745 Results

  • The need for a robust scientific definition for the elimination of COVID-19 from New Zealand

    … objectively verifiable, with appropriate levels of testing and surveillance systems in place. It should ideally be … incidence of infection caused by a specific agent…” [1]. The global eradication of smallpox was declared in the … [2]. Maintaining the elimination of a disease in a country or region requires continued preventive measures. NZ has …
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  • What does the novel coronavirus epidemic mean for New Zealand?

    … blog post reproduces a Sunday Star Times opinion piece (26/1/2020) by this author on the current coronavirus situation. … might do in response to protect both its own citizens and people living in those Pacific Island nations where the … in a highly connected world with most countries just one or two flights away from China. If spread continues to occur …
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  • Insights into health system costs of living and dying in New Zealand – New study

    … shows how public spending on health varies markedly by age and proximity to death ( Blakely et al 2014, health system … varied by age and whether people were within six or 12 months of death.  One analysis simulated health … 2007-09 costs by age applied.  The results are in Figure 1(click on it for higher quality image). Figure 1. Estimated …
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  • Food taxes and subsidies will probably protect health & reduce inequalities – but the devil is in the detail

    … Professors Tony Blakely, Cliona Ni Mhurchu and Nick Wilson Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu Research teams we … in modelling is something called cross-price elasticities, or how consumption of cheese changes when you change the … subsidies and taxes?  Based on existing research (e.g. 1-4 ): Taxes on high fat and high salt foods will probably …
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  • More wastewater testing could guide optimal Covid-19 control on the path back to elimination

    … It also achieves these better results at perhaps only 1% of the cost of community testing. Even though there are … at 97 sites across the country, with this covering cities and towns with around 3.8 million New Zealanders (Prime … sites will have daily testing – with some having weekly or twice weekly testing [Personal Communication, Dr Brent …
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  • Digesting things further: High dietary salt intakes are almost certainly problematic

    … We recently did a blog post on dietary salt and health , particularly with regard to a new large … a meta-analysis of 34 trials lasting more than 4 weeks (1)). The randomised trial data show that reducing blood … authors’ state. Reverse causation would arise if early CVD or other diseases caused a lowering of salt intake or …
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  • Smokefree Laws: Reducing tobacco outlets will decrease crime

    … spokespeople have failed to provide either evidence or logic to justify the repeal of world-leading smokefree … on ram raids, which suggests these crimes are decreasing and that only a minority target tobacco products. We also … would help decrease smoking uptake among young people, 1 support cessation among people who smoke, and accelerate …
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  • Reducing salt in food good for health and NZ’s health budget – New research

    … intake of New Zealanders could produce major health gains and major cost savings for the publicly-funded health sector. … – it is the eleventh most important risk factor globally [ 1 ], with the same ranking for Australasia. In particular, we … around 3500 mg of sodium per day (around 9 grams of salt – or 1.5 teaspoons of salt) currently for the typical NZ adult …
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  • Casting a long shadow: Infection drives stomach cancer inequalities in Māori and Pacific peoples

    … major driver of stomach cancer inequalities borne by Māori and Pacific peoples in NZ. We also discuss a possible next step which could be for one DHB to pilot a ‘test and treat’ screening programme that seems likely to help … inequalities between ethnic groups in New Zealand (1). This disparity is particularly concerning given poor …
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  • Perspective: The NZ Health Research Strategy Discussion Document – much scope for improvement

    … this Perspective Blog a simple SWOT analysis is conducted and an alternative Vision Statement is proposed. It makes a … (due by the end of this month) on its Discussion Document (1). Unfortunately the current version of this document has … little information on what the health impacts (beneficial or adverse) might be. More specifically, research investment …
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Public Health Expert Briefing (ISSN 2816-1203)