Remove nicotine from cigarettes, smokers say
Monday, 16 September 2019
New Zealand smokers overwhelmingly support removing the nicotine from cigarettes to make them less addictive, a national survey has found.
Smokers concealing cigarette packs’ graphic warnings, study finds
Tuesday, 10 September 2019
Smokers are less likely to display packs of cigarettes and tobacco on tables at cafés and bars now that standardised packs with larger graphic health warnings have been introduced, according to a new study.
He Kete Kōrero – Spring 2019
Monday, 9 September 2019
The Spring 2019 edition of the University of Otago, Wellington newsletter
Otago academic to head new national cancer strategy
Monday, 2 September 2019
The new interim National Director of Cancer Control, University of Otago academic Professor Diana Sarfati, believes lives will be saved as a result of the new National Cancer Action Plan.
No age limit on research for 74-year-old PhD Graduate
Thursday, 22 August 2019
It was quite a weekend for Dr John White who celebrated his 74th birthday last Friday and then donned cap and gown to receive his PhD at the Dunedin Town Hall on Saturday.
Fellowship fund flies PhD students to the United States
Thursday, 22 August 2019
Three PhD students will be winging their way to the United States next year to study and collaborate, thanks to a University of Otago fellowship.
New research collaboration to fight cancer in New Zealand
Tuesday, 20 August 2019
University of Otago cancer researchers are coming together in a new collaboration awarded a $2 million grant by the Cancer Society in a bid to better tackle a leading cause of death in New Zealand.
Pacific Health Ministers welcome major report on cancer in region
Monday, 19 August 2019
A major research series on cancer control in small island nations led by Professor Diana Sarfati from the University of Otago, Wellington, has been welcomed at the Pacific Health Ministers Meeting in Tahiti.
Teenagers say ‘nope’ to dope
Friday, 16 August 2019
New research from the University of Otago, Wellington, has shed light on the declining use of cannabis use by teens.
Healthier homes could cut hospital stays for young children, researchers find
Thursday, 15 August 2019
Almost 20 per cent of hospital admissions of young children with acute respiratory infections could be prevented if their houses were free from damp and mould, researchers have found.
Moving house related to behavioural difficulties in four-year-olds, study finds
Tuesday, 13 August 2019
Moving house is linked with increases in emotional and behavioural difficulties in four-year-olds, with the problems compounding each time a family moves, researchers have found.
Milestone celebration as Pacific Office opens at Wellington campus
Monday, 12 August 2019
A formal ceremonial and multicultural celebration was held at the University of Otago, Wellington late last month, to mark the official opening of the school’s first Pacific Office.
2019 OUSA Supervisor of the Year named
Friday, 9 August 2019
It was only a “few” years ago Dr Susan Wardell was watching her supervisor be awarded the OUSA Supervisor of the Year. Now it has come full circle, with Dr Wardell being given the top nod at the awards.
Treatable cancers killing thousands in Pacific
Tuesday, 6 August 2019
People living in the Pacific Islands are dying regularly from highly treatable cancers because of a lack of cancer care services around the region, researchers say.
Old vaccine brings new surprises
Friday, 19 July 2019
New research about an old vaccine – one that has been in use for nearly 100 years – has not only shown how effective it is but also suggests it improves our immune response to a wider range of bacteria than originally intended.
Massive potential health gains in switching to active transport – Otago study
Thursday, 18 July 2019
Swapping short car trips for walking or biking could achieve as much health gain as ongoing tobacco tax increases, according to a study from the University of Otago, Wellington.
New data on e-cigarette use among New Zealand adults
Monday, 15 July 2019
Around one in six New Zealand adults have tried e-cigarettes but only 2 per cent are using them currently, a national survey has found.
Eliminating waiting lists for cataract surgery prevents falls and is cost effective
Thursday, 4 July 2019
Eliminating waiting times for cataract surgery would be a cost-effective health system intervention, largely driven by the falls prevention benefits related to improved vision, a just-published New Zealand study has found.
HRC Grants of almost $35 million to Division of Health Sciences researchers
Thursday, 27 June 2019
Beta blockers, smoking cessation, stress suppression in motherhood and synthetic cannabinoid signalling are just a few of the areas of University of Otago Division of Health Sciences research to receive a total of almost $35 million in funding this year from the Health Research Council.
HRC grants $40m to Otago research tackling issues from climate change to heart failure
Wednesday, 26 June 2019
Climate change and its impact on people’s health and using DNA to help predict who may suffer heart failure are just two of many University of Otago-led research projects being funded this year by the Health Research Council to the tune of more than $40 million.
Sugary drink taxes reduce consumption, major review shows
Tuesday, 25 June 2019
A 10 per cent tax on sugary drinks has cut the purchase and consumption of sugary drinks by an average of 10 per cent in places it has been introduced, a just published major review shows.
Hard hitters share weight management knowledge
Wednesday, 19 June 2019
A postgraduate distance education paper in Obesity Prevention and Management run by the University of Otago, Wellington has enlisted help from some hard hitters in a quest to improve the management of patients in the community.
High quality websites and apps could help those in chronic pain to manage symptoms, researcher says
Tuesday, 18 June 2019
Smartphone apps and pain management websites could fill a significant gap in helping to support the one in five New Zealanders living with chronic or persistent pain, a pain researcher from the University of Otago, Wellington says.
Butting Out: Researchers gauge public opinion on tobacco product waste
Friday, 14 June 2019
Requiring cigarettes to contain biodegradable filters, fining smokers who litter cigarette butts and expanding smoke free outdoor areas are measures the public considers are most likely to reduce tobacco product waste, new University of Otago research reveals.
More awareness needed about lead exposure from firearms, researchers say
Tuesday, 11 June 2019
Researchers are warning that lead-based ammunition is posing a risk to firearms’ users and their families, with a culture of denial about the issue among the firearms community.
Study points to need for care in inappropriate use of stigmatising terms in weight management
Friday, 7 June 2019
A large quantitative research study has found using the terms ‘weight’ or ‘high BMI (body mass index)’ to describe excess fatness was rated as less stigmatising and less blaming than commonly used medical terms, such as ‘fat’ or ‘obese’.
Opinion: Why are taxpayers subsidising licensed firearms owners?
Wednesday, 22 May 2019
OPINION: Online comment from some local gun lobbyists after the Christchurch shooting bypassed sympathy and jumped straight to worries about government "taking our guns away". Despite such attitudes, firearm owners are happy for the rest of us to subsidise them through our taxes.
Cat, horse, cow allergens found in primary school classrooms
Friday, 17 May 2019
Cats and farm animals are making their presence felt in classrooms, with allergens rubbing off children’s clothes and on to classroom carpets, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington have found.
Therapist ‘stoked’ rehabilitation research secures HRC funding
Thursday, 16 May 2019
Occupational therapist Dr Fiona Graham is excited the Health Research Council (HRC) is funding a study she is leading with the aim of improving the quality of life for children with disabilities.
Otago’s emerging researchers secure more than $1.7 million in HRC funding
Thursday, 16 May 2019
An occupational therapist who aims to improve the quality of life for children with disabilities is one of several University of Otago early-stage researchers who have together been awarded more than $1.7 million in Health Research Council funding.
Making the homeless count
Thursday, 9 May 2019
When Dr Kate Amore began researching homelessness for her PhD at the University of Otago, Wellington, the country was in denial that the issue was even a problem, she says.
Otago alumna behind UK Government’s move to help cerebral palsy children walk
Wednesday, 1 May 2019
An Otago alumna has led a study into spinal surgery for children with cerebral palsy in the UK, which has proven it helps them walk and reduces pain, triggering the UK Government to fund the procedure.
Urgent action needed to end our love affair with cars, report finds
Monday, 29 April 2019
The authors of a University of Otago report on active transport say urgent steps must be taken to encourage New Zealanders to walk, cycle or take public transport, with our use of cars harming both our health and our environment.
He Kete Kōrero – Autumn 2019
Tuesday, 23 April 2019
The Autumn 2019 edition of the University of Otago, Wellington newsletter
Sparking a love for science in kura kaupapa Māori students
Tuesday, 16 April 2019
From dissecting a sheep’s heart and lungs to examining the microbial properties of manuka honey, a ground breaking initiative at the University of Otago, Wellington, has a no holds barred attitude to hosting students from kura kaupapa Māori (Māori language immersion schools).
Wood is good, research on 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake shows
Tuesday, 16 April 2019
New research has found that only three per cent of deaths in the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake occurred in people’s homes, almost all of which were at that time constructed from wood.
Public health experts call for use of “tie-down” practice to be abolished in NZ prisons
Friday, 12 April 2019
A University of Otago public health physician and researcher and her Australian colleague welcome news that the use of “tie-down” practice will be abolished in New Zealand prisons.
Blending family therapy with creativity
Wednesday, 10 April 2019
Writing a children’s picture book for the families of premature babies has been a project close to the heart for author Julie Burgess-Manning, a lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, Wellington.
Housing WOFs need to be combined with education, study shows
Tuesday, 9 April 2019
Alongside funding and regulatory support, understanding how housing affects health and safety can spur owners to make improvements to their properties, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington and WISE Better Homes have found.
Plaudits for tobacco control group ASPIRE 2025
Friday, 5 April 2019
University of Otago research group ASPIRE 2025 has won praise from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand for its exemplary efforts and achievements in the field of smoking cessation and tobacco control.
Otago researchers encourage New Zealanders to support Arms Amendment Bill
Wednesday, 3 April 2019
University of Otago firearms researchers are encouraging New Zealanders who are not gun owners to support MPs and political parties with the Arms Amendment Bill.
Kiwi kids call for ban on junk food marketing
Friday, 29 March 2019
If Kiwi kids had the Prime Minister’s job for a day, many would ban junk food marketing, according to new research from the University of Otago, Wellington.
Otago researchers call for urgent law change
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Firearms law changes promised by the Prime Minister are long overdue, according to experts in the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, Dr Marie Russell and Dr Hera Cook.
Message from the Vice-Chancellor
Friday, 15 March 2019
The University of Otago community stands shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim community. Following the tragic events in Christchurch last Friday, several events are being held on the Dunedin campus on Thursday, 21 March.
Liberal access to e-cigarettes likely to bring health benefits, NZ study finds
Tuesday, 12 March 2019
New Zealand’s approach of allowing wide access to e-cigarettes is likely to be bringing overall health gains and cost savings for the health system, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington have found.
‘Invisible wounds’ may have cut WWII veterans’ lives short
Friday, 8 March 2019
Kiwi men who were veterans of World War II appear to have had a shorter lifespan than other New Zealand men who were born at the same time, new research shows.
New WHO housing and health guidelines could save millions each year
Monday, 25 February 2019
Preventable injuries and hospitalisations due solely to poor housing conditions in New Zealand could be costing more than $145 million annually in ACC claims and hospitalisation costs, according to new research.
Train station signs send weak smokefree signal
Friday, 22 February 2019
More than 20 per cent of the 54 railway stations in the lower North Island have no smokefree signs at all and many others have signs of poor quality, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington have found.
Are we closing the health gap?
Thursday, 21 February 2019
Listen to Professor Louise Signal, Director of the Health Promotion and Policy Research Unit, participate in a radio panel interview considering progress in addressing health inequities.
Surprise te reo Māori finding in pre-diabetes research
Monday, 18 February 2019
New research from the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge has found people who speak te reo Māori have a reduced risk of progressing from pre-diabetes to diabetes.
New Zealand leads global effort to control rheumatic fever
Monday, 11 February 2019
A three-year project aimed at pinpointing the most effective ways to prevent and control rheumatic fever and associated heart disease in New Zealand is being launched tomorrow (Tuesday 12 February) at the University of Otago, Wellington.
Cancer Society calls for an end to DHB-led cancer care
Thursday, 31 January 2019
New Zealand is at a major crossroads in cancer care and the Cancer Society are calling on government to back a nationally-led, coordinated approach to cancer.
‘Choosing Wisely’ reduces unnecessary tests and antibiotic use, study finds
Tuesday, 22 January 2019
A Hutt Valley District Health Board campaign to cut the number of urine tests being carried out on hospital patients not only significantly reduced the number of unnecessary tests being ordered but also lowered the level of antibiotic prescribing, a study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal has found.
One plus one equals more than two for health expenditure in patients with multiple conditions, study finds
Wednesday, 9 January 2019
Caring for patients with two or more chronic diseases costs the health system more than it would to treat each disease in isolation, a new study has shown.
He Kete Kōrero – Summer 2018
Tuesday, 18 December 2018
The Summer 2018 edition of the University of Otago, Wellington newsletter
Probiotic gives long-standing protection against childhood eczema, study finds
Monday, 17 December 2018
Giving a probiotic supplement to pregnant mothers and their infants significantly reduces the chances of a child developing eczema for the first 11 years of their life, researchers have shown.
Call for pandemic research fund as “living memorial” to 1918 flu victims
Friday, 14 December 2018
Professors from the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington are calling on the government to set up a research fund to help prevent pandemics and increase New Zealand’s preparedness to deal with such disasters.
University of Otago announces academic promotions
Wednesday, 12 December 2018
Seventeen University of Otago academics have been promoted to the position of professor this year.
Licence to Swill: James Bond’s drinking over six decades
Monday, 10 December 2018
He may be licensed to kill but fictional British secret service agent James Bond has a severe alcohol use disorder, according to an analysis of his drinking behaviour published in the Medical Journal of Australia’s Christmas issue.
Cycle lanes and walkways cut car use, reduce emissions, study finds
Monday, 3 December 2018
Researchers have shown for the first time that investing in cycle lanes and walkways encourages people to drive less and cuts carbon emissions.
Otago academic voted president-elect of College of GPs
Thursday, 29 November 2018
Dr Samantha Murton, a senior lecturer at the University’s Wellington campus, has been voted president-elect of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGPs).
Otago health researchers share more than $3.5m in Career Development Awards
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
A University of Otago Christchurch engineer is developing a ‘lego’ system to 3D-bioprint bone; a solution that could one day replace the billions-of-dollars-worth of ceramic and titanium implants required by New Zealand patients annually.
The challenge of reducing health inequities and improving health outcomes in New Zealand
Monday, 19 November 2018
The Healthier Lives – He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge, hosted by the University of Otago, welcomes the announcement from the Minister of Research, Science and Innovation Hon Megan Woods, confirming funding for its 2019-2024 research strategy
Sobering insights into alcohol marketing and Māori children
Thursday, 1 November 2018
Innovative camera research has revealed that New Zealand children are exposed to alcohol marketing in their residential and school neighbourhoods. The collaborative research by the Universities of Otago and Auckland, found children’s exposure to alcohol marketing was higher in neighbourhoods with greater numbers of alcohol outlets and for Māori participants.
Professor Tony Blakely wins 2018 Chaffer Medal
Thursday, 1 November 2018
One of the country’s leading epidemiologists and public health researchers has been awarded this year’s Chaffer Medal for distinguished performance in health research.
Otago’s NEXT magazine Woman of the Year
Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman of the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington, stepped into a world of unaccustomed glitz and glamour when she was judged NEXT magazine’s 2018 Woman of the Year at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland earlier this month.
WWI cast a long shadow over New Zealanders’ health, study finds
Tuesday, 30 October 2018
World War I cast such a long shadow over New Zealand that the health and social impacts continued through to the next generation, public health researchers say.
Increasing alcohol tax could benefit health and save money for society – NZ study
Monday, 29 October 2018
Increasing the excise tax on alcohol would likely result in fewer people dying or being injured in vehicle crashes – and generate savings for society, according to a just-published New Zealand study.
Kiwis failing to slip into shade and slap on a hat for sun protection, researchers find
Friday, 26 October 2018
An alarming proportion of New Zealanders are neither wearing hats nor seeking shade to protect themselves from the sun, University of Otago research reveals.
Flavoured capsule cigarettes pose a threat to smokefree goals
Tuesday, 23 October 2018
New research from ASPIRE2025, a University of Otago research theme, challenges tobacco companies’ claims they are working towards a smokefree world and suggests young people are vulnerable to tobacco companies’ product innovations.
Unprecedented success for Otago at the NZ Research Honours Awards
Thursday, 18 October 2018
The University has had unprecedented success at the New Zealand Research Honours Awards this year, taking home one quarter of the awards on offer.
Six Otago researchers recognised in NZ research honours
Thursday, 18 October 2018
University of Otago Research Fellow Helen Taylor’s science communication around conservation genetics and threatened species has earned her recognition at this year’s New Zealand Research Honours.
Otago research aims to explain high testicular cancer rates in Māori
Friday, 12 October 2018
A new University of Otago study is aiming to tackle why Māori men have abnormally higher rates of testicular cancer compared to their non-Māori counterparts.
Researchers call for end to fat stigma
Thursday, 11 October 2018
Researchers are using World Obesity Day today to call for an end to the stigma which fat people experience in their daily lives.
Education and support for menstrual periods needed at primary school
Wednesday, 3 October 2018
Primary school is the correct place to educate girls about periods and provide sanitary bins and pads, say University of Otago researchers.
