635 Results

  • Good news on declining smoking rates, especially for Māori. Is it credible? What next?

    … 2013 Census compared to the 2006 Census (from 20.7% to 15.1% in adults aged 15+). The results generally fit with other evidence and are good news for health in NZ. And late today Tariana … have fallen nearly 10 percentage points from 2006 to 2013, or from 42.2% to 32.7%.  Which is fantastic news. This blog …
    Briefing

  • Do Aotearoa’s new vaping regulations go far enough?

    … important measures that will limit disposable vapes, and recognise these devices have become the product of choice … electronic cigarettes by 15 to 17 year olds increased from 1.8% in 2017/18 to 12.3% in 2020/21 (data for this age group … will require all vaping products to have removable or replaceable batteries, a measure that should limit sales …
    Briefing

  • A 100 years ago today – the likely first NZ death from the 1918 influenza pandemic

    … 100 years ago today. Ultimately it killed 9000 NZ citizens and so is by far the largest natural disaster to hit this … in the recent book by historian Prof Geoffrey Rice [1]. In comparison, an estimated 258 people died in the Hawkes … (especially for adults with an existing chronic illness or those over 65 years of age). Consider getting to know your …
    Briefing

  • Worth its weight: Building insulation in New Zealand

    … Building insulation provides comfort and health benefits to occupants, saves energy, enhances energy security, and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This blog looks at … children , and the high number of excess winter deaths, or deaths that happen just because it’s winter – …
    Briefing

  • The 5000 annual deaths caused by smoking also matter

    … this narrative has arisen, explain why it is incorrect, and outline potential responses. Despite declines in New … by challenging and denying scientific research evidence. 1 The claim “doubt is our product”, allegedly made by a … is this reasoning? First, almost no-one makes a truly free or informed choice to smoke. 8 Most people who smoke became …
    Briefing

  • Taxing tobacco in NZ: What we know and what could be next

    … tax increases in this country, what remains unknown, and what might be needed for the next phase of tobacco … consumption per adult (for the period 2010 to 2014) (1). Smoking prevalence has also continued to decline for all … whether regular increases as per the recent pattern in NZ, or more episodic but larger tax increases would be most …
    Briefing

  • The high burden from mental health disorders – but also an opportunity for cost-effective interventions

    … published today in the Lancet, highlight that mental and substance use disorders are the leading cause of … a valuable contribution to knowledge about health problems and come from a massive international research project. The … world in taking the cost-effective steps needed to prevent and treat the high health burden from mental and substance …
    Briefing

  • Politicians in Aotearoa NZ live longer than other Kiwis and the gap keeps widening

    … least 5 years longer than the general NZ population (age and gender matched) and this gap has been growing since 1950. One of the likely … is passed in full? A just published study by Clarke et al 1 examined the lifespan of 57,561 politicians in 11 countries …
    Briefing

  • The long shadow of war on the health of military personnel

    … outcomes for military personnel participating in war – and suggests that such issues need to be considered carefully … edition of the British Medical Journal is detailed here (1). It found that the impact of the First World War (WWI) on … was that they typically lost around eight years of life and had an increased risk of early death in the post-war …
    Briefing

  • A century of health inequalities in NZ – new data

    … third most important risk factor for premature mortality [1]. This work estimated that low SEP is associated with a 2.1-year reduction in life expectancy between ages 40 and 85 years. In NZ, absolute differences in life expectancy … can be considered definitive in establishing differences (or not) in lifespan by occupational class at this time – but …
    Briefing

Subscribe

Briefing CTA

Public Health Expert Briefing

Get the latest insights from the public health research community delivered straight to your inbox for free. Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest research, analysis and commentary from the Public Health Expert Briefing.

PHCC logo PHCC

The PHCC is funded by a philanthropic endowment from the Gama Foundation and hosted by the Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington.

Contact

Email phcc@phcc.org.nz
43 Hanson Street, Mt Cook, 
Wellington | Te Whanganui-a-Tara
PO Box 7343, Wellington South 6242
New Zealand | Aotearoa

 

Public Health Expert Briefing (ISSN 2816-1203)