Public Health Reports: Evidence-based public health action
Effective public health action is informed by evidence. The Public Health Analysts at Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health support public health practice through the provision of best evidence. They carry out a range of activities to inform the work of Te Mana Ora, the wider health sector, and other partnering organisations, including:
- literature searches;
- reviews of best practice and evidence;
- evaluation;
- questionnaire or instrument development and design;
- qualitative and quantitative data analysis;
- infectious diseases surveillance;
- information systems design; and
- data capture and management.
Note: The Public Health Analysts based at Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health are now part of the Intelligence team for Te Waipounamu within the National Public Health Service.
2024 Reports
The life and times of a health promoter: How one woman’s career helped shape health promotion outcomes in Ōtautahi 1973-2023 [14.1MB PDF]
Date of Publication: March 2024
Local Health Promoter Diane Shannon was engaged in health promotion around many determinants of health for over half a century in Ōtautahi Christchurch. This examination of her career provides an opportunity to reflect on what effective health promotion practice looks like – recognising the long arc of impacts which are sometimes imperceptible in the shorter term.
The purpose of this document is to set the work history of one health promoter within the national and international context, to highlight the value of investing in generic health promotion practice.
Sexual Health Promotion: A review of the literature to inform health promotion practice [1.08MB PDF]
Date of Publication: January 2024 
Sexual health promotion can be defined as the process of enabling people to improve their sexual health – including the physical, emotional, mental, and social aspects of sexuality and sexual relationships.
The purpose of this report was to inform sexual health promotion practice for Te Mana Ora by identifying sexual health priorities and reviewing the available evidence and current sexual health promotion work across Te Waipounamu.
2023 Reports
Loneliness and isolation across the life course: A literature review [1.06MB]
Date of Publication: May 2023
Loneliness and social isolation are associated with a range of negative outcomes for health and wellbeing. There is concern about loneliness and social isolation levels increasing as a result of societal changes and events, such as more people living alone, weaker community ties, more interaction taking place online, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Loneliness is typically characterised as an issue of old age, however young people are often disproportionately impacted by loneliness, including in New Zealand. This report explores understandings and experiences of loneliness and social isolation across the life course to support the interpretation of loneliness data and inform wellbeing promotion planning.
Climate Change and Health in Waitaha Canterbury: A scoping and profiling report to inform Health Impact Assessment [2.77MB]
Date of Publication: May 2023
The central purpose of this report is to increase understanding of the interactions between people, the environment, and the climate in Waitaha Canterbury.
It is designed to provide planners and decision-makers and the wider community with information that can shape the development of effective responses to climate change.
This report describes a range of climate change related determinants of health – incorporating broad perspectives of health and wellbeing. It encompasses the first steps of assessing the health and wellbeing impacts of climate change across Waitaha Canterbury and the potential effects on the health and wellbeing of the population and the distribution of those effects.
The following infographics on the health impacts of climate change events are also available:
- Health Impacts of Climate Change: Drought infographic.
- Health Impacts of Climate Change: Fires infographic.
- Health Impacts of Climate Change: Flooding and storms infographic.
- Health Impacts of Climate Change: Heatwaves infographic.
- Health Impacts of Climate Change: Increase Temperature infographic.
- Health Impacts of Climate Change: Sea Level Rise infographic.
2022 Reports
Exploring food insecurity in Canterbury [1.02MB]
Date of Publication: September 2022
This discussion paper explores policies that work to reduce food insecurity. The effectiveness of policy and community programmes to reduce food insecurity is considered. Canterbury-specific data on food insecurity are included, with national comparisons presented where possible.
Food insecurity in Canterbury is more common for those who have a low household income, and Māori are more likely to be food insecure than those of European ethnicity. This is line with national patterns of food insecurity.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) on Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs): Short report [683KB]
Date of Publication: May 2022
The aim of this report is to provide answers to some of the frequently asked questions around the accuracy and relevance of Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) use with the latest evidence on RATs and COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). New research is being released regularly so this paper represents our understanding at the time of writing (early May 2022).
2021 Reports
Evaluation of the All Right? Campaign for tangata whaiora/mental health service users in Canterbury, New Zealand
Date of Publication: June 2021 in Health Promotion International
This research focussed on the reach and impact of All Right? specifically for tangata whaiora/ mental health service users. Evaluation objectives were primarily focussed on assessing the extent which mental health service users engaged with All Right? and to determine the impact of this interaction.
Findings indicated that mental health service users responded to All Right? to a greater extent than the general target population. Key factors facilitating mental health service users’ engagement with the campaign was that it is directed at whole-of-population level, and by the perceived impact of reducing mental illness-related stigma. This research concluded that population-wide wellbeing campaigns in the post-disaster context – when done well – can positively impact the wellbeing of the overall population, including mental health service users.
Through the eyes of kaiako, tamariki and whānau: Evaluating the Toothbrushing Programme Pilot – Te Hā o Aoraki – at Arowhenua Māori School [1 MB]
Date of Publication: February 2021
A Toothbrushing Programme – Te Hā o Aoraki – was implemented at Arowhenua Māori School in South Canterbury late in 2020. A decision was made to capture the initial experiences of the kaiako, tamariki and whānau participating in the programme during Term 4 of 2020 as part of the evaluation of this piloted programme.
The survey findings from each respondent group – kaiako, tamariki and whānau – were overwhelmingly supportive of the toothbrushing programme. Both kaiako and whānau respondents agreed that the toothbrushing programme should remain as an ongoing part of the school day.
Evaluation of the All Right? campaign COVID-19 response: Getting Through Together [545KB]
Date of Publication: January 2021
This evaluation found that Getting Through Together had produced meaningful messaging that had wide appeal in a rapidly evolving situation, including targeted messages for Māori. The supporting population-based survey indicated that Getting Through Together had achieved a 71 percent reach within the Christchurch population.
Success factors for creating and implementing Getting Through Together included:
- key organisations being ready to respond – enabling a quick response to the COVID-19 pandemic with strong, evidence-based psychosocial messaging;
- the ability and willingness of the three key organisations to form an effective partnership quickly;
- effective leadership from the All Right? campaign team; and
- strong input into the look and feel of the campaign by the Mental Health Foundation Māori development team, including developing messaging specifically for Māori.
Latest public health updates
- New national guidance on pertussis testing
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- Information and resources on measles and MMR vaccination
Latest public health alerts
- Protecting infants against pertussis - 28th November 2024
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Featured links
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