Conference pulls together local, intrntl expertise

Media Release

1 July 2005

Public Health Association Conference pulls together local and international expertise

A major public health conference organised by the Public Health Association of New Zealand will be held in Wellington next week.

The conference which runs from 6-8 July at the Wellington Town Hall features international speakers Shane Houston, Michael Levy, Steve Platt, Chris Reynolds, and Cesar Victora, and New Zealand keynote speakers, Papaarangi Reid and Garry Moore.

The theme of this conference is Making the Links for Public Health and the conference will reflect on how far the sector has come in working to improve the public health, and to focus on the challenges ahead.

“We will have a strong focus on indigenous health issues, with representation from South America and Aboriginal Australians. Dr Papaarangi Reid will also explain why Maori health is pivotal to the health of all New Zealanders,” PHA Director Gay Keating said.

The Conference takes place in a changing public health environment. New players such as primary health organisations, the relatively new relationships between district health boards and public health units and the implications of the Local Government Act 2002 have all started to affect public health.

Other influences on public health action include the Treaty of Waitangi, whole-of-government approaches, the need for sustainable development, and the impact on health of factors outside the health sector. Papers will address one or more of the conference sub-themes:

Reducing inequalities in health
Sustainable development
Public health law and public policy
Place-based public health initiatives
Research and evaluation methods

ENDS

Keynote Speakers

Dr Papaarangi Reid (Te Rarawa) is a specialist in public health medicine. She is the director of the Eru Po¯mare Ma¯ori Health Research Centre at the Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Her research interests include the analysis and monitoring of disparities between Ma¯ori and non-Ma¯ori citizens of Aotearoa/New Zealand, the construction of ethnicity and indigeneity in the social determinants of health, and the options for progressing equity. She is passionate about the rights of Ma¯ori to monitor the Crown.

Garry Moore is Mayor of Christchurch City.

Shane Houston is Assistant Secretary, Office of Aboriginal Health, Family and Social Policy at the Department of Health and Community Services in Darwin. He is one of the most senior Aboriginal officials in the Australian public health sector and has held a number of positions involving strategic development and purchasing of Aboriginal Health Services.

Professor Stephen Platt is Director of the Research Unit in Health, Behaviour and Change at the University of Edinburgh. His current research interests include investigating the health impact of organisational change and the reduction of health inequalities. For more than 25 years, Stephen has pursued a research interest in mental health and suicidal behaviour.

Professor Cesar Victora, Profession of Epidemiology at the Federal University of Pelota in Brazil. Cesar has conducted extensive research in the fields of maternal and child health and nutrition, equity issues and the evaluation of health services. For several years, he has worked closely with UNICEF and the WHO where he serves as an Expert in Maternal and Child Nutrition, and as a member of the Advisory Committee on Health Research.

Associate Professor Michael Levy is Director of the Centre for Health Research in Criminal Justice. Michael is a founding member of the Australian Council for Prison Health Services. In 2003 he was invited by the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture to review prison health services in Hungary, and he led the Thematic Review of the Western Australian Department of Justice Health Service in July 2004.

Chris Reynolds is a barrister and solicitor and a legal academic who has a PhD from the Department of Community Medicine at Adelaide University and qualifications in public health. He has worked in public health law and policy for almost 30 years, both in government and as an academic. Chris has written 2 books and many articles on public health law, the most recent being a book Public Health Law and Regulation (2004). In addition, Chris has been a consultant to 5 Australian governments in areas of public health law. He also advises in environment protection, sustainability and biodiversity conservation policy for the South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage. Chris is the Director (Research) at the Centre for Public Health Law (Latrobe University) and teaches constitutional law and environmental law at Flinders University in Adelaide.

ENDS

Conference Programme

Wednesday 6 July 2005

8.00am Registration opens Town Hall Foyer

9.00am Powhiri Town Hall Auditorium Kaumatua Sam Jackson

10.00am Opening address, Marty Rogers, President, Public Health Association Town Hall Auditorium

10.15am Welcome to Wellington address Alick Shaw, Deputy Mayor of Wellington Town Hall Auditorium

10.30am Morning Tea West Court and West Gallery

11.00am Keynote Address – Dr Papaarangi Reid, (Te Rarawa), Director, Eru Pomare Maori Health Research Centre, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences Town Hall Auditorium Chair Marty Rogers

12.00pm Lunch West Court and West Gallery

1.15pm Keynote Address – Professor Stephen Platt, Director, Research Unit in Health, Behaviour and Change, University of Edinburgh, Scotland Town Hall Auditorium
Chair Bridget Allan

2.30-3.30pm Concurrent Sessions
1 Alcohol and Drug Issues Civic 1 and 2
Chair Philippa Howden-Chapman
The Role of Law in Public Health and the Contribution of Policies outside the Health Sector to Health and Wellbeing – The Sale of Liquor Act 1989
Wendy Moore
Community Action on Youth and Drugs: Key Learnings from the Impact Evaluation
R Butler
High on Life: A collaborative, intersectoral initiative to address alcohol and other drug related issues in schools and school communities
Lynley Cvitanovic

2 Joined Community Action Ilott Theatre
Chair Marama Parore-Katene
A Mission for Health
Jessica Brady
A Community Initiative in Gambling-Related Health Promotion
Famke Van Laren
Whanganui Wellbeing – An Active Partnership
Anne Kauika

3 Injury and Violence Prevention Lion Harbour
Chair Rachel Depree
Participation of National and Community Level Stakeholders in Injury Prevention Programme Development
Jennifer Brown
Securing Sustainable Development in Falls Prevention Initiatives
David Campbell
The Health Costs of Violence: A Neglected Area of Public Policy
Dee Basinski

4 Tobacco Issues Square Affair

Chair Iain Potter
He Arorangi Whakamua: A Partnership for Sustainability of an Iwi Tobacco Intervention
Dr Heather Gifford and Lynley Cvitanovic
Varying Evolution of the New Zealand Lung Cancer Epidemic by Ethnicity and Socio-Economic Position, 1981-1999
Caroline Shaw
Tobacco Control in the Kingdom of Tonga
Dr Viliami Puloka

3.30pm Afternoon Tea
West Court and West Gallery
4.00pm Keynote Address - Garry Moore, Mayor of Christchurch City
Town Hall Auditorium
Chair Alick Shaw
5.00pm
Maori Caucus To be confirmed
5.00pm Pacific Caucus
Civic 3
6.00-
7.00pm Welcome Reception West Court and West Gallery

Thursday 7 July 2005

7.30am Health Promotion Breakfast
Civic 3
Heather Kizito
7.30am Environmental Health/ Health Protection Breakfast
Symphony Café
8.40am Welcome to Day Two
Town Hall Auditorium
9.00am Keynote Address – Professor Cesar Victora, Professor of Epidemiology, Federal University of Pelota, Brazil
Town Hall Auditorium
Chair Tony Blakely
9.45am Morning Tea

10.15am Keynote Address – Dr Shane Houston, Assistant Secretary, Office of Aboriginal Health, Family and Social Policy, Department of Health and Community Services, Western Australia
Town Hall Auditorium
Chair Marion Weaver
11.15-
12.15pm Concurrent Sessions
5 Primary Health Care
Square Affair
Chair Sue Pullon
SPACE
Modified Green Prescription Programmes
Bradley Clarke and Karen Whiteley
Growing public health approaches within primary care Doug Lush

6 Health Impact Assessment Ilott Theatre
Chair Louise Signal
Making the Links – Health and Public Policy: Health Impact Assessment
Barbara Langford
Health Impact Assessment – Urban Intensification in Auckland
Robert Quigley and David Sinclair
Making the Connection Between Human Health and Sustainable Cities – Myth or Reality?
Frances Graham

7 Maori Health Research Civic 1 and 2
Chair Teresa Wall
Hoki ki nga whakaaro nui: Maori Researcher Position – An Essential Component of Kaupapa Maori Research
Riri Ellis
Whakapapa and Whanau Sampling
Tai Walker
Wahine Tupono: Evaluating a Kaupapa Maori Intervention Programme
Ruth Herd

8 Human Rights and Public Policy Lion Harbour
Chair Louise Kuraia
Public Health and Human Rights
Warren Lindberg and Alison Blaiklock
The implementation of public policies for controlling unhealthy industries
George Thomson/Nick Wilson
A Rights-Based Approach to Improving the Health of Children
Alison Blaiklock
12.15pm Lunch
West Court and West Gallery
1.15pm Keynote Address – Associate Professor Michael Levy, Director, Centre for Health Research in Criminal Justice, Justice Health, New South Wales, Australia
Town Hall Auditorium
Chair Ross Bell
2.15-
3.15pm Concurrent Sessions

9 Indigenous Leadership Square Affair
Chair Miria James-Hohaia
Strengthening Maori Public Health Capacity, Public Health Workforce Development Plan
Maggie McGregor and Mary McCulloch
Te Kohao Health
Helen Wihongi
Par for the Course? Participatory Action Research with Aboriginal Health Teams within Community Health Services
Michael Bentley

10 Prison Health Civic 1 and 2
Chair Julia Carr
Health Care Behind Bars, Is it Coping Well?
Dr Hussein Farah
Youth Offending Teams
Peter Kennedy
Third paper to be confirmed

11 Local Authorities and Planning for Health Lion Harbour
Chair Frank Booth
Alcohol, Gambling and Fast Food Outlets in the Bay of Plenty and Lakes Region
Sharon Kennedy-Muru
Planning for the Sale of Alcohol
Ross Bell
Sun Protection Policies and Practices of New Zealand Territorial Authorities: Rationale and Preliminary Findings
Tony Reeder

12 Violence Prevention Ilott Theatre
Chair Eileen Brown
Violence-Free Hapu/ Violence Free Marae
Tau Huirama
Promotion of Youth Non-Violence and Healthy Gender Roles
K Duncan
DV Free: Employer Response to Domestic Violence
Jenny McIntyre

3.15pm Afternoon Tea West Court and West Gallery
3.45-
5.15pm Concurrent Sessions
13 Maori Health Ilott Theatre
Chair Michelle Mako
Information Experiences of Maori Affected by Cancer
Tai Walker and Kirsten Smiler
Insulin Resistance and Impaired Carbohydrate Metabollism in a Rural Maori Community
David Tipene-Leach
How Does Tikanga Maori and the Deaf Way Inform? - Working with Maori Deaf
Kirsten Smiler

14 Prison Health – a panel discussion
Michael Levy, Julia Carr, Debbie Gell, Bronwyn Donaldson, Eugene Rider
Civic 1 and 2
Chair Phil Shoemack

15 Toward Sustainability: Scenarios for New Zealand’s Future Health – Workshop
Bob Frame and Lynley Cook Lion Harbour

16 The Impact of Interpersonal Violence on New Zealand Youth – a workshop
J Elvidge and K Duncan
Square Affair
6.00-
7.00pm PHANZ Annual General Meeting Civic 1 and 2
7.00-
11.30pm Conference Dinner Town Hall Auditorium

Friday 8 July 2005

8.40am Welcome to day three
Town Hall Auditorium
9.00am Keynote Address – Chris Reynolds, Director (Research), Centre for Public Health Law, Latrobe University, Australia
Town Hall Auditorium
Chair Alastair Hercus
9.45am Morning Tea
West Court and West Gallery
10.15am Plenary Session – Pacific Health
Karl Puloto-Endermann, Ite Lima, Philip Siatagi and Ate Moala
Town Hall Auditorium
Chair Margaret Southwick
11.15am Concurrent Sessions
17 Environmental Health Square Affair
Chair Andrew Bichan
Te Riu o Hokianga: Understanding Marae Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Problems in the Hokianga
Jeff Foote, M Hepi, M Rogers and H Taimona
Timber treatment chemicals, contaminated sites, and the role of Public Health Units
Phil Shoemack
Systems of Zoonoses on Dairy Farms
Jeff Foote and W Gregory

18 Communities Ilott Theatre
Chair Helen Bichan
Neighbourhoods: What Makes Some Better Than Others as Places to Live and Play?
Karen Witten
Sustainable Business – Good for Public Health
Helen Scobie and David Sinclair
Meningococcal B Immunisation, Fear and the Media
Dr Nikki Turner

19 Working Together for Public Health Lion Harbour
Chair Don Matheson
Public Health Leadership, Relationships and Structures: A New Zealand Overview
Geoff Fougere
Public:Private Public Health in Southland Health District: Policy Analysis
G Fraser
Towards a Multidisciplinary Approach to Public Health Workforce Development – Public Health Workforce Plan
Maggie McGregor

20 Reducing Inequalities Civic 1 and 2
Chair Gay Keating
Reducing Inequalities – What Next?
Dr Ruth Richards and Teresa Wall
Reducing Inequalities in the Design of New Screening Programmes
Bronwyn Petrie
The Common Risk Factor Approach and its Role in Reducing Inequalities
Dr Rob Beaglehole

12.15-1.15pm Lunch

West Court and West Gallery
1.15pm Plenary Address - Dr Mark Jacobs, Director of Public Health
Town Hall Auditorium
1.30pm The Great Public Health Debate – Politics is bad for Public Health
David Slack, Alison Blaiklock, others to be confirmed

Town Hall Auditorium
Chair Ian Harcourt
3.00pm Conference Close and poroporoaki
Town Hall Auditorium
3.30pm Afternoon Tea West Court and West Gallery

Workshops and Papers
Highlights

Alcohol and Drug Issues

The Role of Law in Public Health and the Contribution of Policies Outside the Health Sector to Health and Wellbeing – The Sale of Liquor Act 1989
Wendy Moore

High on Life: A Collaborative, Inter-sectoral Initiative to Address Alcohol and other Drug Related Issues in Schools and School Communities
Lynley Cvitanovic

High on Life is a programme that aims to reduce the impact of alcohol and other drug related harm among school students in Whanganui.

Community Action

A public health approach for ARV treatment in 3 districts of Gujarat State - involving people with HIV and the community.
Jessica Brady

India has a high prevalence of HIV. This study was completed to develop an understanding of community perception and knowledge about ARV treatment and experience of HIV positives regarding their ARV treatment.

A Community Initiative in Gambling Related Health Promotion
Famke van Laren
Director of Health for the Problem Gambling Foundation

This programme aims to mobilise local communities to take their own constructive action regarding gambling. The paper discusses the approach taken by the Problem Gambling Foundation in Waitakere.

Whanganui Wellbeing – An Active Partnership
Anne Kauika

Te Kahui Whai Ora is a three-year pilot programme developed by Whanganui Wellbeing which began in July 2003 – and is a working partnership between five local community organisations.

Injury and Violence Prevention

Securing Sustainable Development in Falls Prevention Initiatives
David Campbell
Programme Manager, ACC Injury Prevention

The Otago exercise programme (OEP) was designed specifically to prevent falls by the Falls Prevention Research Group at the University of Otago Medical School.

Tobacco Issues

Varying Evolution of the New Zealand Lung Cancer Epidemic by Ethnicity and Socio-Economic Position, 1981-1999
Caroline Shaw

This paper aims to describe and explain trends in lung cancer mortality by ethnicity and socio-economic position in New Zealand between 1981 and 1999. The findings show there are significant and growing ethnic and socio-economic inequalities in lung cancer mortality in New Zealand.

Tobacco Control in the Kingdom of Tonga
Dr Viliami Puloka
Senior Medical Officer, Health Promotion Unit, Ministry of Health, Kingdom of Tonga

The Tongan Ministry of Health has recently instituted a tobacco control action plan. The strategy contains a range of specific initiatives including: the drafting of tobacco control legislation; implementation of a health promotion campaign utilising mass media, drama, aerobics sessions and other strategies.

Health Impact Assessment

Health Impact Assessment – Urban Intensification in Auckland
Rob Quigley and David Sinclair

Avondale is an Auckland area with lower average income, higher NZDep score and greater ethnic diversity than average in Auckland. Auckland Regional Public Health Service commissioned a Health Impact Assessment on the Avondale Liveable Communities project. This presentation will explain the results from the Health Impact Assessment.
______________________________________________________________
Human Rights and Public Policy

Public Health and Human Rights
Warren Lindberg and Alison Blaiklock

The Universal Declaration on Human Rights includes a right to health. This paper explores the meaning of the right to health in international agreements, and the implications of these agreements for public health in New Zealand. It compares the values underlying traditional public health with a rights-based approach.

The implementation of public policies for controlling unhealthy industries
George Thomson and Nick Wilson

This paper considers the implementation of two tobacco-relevant laws in New Zealand. These case studies identified failure over 14 years by government agencies to enforce (1) consumer protection laws on deceptive statements by tobacco companies, (2) to enforce a legal requirement for the tobacco industry to provide information on tobacco additives.

A Rights-Based Approach to Improving the Health of Children
Alison Blaiklock
Chair of Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa (ACYA) and Executive Director of the Health Promotion Forum

This paper describes the experience of Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa (ACYA) using a human-rights based approach to advocacy to improve the health of children and young people. ACYA is a broadly based coalition of non-governmental organisations, individuals and families. In 2004 ACYA raised concerns about violence and detention of some children and young people in a report to the UN Committee against Torture.

Prison Health

Healthcare Behind Bars, Is It Coping Well?
Dr Hussein Farah
Department of Health of Western Australia

This review of a regional prison clinic aims to assess the extent and quality of its services against expectations derived from existing healthcare quality standards. Review data suggests that disease screening and prevention were not adequately addressed. The service lacked clinical “guidelines” addressing chronic disease management with the absence of any or appropriate treatment protocols, care planning or recall system in place.

Local Authorities and Planning for Health

Alcohol, Gambling and Fast Food Outlets in the Bay of Plenty and Lakes Region (Toi Te Ora – Public Health)
Sharon Kennedy-Muru

This innovative research project investigated the location of Liquor, Gambling and Fast Food outlets throughout the Bay of Plenty and Lakes region. The project looked at the relationships between density of outlets and population demographics specifically deprivation, ethnicity and youth.

Planning for the Sale of Alcohol
Ross Bell
New Zealand Drug Foundation – Te Tuapapa Tarukino o Aotearoa

Some New Zealand communities with high Maori and Pacific populations are becoming concerned that an excessive number of outlets is contributing to increasing teenage drinking in their locality. The presentation will explore ways local governments, and those working with local government could improve planning for the sale of alcohol in their area.

Communities

Meningococcal B Immunisation, Fear and the Media
Dr Nikki Turner

A mass immunisation programme is currently underway aimed at controlling the Meningococcal epidemic. This is New Zealand’s largest ever mass immunisation programme. The goal of this study was to examine the extent to which fear has been used in the print media leading up to and during the meningococcal b vaccination campaign between January to December 2004 to understand how the use of fear affected perceptions of the risks and benefits of immunisation.

Maori and Aboriginal Health

He Arorangi Whakamua- A Partnership for Sustainability of an Iwi Tobacco Intervention
Dr Heather Gifford and Ms Lynley Cvitanovic

The goal of this research project He Arorangi Whakamua is to reduce the uptake of tobacco smoking in the tamariki/rangatahi population of Ngati Hauiti in the central Rangitikei. This is an action research project; taking place in whanau homes and the wider community.

Wahine Tupono: Evaluating a Kaupapa Maori Intervention Programme
Ruth Herd

The participants of this programme were Maori women who self identify as problem gamblers. The programme is delivered by a Public Health Provider and a Gambling Service Provider collaboratively.

Strengthening Maori Public Health Capacity – Public Health Workforce Development Plan – Paper Three
McGregor and McCulloch

The 2004/2005 survey of the public health workforce identified that Maori comprise around a third of the public health provider workforce. The presentation will outline key points from this work and present a proposed model and approach for Maori public health workforce development.

Te Kohao Health
Helen Wihongi

Te Kohao Health in Hamilton is in the process of establishing and implementing a whanau driven Maori cardiac and stroke rehabilitation programme. This paper provides a reflective overview of the processes involved in the establishment of the programme and culminates with a Maori cardiac and stroke delivery framework.

Par for the Course? Participatory Action Research with Aboriginal Health Teams within Community Health Services
Michael Bentley
South Australian Community Health Research Unit Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia

This presentation looks at a Participatory Action Research project that aims to develop a better understanding of the contribution that Aboriginal Health workers within mainstream community health services make to Aboriginal health, and also aims to determine which structural and organisational factors are most important in bringing about effective action to improve Aboriginal health.

Violence Free Hapu/ Violence Free Marae
Tau Huirama
Te Kupenga Whakoti Mahi Patunga
National Network of Stopping Violence Services

Historical evidence indicates that Maori children were viewed as taonga and not physically disciplined as a form of punishment. This project will promote marae and hapu level violence prevention programmes. Strategies will include awareness raising, rangatahi education, policy development and promoting whänaungatanga.

Information Experiences of Maori Affected By Cancer
Tai Walker and Kirsten Smiler

This project explores the information experiences of Maori affected by cancer. Participants included people who are cancer patients, survivors and whanau members.

Insulin Resistance and Impaired Carbohydrate Metabolism in a Rural Maori Community
David Tipene Leach
General practitioner for Ngati Porou Hauora

The aim of this project was to determine the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) and impaired carbohydrate metabolism (ICM) and associated lifestyle risk factors on the East Coast.

How Does Tikanga Maori and The Deaf Way Inform? - working with Maori Deaf
Kirsten Smiler
Te Whanau a Kai and child of Deaf adult
Health Services Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington

The formation of a collective ‘Maori Deaf’ identity is an emerging phenomenon. This paper outlines how Tikanga Maori and the Deaf-Way were used to inform the data collection process for a Masters thesis Maori Deaf:

Te Riu o Hokianga: understanding marae onsite wastewater treatment and disposal problems in the Hokianga
Foote, Hepi, Rogers and Taimona

Failing onsite wastewater treatment and disposal at marae is a significant public health problem for rural Maori communities. This paper examines some of the significant regulatory, institutional, cultural and community factors that contribute towards onsite wastewater treatment and disposal problems at marae in the Hokianga.

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