Surveillance and outbreak analytics. Commissioned by Ministry of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: University of Otago. 33p. Retrieved from https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/covid-19-modelling-reports
Telfar Barnard, L., Wilson, N., Kvalsvig, A., & Baker, M. (2020). Modelled estimates for the spread and health impact of Covid-19 in New Zealand: Revised preliminary report to the NZ Ministry of Health. Commissioned by Ministry of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: University of Otago. 15p. Retrieved from https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/covid-19-modelling-reports
Baker, M., Kvalsvig, A., Telfar Barnard, L., Gray, L., Verrall, A., & Wilson, N. (2020). Potential preventive interventions for the “Stamp it out” and “Manage it” phase of the Covid-19 pandemic in New Zealand. Commissioned by New Zealand Ministry of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: University of Otago. 16p. Retrieved from https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/covid-19-modelling-and-other-commissioned-reports
Wilson, N., Telfar Barnard, L., Kvalsvig, A., & Baker, M. (2020). Potential health impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic for New Zealand if eradication fails: Report to the NZ Ministry of Health. Commissioned by Ministry of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: University of Otago. 22p. Retrieved from https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/covid-19-modelling-reports
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].
Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report
Wilson, N., Kvalsvig, A., Telfar Barnard, L., & Baker, M. G. (2020). Estimating the case fatality risk of COVID-19 using cases from outside China. medRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2020.02.15.20023499
Other Research Output
Wilson, N., Chambers, T., Kvalsvig, A., Mizdrak, A., Nghiem, N., Summers, J., Baker, M. (2020, July). NZ's "Team of 5 million" has achieved the lowest COVID-19 death rate in the OECD: But there are still gaps in our pandemic response. Public Health Expert blog. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2020/07/22/nzs-team-of-5-million-has-achieved-the-lowest-covid-19-death-rate-in-the-oecd-but-there-are-still-gaps-in-our-pandemic-response
Wilson, N., Summers, J., Thomson, G., Kvalsvig, A., Boyd, M., Baker, M. (2020, June). Five key reasons why NZ should have an official inquiry into the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Health Expert blog. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/2020/06/11/five-key-reasons-why-nz-should-have-an-official-inquiry-into-the-response-to-the-covid-19-pandemic
Journal - Research Article
Gray, L., Rose, S. B., Stanley, J., Zhang, J., Tassell-Matamua, N., Puloka, V., Kvalsvig, A., … Murton, S. A., … Baker, M. G. (2021). Factors influencing individual ability to follow physical distancing recommendations in Aotearoa New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic: A population survey. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2021.1879179
Shackleton, N., Li, E., Gibb, S., Kvalsvig, A., Baker, M., Sporle, A., … Milne, B. J. (2021). The relationship between income poverty and child hospitalisations in New Zealand: Evidence from longitudinal household panel data and Census data. PLoS ONE, 16(1), e0243920. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243920
Kvalsvig, A., & Baker, M. G. (2021). How Aotearoa New Zealand rapidly revised its Covid-19 response strategy: Lessons for the next pandemic plan. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2021.1891943
Gray, L., MacDonald, C., Tassell-Matamua, N., Stanley, J., Kvalsvig, A., Zhang, J., Murton, S., … Puloka, V., … Baker, M. G. (2020). Wearing one for the team: Views and attitudes to face covering in New Zealand/Aotearoa during COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown. Journal of Primary Health Care, 12(3), 199-206. doi: 10.1071/HC20089
Wilson, N., Boyd, M., Kvalsvig, A., Chambers, T., & Baker, M. (2020). Public health aspects of the Covid-19 response and opportunities for the post-pandemic era. Policy Quarterly, 16(3), 20-24.
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
Baker, M. G., Kvalsvig, A., Verrall, A. J., Telfar-Barnard, L., & Wilson, N. (2020). New Zealand's elimination strategy for the COVID-19 pandemic and what is required to make it work. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1512), 10-14. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Kvalsvig, A., Wilson, N., Chan, L., Febery, S., Roberts, S., Betty, B., & Baker, M. G. (2020). Mass masking: An alternative to a second lockdown in Aotearoa. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1517), 8-13. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
Summers, J., Cheng, H.-Y., Lin, H.-H., Telfar Barnard, L., Kvalsvig, A., Wilson, N., & Baker, M. G. (2020). Potential lessons from the Taiwan and New Zealand health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2020.10 0 044
Baker, M. G., Kvalsvig, A., & Verrall, A. J. (2020). New Zealand's COVID-19 elimination strategy. Medical Journal of Australia. Advance online publication. doi: 10.5694/mja2.50735
Wilson, N., Kvalsvig, A., Telfar Barnard, L., & Baker, M. G. (2020). Case-fatality risk estimates for COVID-19 calculated by using a lag time for fatality. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 26(6), 1339-1341. doi: 10.3201/eid2606.200320
Kvalsvig, A., Summers, J., Gray, L., Telfar Barnard, L., & Baker, M. G. (2020). COVID-19 outbreaks in Aotearoa New Zealand: Urgent action is required to address systematic causes and consequences of border failures. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1527), 8-14. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal
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). Ethics approvals and quagmires [Clinical and scientific letters]. Clinical Medicine, 2(6), 599.
Kvalsvig, A. J., & Unsworth, D. J. (2002). Lumbar punctures and meningitis [Letters to the editor]. Pediatrics, 110(5), 1028.
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
Baker, M., Kvalsvig, A., & Wilson, N. (2020, December). The COVID-19 elimination strategy: Implications and opportunities for New Zealand [Invited]. Verbal presentation at the 6th One Health Aotearoa (OHA) Symposium, [Online].
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
