Our research site has all the information you need about research at Waitematā.
Research and knowledge centre (external link)
The cervical screening self-test study is now finished, and all options for returning samples are closed.
Self-testing for cervical screening is now available at your doctor or healthcare provider. We encourage you to stay up to date with screening.
For more information visit our Health Information and Services website.
Cervical screening — Health Information and Services (external link)
Please check back here if you are interested in the study findings. Once they are available, we will publish them here.
The study explored different ways to offer a self-test for cervical screening, so that more women get checked to prevent cervical cancer.
The study was a joint project between Health NZ - Waitematā, Te Toka Tumai Auckland, and Counties Manukau districts and Total Healthcare PHO (Tāmaki Health clinics), with additional funding from the National Screening Unit to help inform the new National Cervical Screening Programme.
Welcome to the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) and Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Screening Project. This is a joint initiative between Health NZ Waitematā and Te Toka Tumai-Auckland and your local doctor.
In 2016 to 2018 Health NZ - Waitematā and Auckland had a research project where we tested 2,500 Māori men and women across Auckland to see how common AAA is in Māori. We discovered Māori are twice as likely to have a AAA as non-Māori. In 2019 to 2021 we did the same thing with Pacific men and now, to complete the research, we would like to see if the same is true for Pacific women.
Your aorta is the main blood vessel which takes blood from your heart to the lower part of your body. An aneurysm (you say “ann you rizz em”) is when the wall of the aorta gets weak and stretches, like a weak spot in a bike tyre.
AAA is hard to detect, and you may not feel unwell. The best way to find out if your aorta is ok is with an abdominal ultrasound. An AAA that gets very large may burst and cause internal bleeding which would require lifesaving surgery.
This part of the research is only for Pacific women, aged 65 to 74 years living in some parts of Auckland. We will only be screening women who have been invited to join the project. At the 30-minute appointment you will have an ultrasound scan of your tummy. The scan is quick, safe, and painless. You are very welcome to bring a family member or friend to your appointment as support.
Your test results will be explained to you at the end of the appointment, and we will send a copy of your results to your doctor.
It is important to remember most people have a normal result.
But if we do find you have an AAA you will be offered treatment or follow up at Auckland City Hospital. We will also check your heart rhythm along with your height, weight and blood pressure.
The test, and any follow-up tests, are completely free as part of the project - as long as you are eligible for publicly funded health care in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Once you have received your letter and are comfortable to continue, book your 30-minute appointment by:
You can also contact us on these numbers for more information.
If you are looking for support to quit smoking, you can contact our Smokefree Services by
Nau mai, haere mai, welcome to Te Oranga Pūkahukahu, the Lung Cancer Screening study being done by the Māori Health Pipeline — Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora and Otago University.
Currently, in New Zealand, most lung cancers are found quite late. Screening can help find lung cancer when it is small, has not spread anywhere else and is not causing any symptoms.
When found early, lung cancer is much more likely to be able to be cured. International evidence has shown that screening can decrease deaths from lung cancer among people who are at high risk of developing it.
We want to design a lung cancer screening programme that works for Māori in Aotearoa. To do this, we are doing research to help inform this design.
In March 2024 the team completed a study of around 500 participants in the Waitematā and Te Toka Tumai (Auckland) districts in Auckland. The next study will be with 1,200 participants, across the whole northern region, taking in the Te Tai Tokerau (Northland) and Counties Manukau regions as well as Waitematā and Te Toka Tumai (Auckland).
Lung cancer screening uses a low dose CT scan which can detect lung cancer before symptoms develop. We only need to scan people who are at higher risk for lung cancer, so first we will ask participants some questions about their health to assess their risk.
This video will tell you a bit more about what to expect when considering lung screening.It will talk you through what it is like to get a CT scan, and some of the risks and benefits that are important to know.
Te Oranga Pūkahukahu - Lung Health Check — Vimeo (external link)
The people who are invited to join this study will:
You cannot be in the study if any of these things apply to you. You have:
We use risk assessment questions to find out if participants are eligible for a lung screening CT scan. These questions were developed through international research. Our study will help test how well the risk assessment questions work here in Aotearoa New Zealand, with Māori and European populations. The study is also looking at ways Māori health providers and whānau activation methods can help increase the uptake of lung screening.
Participants will receive an invitation to participate from their own GP, a Māori Health Provider known to them, or by receiving a whānau invitation voucher from a whānau member or friend.
The first part of the study is an assessment to find out if invited participants are eligible for a lung screening CT scan. The assessment involves answering some questions about personal and family health history and smoking history. This can be done online or with a nurse over the phone, by video call or in person.
If your assessment shows you are not at high risk of getting lung cancer, then you will not need a CT scan. Your participation in the study will end here. You might be offered an assessment again in the future, as your risk can change over time.
If your assessment shows you are at higher risk of lung cancer, you will be invited to have a CT scan, which is a type of X-ray. This does not mean you have lung cancer.
A nurse will talk with you about the pros and cons of having a CT scan and what is involved. They will also talk about what happens if the scan finds something. This will help you decide whether or not to have a CT scan.
We welcome whānau or other support people to be involved in your lung cancer screening journey if you choose to take part. Support people are welcome to ask questions and attend any appointments with you.
If you decide to have a CT scan, an appointment will be made for a time that suits you.
Once you have had your CT scan, the pictures are sent to a radiologist who will search for ‘spots’ on your lungs (called nodules). They may also find other health issues. The radiologist will send a report to the doctors in our study.
Your GP or a nurse from your usual clinic will talk about your results either over the phone or in person.
If nodules are found, the doctors will talk through what this means and what should happen next.
Some people with nodules will have another CT scan to see if the nodule has changed. Some people will be offered other tests to see if the nodule is cancer or something else.
If anything else is found on the CT scan, we will talk to you about what this means and whether anything needs to be done.
2020
2021
Colhoun S, Parker K, McCook S, Bartholomew K, et al. New Zealand Medical Journal137(1593) April 2024
Parker K, Colhoun S, Bartholomew K, Sandiford P, Lewis C, Milne D, et al. PLoS ONE 18(8): e0281420. August 2023
Te Haa Kotahi — Why do you think lung cancer screening is important? (external link)
Te Haa Kotahi — What have you learned from Te Haa Kotahi discussions? (external link)
Te Haa Kotahi — What would you say to someone considering lung screening? (external link)
Te Oranga Pūkahukahu Lung Cancer Screening Explainer Video (external link)
Nau mai, haere mai, welcome to the Endometrial cancer microbiome pre-study.
We invite eligible women to join our pre-study research project exploring the views of Māori and Pacific women on endometrial cancer microbiome research.
This research is being carried out by a group of health professionals and researchers from the Māori Health Pipeline Team, within Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand. Your participation will be vital to advancing our understanding on how we best carry out future research in this field.
We want to understand your experiences of your recent healthcare journey and your views on research we would like to do in the future about endometrial cancer. We may talk about topics like taking swabs, samples, blood tests and storing tissue from reproductive areas (the womb and vagina). Your views will inform future research that is culturally responsive. Most notably, you will contribute to advancing women’s health care in our communities.
Our video will tell you a bit more about what to expect when considering taking part in the Endometrial cancer microbiome pre-study.
Our research is inspired by a groundbreaking American study that discovered a link between the microbiome of the uterus and endometrial cancer. Specifically, it identified the presence of a bacterium called Porphyromonas somerae (P. somerae). Here in Aotearoa, our Endometrial cancer microbiome study aims to further investigate the presence of P. somerae in women to see if it can be used as a marker for detecting endometrial cancer.
The microbiome consists of a community of microorganisms, including bacteria, that reside in different parts of the human body. Sometimes, changes in the microbiome can lead to disease, including cancer. By understanding these changes, particularly in the uterus and vagina, we aim to identify endometrial cancer earlier and more accurately.
Endometrial cancer rates are rising globally. In Aotearoa, Māori wāhine are 2 times, and Pacific women are 6 times more likely to be diagnosed than other populations. Unfortunately, Māori and Pacific wāhine also face higher death rates. Although obesity, diabetes, and menopause play roles, they do not explain everything.
This reality highlights the critical need for research that is not only scientifically rigorous but also culturally sensitive and aligned with Māori and Pacific worldviews, which is why we are conducting the pre-study. By listening to your voices — Māori and Pacific women who are most affected — we can tailor our methods to be more inclusive and effective. Your insights will help us shape the direction of future endometrial cancer microbiome research.
We hope this research will support future developments of a screening test. Such a test would be a significant milestone, potentially transforming the early detection and treatment of endometrial cancer for Māori and Pacific women. Through this work, we hope not only to improve health outcomes but also to forge a path of medical research that truly reflects and serves the needs of our communities.
If you meet the following criteria, we warmly invite you to join our study.
In the past 12 months, you:
Our study team will initiate contact with potential participants to provide detailed information about the pre-study and answer any questions.
You can access our participant information sheet in English and Te Reo.
If you agree to participate, we will schedule a kōrero or talanoa, which can be done in person or online using Zoom.
In the interview, you will be asked various questions about your health experiences and endometrial cancer research. Some topics might be sensitive. You can pause, skip questions, or end the interview anytime. We’ wil also offer a list of support services available to you.
You will be invited to discuss:
Interviews can be conducted in your preferred language using interpreter services. You are welcome to have a support person with you during the interview.
Afterwards, you can request a summary of the results, and we can organise a hui for a face-to-face presentation with you and your whānau.
Expect full results by mid-2024.
For further information, please contact Roimata Tipene, Research Manager.
Yes — you are welcome to bring along your whānau, family or support person(s) to the interview.
This is a qualitative research study — no study data will be released to your GP or healthcare providers unless required by law. The results of the study will be anonymised. This means that none of the data collected will be able to be linked back to you and your privacy can be upheld.
A member of the Endometrial cancer study team will conduct your interview. We have several female interviewers from a range of ethnicities and ages. Photos of the interviewers are included on your Patient information sheet — you may request for a specific team member if you have a preference.
If you choose to have your interview at one of the interview locations provided, when your interview has been confirmed, a member of the study team will arrange transportation for you to the interview location. If you are driving, directions to the location will be provided. If you would prefer, we can also arrange a taxi service to pick you up and take you home at no cost to you. You can discuss these options with the study team at any time.
There is no cost to you to participate in this study. In recognition of your time, a voucher (koha) will be provided — and your transport or parking will also be covered for both you and your support person(s).
No need to bring anything except your support person if you would like to have them present. Water and light refreshments will be provided — please let us know if you have any special dietary needs.
For our research, we are interested in speaking to women who are a Māori and Pacific women aged 18 years or older and live in Auckland, and within the last 12 months:
Your specialist or clinician has referred you to our study as being eligible based on these criteria. You do not have to participate in this study if you do not want to.
Participation is completely voluntary and will not affect your medical care or treatment.
We are interested in speaking Māori and Pacific women from 3 separate groups.
The last 2 groups are not directly related to an endometrial cancer diagnosis.
We hope that women in these groups will share their experiences with the health system and views on how we can best inform future endometrial cancer microbiome research.
Biobanking or tissue banking refers to the process by which samples of bodily fluid or tissue are collected for research to improve our understanding of health and disease.
Biobanks are secure facilities that host a collection of donated patient tissue samples as well as relevant clinical information regarding these samples to support ethically approved research.
In our Endometrial cancer microbiome research, participants undergoing a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the womb) will be asked for their consent to provide tissue and blood sample for biobanking. These samples will be treated with the utmost care and respect and securely transported and stored in a biobank facility located within Aotearoa New Zealand. Some of these samples may be preserved for use in future research.
Health and medical research is recognised worldwide as being integral to quality health care systems. Health NZ - Waitematā, as the largest and fastest growing Health NZ district in the country, has a number of research groups involved in collaborative clinical trials and innovative research.
Groups actively researching are listed here. Select their name for more information including contact details where available. Alternatively, enquiries can be directed to research@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Pain neurophysiology, personalised pain medicine, postoperative delerium, postoperative orthostatic intolerance, rehabilitation for chronic pain, complex regional pain syndrome.
Waitematā Pain Services has strong research and teaching ties with Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute.
Enquiries to the Cardiology Research Unit coordinator Grainne McAnnalley or Cathy Hulbert:
Enquries to the Director of Emergency Medicine Research kim.yates@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Dr Katherine Bloomfield
Enquiries to hasan.bhally@waitematadhb.govt.nz
The centre of Māori Health Research Excellence leads and collaborates with other researchers and research teams to address Māori health equity, the Tiriti o Waitangi being at the core of the Centre's activities.
The Centre has a broad research mandate focusing primarily on mātauranga and tikanga Māori, and health equity. Through collaboration and partnerships the Centre is involved in:
Enquiries to the Director of Māori Health Research, email hkwresearch@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Enquiries to research@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Forensic Mental Health
We provide services at the interface between mental health and the criminal justice system, in the courts, prisons, community and secure hospital contexts. We welcome research to improve services and outcomes for service users, in all these domains.
Dr Jacqueline Allen, Laryngologist
Enquiries to research@waitematadhb.govt.nz