Contact details
+64 (04) 801 5799
ext. 63107
Dr Riz Firestone
Senior Research Officer/Associate Dean - Pasifika
Centre for Public Health Research
Research Projects
Summary of Research Projects
| Position |
Current |
Completed |
| Project Leader |
3 |
13 |
| Team Member |
0 |
1 |
Current Projects
Project Title: Co-designing a community-based intervention programme for pre-diabetes - Veisinia
Date Range: 2018 - 2021
Funding Body:
Health Research Council of New Zealand
Project Team:
Project Title: The Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme (PPYEP)
Date Range: 2017 - 2020
Funding Body:
Health Research Council of New Zealand
Project Team:
Completed Projects
Project Title: NSC - Supporting Healthy Lifestyles: A Maori and Pasifika Approach (WellText)
Date Range: 2016 - 2018
Funding Body:
University of Auckland
Project Team:
Project Title: Chewing the facts on fat! What does that say about me?
Obesity is very common in Pacific peoples in NZ, and the prevalence is projected to increase over time. This proposal comprises of two parts, and aims to investigate the broader issues across the life-course, that includes biological, social and historical factors amongst 300 young Pacific peoples aged 16-24 years from Auckland and Wellington (Part 1). Through in-depth interviews, the study will also attain comprehensive knowledge about food practices and perceptions based on social-cultural values in young (n=30) and older Pacific peoples from the same family (n=60) (Part 2), in order to understand the historical cultural contexts of food and understandings about socialisation patterns relating to food and body size. Thus, the study will identify modifiable factors that influence obesity risk, and identify culturally acceptable intervention and preventative strategies to protect the young and future Pacific peoples in developing obesity and long-term related health conditions.
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Date Range: 2013 - 2014
Funding Body:
Health Research Council of New Zealand
Project Team:
Project Title: Lung Function in Pacific children
Lung function tests are important for assessment of respiratory health and particularly for diagnosing and managing respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD. In order to understand the impact of these diseases, comparison with normal lung function values is required. Reference lung function equations based on data obtained from healthy Polynesian children (combined Maori and Pacific) were developed in 1987. These equations were not specifically developed for young Pacific children and are now over 20 years old. It is well-established that there are differences in lung function between ethnic groups. Therefore European population lung function reference values are not likely to be applicable to Pacific children. The aim of this project is to establish up-to-date lung function reference values for Pacific children residing in New Zealand. This study will have significant implications for improving the respiratory health of young Pacific children by developing lung function reference equations that are specific to this population.
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Date Range: 2009 - 2010
Funding Body:
Massey University
Project Team:
Project Title: Early Life Factors Study of childhood diseases: A Pilot
This study aims to develop and pilot the methods for a longitudinal study investigating the relationship between a wide range of pre-natal and early life exposures, events, lifestyle factors and a broad range of diseases in early childhood. The study involves developing an internet-based birth cohort study using online questionnaires. This approach is potentially very efficient, enabling large numbers of women/infants to be recruited and followed, with a large amount of information collected at minimal cost. Although this approach has been successfully used overseas, it is relatively new in New Zealand.
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Date Range: 2008 - 2009
Funding Body:
Massey University
Project Team:
Research Outputs
Teaching and Supervision
Summary of Doctoral Supervision
| Position |
Current |
Completed |
| Supervisor |
4 |
0 |
Current Doctoral Supervision
Supervisor of:
-
Gavin Faeamani
-
Doctor of Philosophy
Lifestyle Program for Pacific peoples
-
Veisinia Pulu
-
Doctor of Philosophy
Co-designing a community-based intervention programme for prediabetes
-
Danielle Prapavessis
-
Doctor of Philosophy
Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme (PPYEP): Transforming Communities and encouraging healthy lifestyles through youth driven intervention initiatives
-
Hana Tuisano
-
Doctor of Philosophy
Understanding and Addressing the impacts of obesity on Pasifika people in Aotearoa New Zealand
