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BA MA (Applied) PhD

Research Fellow (Suicide and Mental Health Research Group; and Department of Psychological Medicine)

Debbie_Peterson_profile

Contact details  

Tel +64 4 806 1486
Email debbie.peterson@otago.ac.nz

Research interests and activities

Mental health research with an emphasis on issues affecting people with experience of mental illness for example: recovery; suicide; stigma; discrimination; consumer involvement; employment; quality of services. My own experience of mental illness informs my research practice.

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Publications

Lian, A., Carr, G., Peterson, D., Jenkin, G., Lockett, H., Every-Palmer, S., & Cunningham, R. (2023). Still in the shadows: A national study of acute mental health unit location across New Zealand hospitals. BMC Health Services Research, 23, 21. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-09004-z

Jenkin, G., McIntosh, J., Marques, B., Peterson, D., Chrysikou, E., & Every-Palmer, S. (2022). Contemporary issues in acute mental health facility design: Insights from the Aotearoa-New Zealand experience. Kōtuitui. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2022.2093229

Cooper, A., Jenkin, G., Morton, E., Peterson, D., & McKenzie, S. K. (2022). ‘We have to band together’: Service user experiences of naturally occurring peer support on the acute mental health unit. Kōtuitui. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2022.2093230

Jenkin, G., Quigg, S., Paap, H., Cooney, E., Peterson, D., & Every-Palmer, S. (2022). Places of safety? Fear and violence in acute mental health facilities: A large qualitative study of staff and service user perspectives. PLoS ONE, 17(5), e0266935. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266935

Every-Palmer, S., Koning, A., Smith, L., Cunningham, R., Lacey, C., Peterson, D., … Scott, K. M., Dowell, T., … Lockett, H. (2022). Structural discrimination in the COVID-19 vaccination programme for people with mental health and addiction issues: Now is the time to be equally well. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1550), 121-127. Retrieved from https://journal.nzma.org.nz/

Peterson, D., & Gordon, S. (Eds.). (2009). Stepping out of the shadows: Insights into self-stigma and madness. Wellington, New Zealand: CASE Consulting, 206p.

Edited Book - Research

Cunningham, R., Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2017). Like minds, like mine: Seventeen years of countering stigma and discrimination against people with experience of mental distress in New Zealand. In W. Gaebel, W. Rössler & N. Sartorius (Eds.), The stigma of mental illness: The end of the story? (pp. 263-287). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-27839-1_15

Chapter in Book - Research

Lian, A., Carr, G., Peterson, D., Jenkin, G., Lockett, H., Every-Palmer, S., & Cunningham, R. (2023). Still in the shadows: A national study of acute mental health unit location across New Zealand hospitals. BMC Health Services Research, 23, 21. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-09004-z

Journal - Research Article

Cooper, A., Jenkin, G., Morton, E., Peterson, D., & McKenzie, S. K. (2022). ‘We have to band together’: Service user experiences of naturally occurring peer support on the acute mental health unit. Kōtuitui. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2022.2093230

Journal - Research Article

Jenkin, G., McIntosh, J., Marques, B., Peterson, D., Chrysikou, E., & Every-Palmer, S. (2022). Contemporary issues in acute mental health facility design: Insights from the Aotearoa-New Zealand experience. Kōtuitui. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2022.2093229

Journal - Research Article

Jenkin, G., Quigg, S., Paap, H., Cooney, E., Peterson, D., & Every-Palmer, S. (2022). Places of safety? Fear and violence in acute mental health facilities: A large qualitative study of staff and service user perspectives. PLoS ONE, 17(5), e0266935. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266935

Journal - Research Article

Jenkin, G., McIntosh, J., Hoek, J., Mala, K., Paap, H., Peterson, D., Marques, B., & Every-Palmer, S. (2021). There's no smoke without fire: Smoking in smoke-free acute mental health wards. PLoS ONE, 16(11), e0259984. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259984

Journal - Research Article

Peterson, D., & Cunningham, R. (2020). Experiencing breast cancer in the context of mental illness in New Zealand. Kōtuitui, 15(1), 236-245. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2020.1728346

Journal - Research Article

Cunningham, R., Peterson, D., & Sims, A. (2019). Specialist mental health care for older adults in New Zealand: An exploration of service models and routine data. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1489), 30-38. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Cunningham, R., Poppe, K., Peterson, D., Every-Palmer, S., Soosay, I., & Jackson, R. (2019). Prediction of cardiovascular disease risk among people with severe mental illness: A cohort study. PLoS ONE, 14(9), e0221521. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221521

Journal - Research Article

Peterson, D., Gordon, S., & Neale, J. (2017). It can work: Open employment for people with experience of mental illness. Work, 56(3), 443-454. doi: 10.3233/wor-172510

Journal - Research Article

Cunningham, R., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2015). Cancer survival in the context of mental illness: A national cohort study. General Hospital Psychiatry, 37, 501-506. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2015.06.003

Journal - Research Article

Peterson, D. H. M., & Collings, S. C. (2015). "It's either do it or die": The role of self-management of suicidality in people with experience of mental illness. Crisis, 36(3), 173-178. doi: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000308

Journal - Research Article

Cunningham, R., Peterson, D., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., & Collings, S. (2014). Premature mortality in adults using New Zealand psychiatric services. New Zealand Medical Journal, 127(1394). Retrieved from http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Peterson, D., Currey, N., & Collings, S. (2011). "You don't look like one of them": Disclosure of mental illness in the workplace as an ongoing dilemma. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 35(2), 145-147. doi: 10.2975/35.2.2011.145.147

Journal - Research Article

Peterson, D., Pere, L., Sheehan, N., & Surgenor, G. (2007). Experiences of mental health discrimination in New Zealand. Health & Social Care in the Community, 15(1), 18-25. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2524.2006.00657.x

Journal - Research Article

Every-Palmer, S., Koning, A., Smith, L., Cunningham, R., Lacey, C., Peterson, D., … Scott, K. M., Dowell, T., … Lockett, H. (2022). Structural discrimination in the COVID-19 vaccination programme for people with mental health and addiction issues: Now is the time to be equally well. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1550), 121-127. Retrieved from https://journal.nzma.org.nz/

Journal - Research Other

Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2014). To disclose or not: Does a decision tool help? Evidence-Based Mental Health, 17(2), 61. doi: 10.1136/eb-2013-101677

Journal - Research Other

Cunningham, R., Peterson, D., Poppe, K., Every-Palmer, S., & Jackson, R. (2019). Do we need a different tool for predicting cardiovascular risk among people with severe mental illness? Proceedings of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) New Zealand Conference. Retrieved from https://www.ranzcp2019.co.nz

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Jenkin, G., Chrysikou, E., Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2017). Acute psychiatric facilities: Therapeutic spaces or stigmatising places? Proceedings of the European Healthcare Design Conference. (pp. 163). Retrieved from www.europeanhealthcaredesign.eu

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Cunningham, R., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2016). Cancer survival in the context of mental illness in New Zealand. Proceedings of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Conference for General Practice. Retrieved from http://www.generalpractice.org.nz/gp16

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Cunningham, R., Peterson, D., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., & Collings, S. (2014). Adults using mental health services die earlier than other New Zealanders. Proceedings of the New Zealand Population Health Congress: Connecting Communities, Policy and Science. (pp. 95). Retrieved from http://www.pophealthcongress.org.nz/nzphc14/programme/programme

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Cunningham, R., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2014). How does recent serious mental illness impact on colorectal cancer survival? Australasian Epidemiologist, 21(3), (pp. 69). [Abstract]

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Cunningham, R., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2015, October). Estimating the effect of recent serious mental illness on breast cancer survival. Poster session presented at the Otago Spotlight Series: Cancer Research, Wellington, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Cunningham, R., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., Peterson, D., & Collings, S. (2016, October). Cancer survival in the context of mental illness in New Zealand. Verbal presentation at the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists New Zealand Conference: Recover, Rebuild, Regenerate, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Cunningham, R., Peterson, D., Sarfati, D., Stanley, J., & Collings, S. (2014, October). Adults using mental health services die earlier than other New Zealanders. Verbal presentation at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) New Zealand Conference: Deep South Psychiatry, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

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

Suicide Mortality Review Committee, including Jenkin, G., Atkinson, J., McKenzie, S., Peterson, D., Collings, S., & Mulder, R. (2016). Nga- Ra-hui Hau Kura Suicide Mortality Review Committee Feasibility Study 2014–15. Commissioned by Ministry of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: Health Quality & Safety Commission.

Commissioned Report for External Body

Peterson, D., Barnes, A., & Duncan, C. (2008). Fighting shadows: Self-stigma and mental illness: Whawhai Atu te Whakamā Hihira. Commissioned by Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. 89p.

Commissioned Report for External Body

Duncan, C., & Peterson, D. (2007). The employment experiences of people with experience of mental illness: Literature review. Commissioned by Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. 64p.

Commissioned Report for External Body

Peterson, D. (2007). I haven't told them, they haven't asked: The employment experiences of people with experience of mental illness. Commissioned by Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. 64p.

Commissioned Report for External Body

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