Studies

Cervical screening self-test study

About the Cervical screening self-test study

About the Cervical screening self-test study

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 Te Whatu Ora — 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.

  • The test uses a cotton swab and is simple to do yourself.
  • The swab is tested for HPV, the virus which can cause cervical cancer.
  • The self-test is safe and effective and is now part of New Zealand’s National Cervical Screening Programme.

Cervical screening self-test study contacts

Cervical screening self-test study contacts
Dr Karen Bartholomew
Lead Researcher
021 211 5629
Karen.Bartholomew@tewhatuora.govt.nz

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) and Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Screening Project

About the AAA and AF project

About the AAA and AF project

Welcome to the Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) and Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Screening Project. This is a joint initiative between Te Whatu Ora — 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.

What Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is

What Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is

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.

Why AAA is important to know about

Why AAA is important to know about

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.

What the Pacific AAA Screening Project is

What the Pacific AAA Screening Project is

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.

How to book an AAA or AF appointment

How to book an AAA or AF appointment

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

AAA and AF Patient Information Sheets

AAA and AF Patient Information Sheets

Te Oranga Pūkahukahu — Lung Health Check

About Te Oranga Pūkahukahu

About Te Oranga Pūkahukahu

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).

What lung cancer screening is

What lung cancer screening is

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)

Who will be invited to join the Te Oranga Pūkahukahu study

Who will be invited to join the Te Oranga Pūkahukahu study

The people who are invited to join this study will:

  • be Māori or European
  • be smokers or ex-smokers
  • be aged between 50 and 74
  • live in the northern region, which includes the Health New Zealand catchment areas of Te Tai Tokerau — Northland, Waitematā, Te Toka Tumai Auckland or Counties Manukau districts.

You cannot be in the study if any of these things apply to you. You have:

  • never smoked
  • had lung cancer before
  • had a chest CT scan in the last two years
  • some other cancers or conditions that don’t allow you to participate — our study nurse can talk to you about these.

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.

How the Te Oranga Pūkahukahu study works

How the Te Oranga Pūkahukahu study works

Part 1 — assessment

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.

Part 2 — CT scan

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.

Te Oranga Pūkahukahu contacts

Te Oranga Pūkahukahu contacts
Professor Sue Crengle
(Waitaha, Kāti Mamoe, Kāi Tahu)
Principal Investigator for the Lung Screening Research Programme, University of Otago
sue.crengle@otago.ac.nz
Dr Karen Bartholomew
Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora Lead for this study
Karen.Bartholomew@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Dr Kate Parker
Co-investigator and Programme Manager
021 678 907
Kate.Parker2@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Research team

Grace Steel
Study Nurse
Penelope.Steel@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Anne Fraser
Study Nurse Practitioner
Anne.Fraser@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Umit Holland
Senior Research Nurse
Umit.Holland@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Maryam Griffin
Senior Research Nurse
Maryam.Griffin@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Donna Enoka
Engagement Coordinator
Donna.Enoka@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Tayla Schaapveld
Data Research Assistant
Tayla.Schaapveld@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Kim MacRae
Project Manager
Kim.MacRae@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Te Oranga Pūkahukahu research outputs

Te Oranga Pūkahukahu research outputs

Te Oranga Pūkahukahu videos

Te Oranga Pūkahukahu videos

Upper gastrointestinaI clinical trials

2022

2022
Liver Tissue collection and banking for research
Local investigator: Prof Jonathan Koea
Pancreatic Tissue collection and storage for research
Local investigator: Mr Michael Rodgers
Genomic analyses of neuroendocrine tumour (NET) samples in the development of improved clinical predictors and prognosticators In association with Dr Ben Lawrence, Department of Medical Oncology, The University of Auckland, Park Road, Grafton, Auckland.
Local investigator: Prof Jonathan Koea
Pancreasgroup.org. International Pancreatic Surgery Outcomes Study In association with the Royal Free Hospital London.
National lead investigator: Prof Jonathan Koea
Enrolling 2022
A prospective evaluation of visible patient software in teaching and operative planning
Local investigator: Prof Jonathan Koea

2021

2021
Liver Tissue collection and banking for research
Local investigator: Prof Jonathan Koea
Pancreatic Tissue collection and storage for research
Local investigator: Mr Michael Rodgers
Genomic analyses of neuroendocrine tumour (NET) samples in the development of improved clinical predictors and prognosticators
In association with Dr Ben Lawrence, Department of Medical Oncology, The University of Auckland, Park Road, Grafton, Auckland.
Local investigator: Prof Jonathan Koea
Pancreasgroup.org. International Pancreatic Surgery Outcomes Study
In association with the Royal Free Hospital London.
National lead investigator: Prof Jonathan Koea
Enrolling 2021
A prospective evaluation of visible patient software in teaching and operative planning
Local investigator: Prof Jonathan Koea

Clinical research groups

Health and medical research is recognised worldwide as being integral to quality health care systems. Te Whatu Ora — 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

Anaesthetics and pain Services

Anaesthetics and pain Services

Main areas of research

Pain neurophysiology, personalised pain medicine, postoperative delerium, postoperative orthostatic intolerance, rehabilitation for chronic pain, complex regional pain syndrome.

Lead Investigators

  • Dr Debbie Bean
  • Dr Daniel Chiang
  • Dr Lindsay Gray
  • Dr Michal Kluger
  • Dr Manson Ku
  • Dr David Rice
  • Dr Nav Sidhu
  • Dr Natalie Tuck
  • Dr Catherine White

Waitematā Pain Services has strong research and teaching ties with Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute.

Contacts (office hours only)

Seema Vinish
CNS Quality Improvement and Research
09 486 8920 extension 44941
021 679 553
seema.vinish@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Monica Skarin
Senior Research Officer
027 873 2708
monica.skarin@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Dr Matt Kang
Research Officer
021 199 6985
woo-jin.kang@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Jill Collier
Senior Research Officer
09 486 8920 extension 48944
021 031 4757
jill.collier@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Cardiology

Cardiology

Main areas of research

  • Cholesterol management
  • Heart failure treatment
  • Coronary artery disease treatment
  • Atrial fibrillation treatment

Lead investigators

  • Dr Colin Edwards
  • Dr Patrick Gladding
  • Dr Tony Scott
  • Dr Andrew To

Contacts (office hours only)

Enquiries to the Cardiology Research Unit coordinator Grainne McAnnalley or Cathy Hulbert:

 

Critical care and Intensive care unit

Critical care and Intensive care unit

Main areas of research

  • Community acquired pneumonia
  • Intravenous fluid therapy
  • Community cardiac arrest
  • Antibiotic therapy

Lead investigators

  • Dr Jonathan Casement
  • Dr Robert Everitt
  • Dr Ywain Lawrey
  • Dr Janet Liang
  • Dr Lesley Maher
  • Dr Duncan Reid

Contact

Hina Karim
ICU Research CNS
icuresearch@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Diabetes and Endocrinology

Diabetes and Endocrinology

Main areas of research

  • Diabetes research into novel therapeutic treatments in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes for glucose control
  • Cholesterol and weight management
  • Diabetes renal disease

Lead investigators

  • Dr Michelle Choe
  • Dr Catherine McNamara
  • Dr Carl Peters
  • Dr Simon Young

Contact (office hours only)

Narrinder Shergill
Clinical Nurse Specialist
narrinder.shergill@waitematadhb.govt.nz
021 453 579

Emergency medicine

Emergency medicine

Main areas of research

  • Simulation based learning
  • Epilepsy
  • Family violence interventions
  • Systems research
  • Positive psychology and wellbeing
  • Adverse events in the Emergency Department
  • Discrimination
  • Equity
  • Access to mental health care

Lead investigator

  • Dr Johanne Egan
  • Dr Andrew Ewens
  • Dr Kim Yates

Contact

Enquries to the Director of Emergency Medicine Research kim.yates@waitematadhb.govt.nz

 

Geriatrics

Geriatrics

Main areas of research

  • Frailty: quality and provision of care in residential aged care retirement villages and their residents – epidemiology, morbidity, service use
  • Diverticular disease
  • Driving in older people
  • Vital signs remote monitoring
  • Medicines optimisation in older people
  • Multiple comorbidity

Lead Investigators

Dr Katherine Bloomfield

Haematology

Haematology

Main areas of research

  • Malignant haematology
  • Lymphoma
  • Myeloma
  • Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
  • Castlemans disease

Lead Investigators

  • Dr Sophie Leitch (lead Research)
  • Dr Anna Elinder Camburn
  • Dr Eileen Merriman
  • Dr Merit Hanna
  • Dr Tom Sapsford
  • Dr Steven Shih, Research Fellow

Contact

Francisca Reed
Haematology Research Manager
francisca.reed@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Infectious diseases

Infectious diseases

Main areas of research

  • Diabetic foot infections
  • Endocarditis
  • Home parenteral antibiotics (OPIVA)
  • Surgical site infections in colorectal and orthopedic surgery
  • Clostridium difficile
  • COVID-19
  • Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia

Lead Investigators

  • Dr Nick Gow
  • Dr Hasan Bhally

Contact

Enquiries to hasan.bhally@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Interventional cardiology

Interventional cardiology

Main areas of research

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Invasive coronary diagnostic tests and therapy
  • Novel devices
  • Cutting edge technologies
  • Pharmacotherapies for use in percutaneous cardiovascular interventions

Lead Investigators

  • Dr Guy Armstrong
  • Dr Seif El-Jack
  • Dr Tim Glenie
  • Dr Ali Khan
  • Dr Bernard Wong

Contact (office hours only)

Hector Gonzales
Research Coordinator
hector.gonzales@waitematadhb.govt.nz
021 777 560

Māori Health — Tino Rangahau

Māori Health — Tino Rangahau

Tino Rangahau

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.

Main areas of research

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:

  • cancer
  • cardiology
  • diabetes
  • child and women’s health
  • mental health
  • genetics and genomic research projects.

Lead Investigators

  • Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish
  • Dr Jonathan Koea
  • Dr Helen Wihongi

Contact

Enquiries to the Director of Māori Health Research, email hkwresearch@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Mental health and addiction

Mental health and addiction

Clinical psychiatry and addiction

  • Alcohol and drug behaviour interventions
  • Neuroimaging
  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Depressive disorder
  • Psychoendocrinology
Lead Investigators
  • Dr Vicki Macfarlane
  • Dr Wayne Miles
  • Dr Frederick Sundram
Contact

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.

Contact (office hours only)
Prof Brian McKenna
021 100 093
brian.mckenna@aut.ac.nz

Orthopaedics

Orthopaedics

Main areas of research

  • Hip
  • Knee and shoulder arthroscopy
  • Joint replacement
  • Prevention of surgical site infection
  • Robotic surgical techniques

Lead Investigators

  • Mr Ali Bayan
  • Mr Robert Elliot
  • Mr Bill Farrington
  • Mr Peter Poon
  • Mr Robert Sharp
  • Mr Rupert Van Rooyen
  • Mr Matt Walker
  • Dr Min Yee Seow
  • Mr Simon Young

Contact (office hours only)

Nina Zeng
Research Coordinator
Nina.Zeng@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Idah Chatindiara
Research Coordinator (Mr Poon only)
Idah.Chatindiara@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Mei Lin Tay
Research Coordinator
MeiLin.Tay@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Otolaryngology

Otolaryngology

Main areas of research

  • Swallowing disorders in adults and children
  • Voice disorders
  • Aging effects on swallowing physiology
  • Impact of dysphagia on health care systems
  • Surgical management of voice and swallow disorders
  • Complex and acute airway management
  • Spasmodic and neurogenic voice disorders
  • Translational research in laryngology
  • Engineering approaches to model swallowing physiology
  • Reflux disease management
  • In office therapies and diagnostics
  • Impact of head and neck cancer on swallowing function
  • Osteoradionecrosis of the jaw following head and neck cancer treatment
  • Instrumental assessment of swallowing and optimizing quantitative swallowing metrics (videofluoroscopy, endoscopy and manometry)
  • Laser therapies for laryngeal disease

Lead Investigators

Dr Jacqueline Allen, Laryngologist

Contact

jacqueline.allen@waitematadhb.govt.nz

jeallen@voiceandswallow.co.nz

Public health

Public health

Main areas of research

  • Screening programmes
  • Health interventions
  • Smoking cessation
  • Diabetes self-management
  • Māori health gain
  • Employment for people with serious mental illness

Lead Investigators

Contact

Enquiries to research@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Renal

Renal

Main areas of research

  • Chronic kidney disease
  • End stage renal failure
  • Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN)

Lead Investigator

  • Dr Naveed Ahmed
  • Dr Janak de Zoysa
  • Dr Emad Maher

Rheumatology and stroke — Star unit

Rheumatology and stroke — Star unit

Main areas of research

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Psoriatic arthritis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
  • Stroke outcomes

Lead Investigators

  • Dr Nicholas Child
  • Dr Kristine Ng
  • Dr Joe Singh

Contact

Sue Austin
Research Nurse
StarUnit@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Speech-language therapy

Speech-language therapy

Main areas of research

  • Oro-pharyngeal dysphagia in adults
  • Aphasia
  • Apraxia of speech
  • Dysphagia and communication problems following head and neck cancer
  • Dysarthria and alternative augmentative communication use in adults
  • Neonatal and paediatric feeding and swallowing
  • Cleft palate
  • Early communication in tamariki with complex disabilities

Contact

Becca Hammond
Professional Clinical Leader SLT
becca.hammond@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Catherine Owen
Clinical Leader SLT, Child Health Services
catherine.owen@waitematadhb.govt.nz

Surgery

Surgery

Main areas of research

  • Upper gastrointestinal
  • Bariatric
  • Breast
  • Colorectal
  • Neuroendocrine and carcinoid tumours
  • Melanoma and skin cancer
  • Bio banking

Lead Investigators

  • Mr Michael Booth
  • Mr Richard Harman
  • Mr Mike Hulme-Moir
  • Mr Jonathan Koea
  • Mr Richard Martin
  • Dr Mike McCrystal Oncologist
  • Mr Siraj Rajaratnam

Contact (office hours only)

Sherry Nisbet
Surgical Research Nurse Specialist
09 486 8920 extension 47233
sherry.nisbet@waitematadhb.govt.nz