Virginia Signal, Department of Public Health, Our people, University of Otago, Wellington, University of Otago, New Zealand

virginia-signal

BN, MPH, PhD

Senior Research Fellow; Cancer and Chronic Conditions (C3) research group and Health Environment & Infection Research Unit (HEIRU)

Contact details

Te: +64 4 918 6188
Fax +64 4 389 5319
Email virginia.signal@otago.ac.nz

Research interests and activities

Virginia is a senior research fellow within the Cancer and Chronic Conditions (C3) research group and Health Environment & Infection Research Unit (HEIRU). Her main research interests lie within improving Maori health and addressing inequities, particularly those seen for cancer and infectious diseases.

Her PhD investigated the effect of ethnicity and/or comorbidity on the stomach cancer treatment pathway and outcomes. Virginia has an oncology nursing and cancer-related health promotion and policy background.

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Publications

Jones, R. M., Signal, V., Smith, M., Stairmand, J., Davies, C., & Gurney, J. (2023). Palliative care and quality of life needs and outcomes for Māori with cancer: What do we know? AlterNative. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1177/11771801231163919

Gurney, J., Davies, A., Stanley, J., Signal, V., Costello, S., Dawkins, P., … Jackson, C., … Koea, J. (2023). Emergency presentation prior to lung cancer diagnosis: A national-level examination of disparities and survival outcomes. Lung Cancer, 179, 107174. doi: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2023.03.010

Davies, C., Timu-Parata, C., Stairmand, J., Robson, B., Kvalsvig, A., Lum, D., & Signal, V. (2022). A kia ora, a wave and a smile: An urban marae-led response to COVID-19, a case study in manaakitanga. International Journal for Equity in Health, 21, 70. doi: 10.1186/s12939-022-01667-8

Gurney, J., McLeod, M., Stanley, J., Sarfati, D., Campbell, D., Davies, C., Dennett, E., … Ongley, D., Robson, B., Rumball-Smith, J., Signal, V., Stairmand, J., Thomas, C., & Koea, J. (2021). Disparities in post-operative mortality between Māori and non-indigenous ethnic groups in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1542), 15-28. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Kvalsvig, A., Wilson, N., Davies, C., Timu-Parata, C., Signal, V., & Baker, M. G. (2021). Expansion of a national Covid-19 alert level system to improve population health and uphold the values of Indigenous peoples. Lancet Regional Health: Western Pacific, 12, 100206. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2021.100206

Journal - Research Article

McLeod, M., Signal, V., Gurney, J., & Sarfati, D. (2020). Postoperative mortality of indigenous populations compared with nonindigenous populations: A systematic review. JAMA Surgery, 155(7), 636-656. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2020.0316

Journal - Research Article

McLeod, M., Stanley, J., Signal, V., Stairmand, J., Thompson, D., Henderson, K., Davies, C., Krebs, J., Dowell, A., Grainger, R., & Sarfati, D. (2020). Impact of a comprehensive digital health programme on HbA_1c and weight after 12 months for people with diabetes and prediabetes: A randomised controlled trial. Diabetologia, 63, 2559-2570. doi: 10.1007/s00125-020-05261-x

Journal - Research Article

Signal, V., Jackson, C., Signal, L., Hardie, C., Holst, K., McLaughlin, M., Steele, C., & Sarfati, D. (2020). Improving management of comorbidity in patients with colorectal cancer using comprehensive medical assessment: A pilot study. BMC Cancer, 20, 50. doi: 10.1186/s12885-020-6526-z

Journal - Research Article

Signal, V., McLeod, M., Stanley, J., Stairmand, J., Sukumaran, N., Thompson, D.-M., Henderson, K., Davies, C., Krebs, J., Dowell, A., Grainger, R., & Sarfati, D. (2020). A mobile- and web-based health intervention program for diabetes and prediabetes self-management (BetaMe/Melon): Process evaluation following a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(12), e19150. doi: 10.2196/19150

Journal - Research Article

Huang, S., Signal, V., Sarfati, D., Shaw, C., Stanley, J., McGlynn, K., & Gurney, J. (2018). Physical activity and risk of testicular cancer: A systematic review. BMC Cancer, 18, 189. doi: 10.1186/s12885-018-4093-3

Journal - Research Article

Gurney, J., Richiardi, L., McGlynn, K. A., Signal, V., & Sarfati, D. (2017). Analgesia use during pregnancy and risk of cryptorchidism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Human Reproduction, 32(5), 1118-1129. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dex047

Journal - Research Article

Makowharemahihi, C., Wall, J., Keay, G., Britton, C., McGibbon, M., LeGeyt, P., … Signal, V. (2016). Quality improvement: Indigenous influence in oral health policy, process, and practice. Journal of Health Care for the Poor & Underserved, 27(1, Suppl.), 54-60. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2016.0035

Journal - Research Article

Gurney, J., Shaw, C., Stanley, J., Signal, V., & Sarfati, D. (2015). Cannabis exposure and risk of testicular cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cancer, 15, 897. doi: 10.1186/s12885-015-1905-6

Journal - Research Article

Signal, V., Sarfati, D., Cunningham, R., Gurney, J., Koea, J., & Ellison-Loschmann, L. (2015). Indigenous inequities in the presentation and management of stomach cancer in New Zealand: A country with universal health care coverage. Gastric Cancer, 18(3), 571-579. doi: 10.1007/s10120-014-0410-y

Journal - Research Article

Swart, E. M., Sarfati, D., Cunningham, R., Dennett, E., Signal, V., Gurney, J., & Stanley, J. (2013). Ethnicity and rectal cancer management in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 126(1384). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Journal - Research Other

Pilleron, S., Gower, H., Janssen-Heijnen, M., Signal, V. C., Gurney, J. K., Morris, E. J. A., Cunningham, R., & Sarfati, D. (2021). Patterns of age disparities in colon and lung cancer survival: A systematic narrative literature review. BMJ Open, 11, e044239. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044239

Journal - Research Other

Signal, V., Gurney, J., Inns, S., McLeod, M., Sika-Paotonu, D., Sowerbutts, S., Teng, A., & Sarfati, D. (2020). Helicobacter pylori, stomach cancer and its prevention in New Zealand. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 50(3), 397-417. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2019.1650081

Journal - Research Other

Sarfati, D., McLeod, M., Stanley, J., Signal, V., Stairmand, J., Krebs, J., Dowell, A., Leung, W., Davies, C., & Grainger, R. (2018). BetaMe: Impact of a comprehensive digital health programme on HbA1c and weight at 12 months for people with diabetes and pre-diabetes: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 19, 161. doi: 10.1186/s13063-018-2528-4

Journal - Research Other

Signal, V., Huang, S., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., McGlynn, K. A., & Gurney, J. K. (2018). Dairy consumption and risk of testicular cancer: A systematic review. Nutrition & Cancer, 70(5), 710-736. doi: 10.1080/01635581.2018.1470655

Journal - Research Other

Gurney, J. K., McGlynn, K. A., Stanley, J., Merriman, T., Signal, V., Shaw, C., Edwards, R., … Sarfati, D. (2017). Risk factors for cryptorchidism. Nature Reviews Urology, 14, 534-548. doi: 10.1038/nrurol.2017.90

Journal - Research Other

Signal, V. (2013). Ethnic inequalities in stomach cancer treatment pathways. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology, 9(Suppl. 3), (pp. 74). doi: 10.1111/ajco.12144

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Signal, V. (2016, April). Indigenous inequities in the stomach cancer treatment pathway in New Zealand. Verbal presentation at the World Indigenous Cancer Conference, Brisbane, Australia.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Signal, V. (2016). Making sense of stomach cancer inequities in Aotearoa New Zealand (PhD). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/6681

Awarded Doctoral Degree

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