Issue 308 - 5 September 2024

Welcome to the fortnightly Health Improvement and Innovation Digest. The Digest has links to key evidence of interest, with access to new content arranged by topic.

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Article Access

For articles that aren't open access, contact your Health NZ district library, or organisational or local library for assistance in accessing the full text. If your organisation has a subscription, you may be able to use the icon under full text links in PubMed to access the full article.

Health Equity (New Zealand)

The physical health and premature mortality of Indigenous Māori following first-episode psychosis diagnosis: A 15-year follow-up study
People experiencing psychosis are at greater risk of physical health conditions and premature mortality. It is likely that Indigenous Māori youth, who experience additional systemic inequities caused by settler-colonisation, face even greater physical health and mortality risks following a diagnosis of first-episode psychosis. The objective of this study, published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, was to compare Māori and non-Māori for risk of hospitalisation and mortality for up to 15 years following first-episode psychosis diagnosis.

Māori experiences and perspectives of hospital treatment in the context of acute care
The aim of this study, published in The New Zealand Medical Journal, was to explore Māori experiences when presenting acutely to hospital. It also aimed to identify specific aspects of culturally safe care that could be incorporated into healthcare professionals’ training and hospital processes.

2023/24 Early years community innovation partner insights
The Early Years team have a community innovation fund which supports locally led initiatives that support māmā, pēpi, and whānau in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. Initiatives supported include activities that focus on maternal mental wellbeing, culturally relevant antenatal education, policy advice, or resources for whānau and the child wellbeing sector. The synthesis report, published by Health Promotion – Health New Zealand, captures insights from community partner reporting, kōrero and talanoa/wānanga with partners. This report provides information about what makes a difference for whānau and what’s required from health promotion teams to enable whānau centred health promotion.

Health Equity (International)

Intergenerational transmission of health inequalities: towards a life course approach to socioeconomic inequalities in health – a review
Adult health inequalities are a persistent public health problem. Explanations are usually sought in behaviours and environments in adulthood, despite evidence on the importance of early life conditions for life course outcomes. This review, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, explores evidence from a broad range of fields to unravel to what extent, and how, socioeconomic health inequalities are intergenerationally transmitted.

Nutrition & Physical Activity (New Zealand)

Assessing The Potential for School Lunch Programme Ka Ora, Ka Ako to Enhance Education, Sustainability and Health Goals
The Ka Ora, Ka Ako school lunch programme introduced in 2020 provides nutritious lunches to around 220,000 students in low-advantage schools. While the food security impacts of this programme have been well documented, its potential to enhance outcomes in other areas of public policy is underappreciated. This policy analysis, published in Policy Quarterly, mapped the programme’s intersection with current public policy agendas in education, sustainability and health in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Household food insecurity and novel complementary feeding methods in New Zealand families
Optimal nutrition during infancy is critical given its influence on lifelong health and wellbeing. Two novel methods of infant complementary feeding, commercial baby food pouch use and baby-led weaning (BLW), are becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Household food insecurity may influence complementary feeding practices adopted by families. This study, published in Maternal & Child Nutrition, investigated the use of BLW and baby food pouches in families experiencing food insecurity in New Zealand.

Nutrition & Physical Activity (International)

Evaluation of Family-Based Interventions as a Therapeutic Tool in the Modulation of Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review
This review, published in Children, aimed to evaluate the current evidence on the effects of family-based interventions as a tool in the treatment of childhood obesity.

Quality Improvement (New Zealand)

Vital sign charts and early warning systems: A scoping literature review
Adapt Research, on behalf of Te Tāhū Hauora Health Quality & Safety Commission has undertaken a scoping review of recent literature in 2024 to ensure the national adult and maternity vital signs charts remain aligned to best practice.

Cancer Services (New Zealand)

Attempt to engage, yet failure to obtain successful bowel cancer screening: more likely in Māori, Pacific peoples, Asians, men and high-deprivation areas
In New Zealand, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second highest cause of cancer death. This study, published in The New Zealand Medical Journal, sought to characterise a unique population, the individuals who attempt to engage one or multiple times with screening yet fail to ever obtain successful screening.

Cancer Services (International)

Care coordination models for transition and long-term follow-up among childhood cancer survivors: a scoping review
This study, published in BMJ Open, aimed to identify care coordination models for childhood cancer survivors in transition and long-term follow-up and synthesise essential components of the models.

Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes (New Zealand)

Health care delivery of kidney transplantation to indigenous Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand: A qualitative interview study with clinician stakeholders
Indigenous people experience higher rates of kidney failure than do non-Indigenous Peoples. However, compared to Indigenous patients, health care systems deliver kidney transplantation to non-Indigenous patients at a substantially higher rate and more frequently as the first treatment of kidney failure. Indigenous Māori patients in Aotearoa New Zealand report numerous barriers to kidney transplantation. This study, published in the Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, explored the perspectives of clinicians as stakeholders in the delivery of kidney transplantation.

Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes (International)

Education programmes for people with chronic kidney disease and diabetes
Adherence to complex regimens for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes is often poor. Interventions to enhance adherence require intensive education and behavioural counselling. However, whether the existing evidence is scientifically rigorous and can support recommendations for routine use of educational programmes in people with CKD and diabetes is still unknown. The objective of this Cochrane Review was to evaluate the benefits and harms of education programmes for people with CKD and diabetes.

Primary Mental Health (New Zealand)

Young People Talk About Digital Support for Mental Health: An Online Survey of 15-30-Year Olds in New Zealand
Mental distress is on the rise for young people, and there are high levels of unmet need for support. Increasingly, young people are engaging with online mechanisms of support to avoid cost and wait times; however, online support does have its limitations. The aim of this study, published in Health Expectations, was to find out from young people what they thought about various types of online support and perceived benefits and drawbacks.

Pacific Maternal and Paternal perinatal mental health in New Zealand- A literature review
This literature review, published in Pacific Health Dialog, was prepared to provide context for the Responding to Pacific Parental Mental Health project by summarising what is known about the prevalence of perinatal mental health issues amongst Pacific parents, identifying known risk and protective factors, and describing the supports and services currently available.

The impacts of social media on the wellbeing of Pacific youth in New Zealand- A literature review: Social Media impacts on Pacific youth
This literature review, published in Pacific Health Dialog, collates existing evidence about the impacts of social media on the wellbeing of Pacific youth; measures used to evaluate these impacts, and services to support online safety/wellbeing currently available in Aotearoa.

The impact of social isolation and loneliness on the well-being of carers of a person with dementia in Aotearoa/New Zealand
Dementia is a leading cause of disability, and as the population ages, there will be a greater need for friends and family to care for people with Dementia. Unfortunately, informal care for a person with dementia is associated with poor psychological and physical health and lower quality of life of the caregiver. The aim of this study, published in Dementia, was to understand how to best support caregivers within their communities by examining their experience of loneliness, isolation, and their relationship with well-being.

Primary Mental Health (International)

Healing the Whole: An International Review of the Collaborative Care Model between Primary Care and Psychiatry
This review, published in Healthcare, examined the collaborative care model (CCM) which was created to improve the delivery of mental health care and is reported to improve access, enhance treatment outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs.

Oral Health (International)

Effectiveness of the Immersive Technologies' Applications in Oral Health Promotion and Oral Health Education: A Systematic Review
The objective of this study, published in the Journal of Dentistry, was to evaluate the effectiveness of immersive technologies' application in oral health promotion and education.

Key Ministry of Health Publications

Health and Independence Report 2023
The Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora plays an essential role in monitoring the health system performance and supporting the Government to set the strategic direction and policy for health. The report provides robust data from 2023 and shows the progress we have made in many areas, as well as challenges we have encountered, such as disparities in health outcomes within our communities. The report contains four main sections with a range of information about the population, health measures, causes of health loss and determinants of health and wellbeing.

Ministry of Health Consultations & Events

Draft Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm 2025/26 to 2027/28
The Gambling Act 2003 (the Act) sets out requirements for an ‘integrated problem gambling strategy focused on public health’. The Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora is responsible for refreshing the strategy every three years. The Crown recovers the cost of developing and implementing the strategy, though a ‘problem gambling levy’ set by regulation at a different rate for each of the four main gambling sectors. The Ministry is now consulting on our draft Strategy to Prevent and Minimise Gambling Harm for 2025/26 to 2027/28 and the draft levy rates. Submissions close Sunday, 6 October 2024 5:00pm.

Proposed updates to the Guideline on the Regulation of Therapeutic Products in New Zealand: Clinical Trials
This consultation is aimed at pharmaceutical companies, health care professional organisations and individuals involved in conducting clinical trials in New Zealand. People who participate in clinical trials or with an interest in clinical trials regulation may also wish to participate. Medsafe is seeking your feedback on changes to the Guideline on the Regulation of Therapeutic Products in New Zealand. This consultation closes on the 27th October.

Health Sector Initiative

Fiordland Matariki Hampers bring joy to local seniors
In just three years, the Matariki Hamper project has become a community phenomenon in Fiordland. The local community turns out in force and has taken Te Hau Toka’s initial wellbeing concept to new heights, providing seniors with a loving boost during winter and a warm, uniquely Fiordland reminder that they are a seen, valued and precious part of their community.

The information available on or through this newsletter does not represent Ministry of Health policy. It is intended to provide general information to the health sector and the public, and is not intended to address specific circumstances of any particular individual or entity.