BSc (Maths and Stats), MSc (Statistics), PhD
Research Associate Professor
Deputy Director of He Kainga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme
Contact details
Tel 64 4 918 6853
Fax 64 4 389 5319
Email nevil.pierse@otago.ac.nz
Research interests and activities
Associate Professor Nevil Pierse is Deputy Director of He Kainga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme. Originally a statistician by training, his current work is done in partnership with a wide variety of stakeholders including government and community organisations, and is focused on the design and implementation of randomised trials in the home and community.
His previous studies have shown the benefits of efficient home heating and insulation, which was instrumental in the $300 Million EECA, Warm Up New Zealand, Heat Smart programme. Nevil’s other previous work includes the HRC funded Home Injury Prevention Intervention, which showed that simple home repairs and modification reduced the number of falls in homes by 27%. He was part of the group awarded the 2014 NZ Prime Ministers Prize for Science. He is currently working on the SHELTHER study which looks at home interventions to prevent rehospitalisation of children with respiratory disease. Nevil current leads the 'Ending Homelessness in New Zealand: Housing First' MBIE funded research programme.
Publications
Gillespie-Bennett, J., Pierse, N., Wickens, K., Crane, J., Howden-Chapman, P., and the Housing Heating and Health Study Research Team, including Viggers, H., & Lloyd, B. (2011). The respiratory health effects of nitrogen dioxide in children with asthma. European Respiratory Journal, 38, 303-309. doi: 10.1183/09031936.00115409
Pierse, N., Arnold, R., Keall, M., Crane, J., Howden-Chapman, P., & Cunningham, M. (2011). Identifying an optimal exposure metric for measuring the short-term effects of low indoor temperatures on asthmatic children's lung function. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 65(Suppl. 1), (pp. A38-A39). doi: 10.1136/jech.2011.142976b.9
Pierse, N., Keall, M., Arnold, R., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2011). Measuring the placebo effect in unblinded randomised community trials. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 65(Suppl. 1), (pp. A203-A204). doi: 10.1136/jech.2011.142976g.83
Preval, N., Chapman, R., Pierse, N., Howden-Chapman, P., the Housing, Heating, and Health Study Research Team, including Gillespie-Bennett, J. (2010). Evaluating energy, health and carbon co-benefits from improved domestic space heating: A randomised community trial. Energy Policy, 38(8), 3965-3972. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2010.03.020
Free, S., Howden-Chapman, P., Pierse, N., Viggers, H., the Housing, Heating, and Health Study Research Team, including Nicholls, S., Bennett, J., Shields, D., Lloyd, B., Wickens, K., Baker, M., & Crane, J. (2010). More effective home heating reduces school absences for children with asthma. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 64(5), 379-386. doi: 10.1136/jech.2008.086520
Journal - Research Article
Gillespie-Bennett, J., Pierse, N., Wickens, K., Crane, J., Howden-Chapman, P., and the Housing Heating and Health Study Research Team, including Viggers, H., & Lloyd, B. (2011). The respiratory health effects of nitrogen dioxide in children with asthma. European Respiratory Journal, 38, 303-309. doi: 10.1183/09031936.00115409
Preval, N., Chapman, R., Pierse, N., Howden-Chapman, P., the Housing, Heating, and Health Study Research Team, including Gillespie-Bennett, J. (2010). Evaluating energy, health and carbon co-benefits from improved domestic space heating: A randomised community trial. Energy Policy, 38(8), 3965-3972. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2010.03.020
Free, S., Howden-Chapman, P., Pierse, N., Viggers, H., the Housing, Heating, and Health Study Research Team, including Nicholls, S., Bennett, J., Shields, D., Lloyd, B., Wickens, K., Baker, M., & Crane, J. (2010). More effective home heating reduces school absences for children with asthma. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 64(5), 379-386. doi: 10.1136/jech.2008.086520
Wu, F. F.-S., Chang, C.-F., Wu, M.-W., Pierse, N., & Siebers, R. (2010). Prevalence of macrocytosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. New Zealand Journal of Medical Laboratory Science, 64, 86-87.
Wu, F. F.-S., Wu, M.-W., Chang, C.-F., Lai, S.-M., Pierse, N., Crane, J., & Siebers, R. (2010). Endotoxin and β-(1,3)-glucan levels in automobiles: A pilot study. Annals of Agricultural & Environmental Medicine, 17(2), 327-330.
Heyes, J., Siebers, R., Parkes, A., Pierse, N., & Crane, J. (2009). β-(1,3)-glucan levels and its determinants in New Zealand bedrooms. Journal of Asthma, 46(1), 64-66. doi: 10.1080/02770900802478326
Wu, F. F.-S., Siebers, R., Chang, C.-F., Hsieh, S.-W., Wu, M.-W., Chen, C.-Y., Pierse, N., & Crane, J. (2009). Indoor allergens and microbial bio-contaminants in homes of asthmatic children in Central Taiwan. Journal of Asthma, 46(7), 745-749. doi: 10.1080/02770900903082597
Howden-Chapman, P., Pierse, N., Nicholls, S., Gillespie-Bennett, J., Viggers, H., Cunningham, M., … Free, S., … Lloyd, B., Wickens, K., Shields, D., Baker, M., Cunningham, C., … Crane, J. (2008). Effects of improved home heating on asthma in community dwelling children: Randomised controlled trial. BMJ, 337, 852-855. doi: 10.1136/bmj.a1411
Gillespie-Bennett, J., Pierse, N., Wickens, K., Crane, J., Nicholls, S., Shields, D., … Viggers, H., Baker, M., … Howden-Chapman, P. (2008). Sources of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in New Zealand homes: Findings from a community randomized controlled trial of heater substitutions. Indoor Air, 18(6), 521-528. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.2008.00554.x
Pierse, N., Rushton, L., Harris, R. S., Kuehni, C. E., Silverman, M., & Grigg, J. (2006). Locally-generated particulate pollution and respiratory symptoms in young children. Thorax, 61, 216-220.
Kulkarni, N., Pierse, N., Rushton, L., & Grigg, J. (2006). Carbon in airway macrophages and lung function in children. New England Journal of Medicine, 355, 21-30.
Journal - Research Other
Edwards, R., Wilson, N., & Pierse, N. (2006). Highly hazardous air quality associated with smoking in cars: New Zealand pilot study [Letter]. New Zealand Medical Journal, 119(1244). Retrieved from http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/119-1244/2294/content.pdf
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
Viggers, H., Howden-Chapman, P., Pierse, N., Gillespie-Bennett, J., Cunningham, M., Phipps, R., & Crane, J. (2008). Effect of installing effective heaters into the homes of asthmatic children. Proceedings of the Population Health Congress. (pp. 50-55). Maroochydore, Australia: Australian Health Promotion Association. [Full Paper]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Pierse, N., Arnold, R., Keall, M., Crane, J., Howden-Chapman, P., & Cunningham, M. (2011). Identifying an optimal exposure metric for measuring the short-term effects of low indoor temperatures on asthmatic children's lung function. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 65(Suppl. 1), (pp. A38-A39). doi: 10.1136/jech.2011.142976b.9
Pierse, N., Keall, M., Arnold, R., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2011). Measuring the placebo effect in unblinded randomised community trials. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 65(Suppl. 1), (pp. A203-A204). doi: 10.1136/jech.2011.142976g.83
Tay, J., Ingham, T. R., Jones, B., Pierse, N., & Burgess, C. (2010). Taste perceptions of salbutamol-containing inhalers: A randomised crossover trial. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 107(Suppl. 1), (pp. 612). doi: 10.1111/j.1742-7843.2010.00600.x
Pierse, N., Keall, M., Arnold, R., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2009). Causality in randomised community trials. Australasian Epidemiologist. 16(2), (pp. 80-81). [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)
Tay, J., Ingham, T. R., Jones, B., Pierse, N., & Burgess, C. (2010, July). Taste perceptions of salbutamol-containing inhalers: A randomised crossover trial. Poster session presented at the 16th World Congress on Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Pierse, N. (2010, September-October). The short-term effects of low indoor temperatures on asthmatic children's lung function. Verbal presentation at the Australasian Epidemiological Association (AEA) Annual Conference, Sydney, Australia.
