The principal scientific journal for the profession in New Zealand

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

State of general practice in New Zealand
Artificial intelligence in medicine: Promethean moment or Pandora’s box?

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

Exploring older peoples' attitudes and preferences around the use of their healthcare information

Cristian Andres Gonzalez-Prieto, Daniel Wilson, Gillian Dobbie, Claudia Rivera-Rodriguez, Susan Yates, Reshmi Rai-Bala, Tara Puspitarini Sani, Rosie Dobson, Sarah Jane Cullum

Although routinely collected de-identified data can provide valuable knowledge about the epidemiological characteristics of common chronic diseases in New Zealand, these data have tended to be used without individual consent. To date, there has been little research into peoples’ opinions about the use and treatment of their health information.

ARTICLE

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

Exploring the impact of e-learning modules and webinars on health professionals’ understanding of the End of Life Choice Act 2019: a secondary analysis of Manatū Hauora – Ministry of Health workforce survey

Aida Dehkhoda, Rosemary Frey, Melissa Carey, Xuepeng Jing, Jackie Robinson, Frederick Sundram, Nicholas R Hoeh, Susan Bull, David Benjamin Menkes, Gary Cheung

Health workforce training has been regarded as essential to maintain high-quality standards of care and to ensure the safety of providers and recipients of care. Training in newly regulated healthcare, such as assisted dying (AD), can support translating the legislation into practice.

ARTICLE

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

Non-attendance at diabetic retinal screening in Te Tai Tokerau, Northland, Aotearoa New Zealand

Laura E Wolpert, Christopher HJA Sadler, Andrew R Watts, David M Dalziel

Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness among working-age adults in high-income countries, with an increasing age-standardised prevalence globally. Loss of vision may be avoided through early evaluation of retinopathy via screening, prompting timely referral for assessment and intervention by an ophthalmologist.

ARTICLE

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

How young people in Aotearoa perceive vaping and the associated oral health risks

Hillary Hang, Rosie Dobson, Judith McCool

The use of electronic cigarettes (EC) or vaping among young people has escalated, not just in Aotearoa, but globally, in jurisdictions where the products are accessible. Although current regulations in Aotearoa prohibit the sale of vaping products to anyone under the age of 18 years, previous research has shown that vaping is becoming increasingly popular among adolescents (15–17 years old).

ARTICLE

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

A retrospective observational study of the management of non-traumatic dental presentations at a tertiary centre in New Zealand: a Choosing Wisely approach

Calum Fisher, Oliver Sutcliffe, Peter Coghlan, Andrew McCombie, Laura Joyce

Toothache, dental abscesses and other non-traumatic dental presentations (NTDPs) are a common presentation to emergency departments (EDs) in New Zealand. The lack of accessible and affordable primary dental care has been linked to the increased presentation of NTDPs to hospitals, locally and internationally, with ethnic minorities and the most financially deprived being over-represented.

ARTICLE

Vol 136 No 1581: 25 August 2023

Endometrial cancer diagnoses prompted by routine cervical cytology: a retrospective case study

Rhiannon CE Mertens, Peter H Sykes, Carrie R Innes, Bryony J Simcock, Simone Petrich

The purpose of the New Zealand National Cervical Screening Programme (NCSP) is to detect abnormalities of the cervix by 3-yearly screening utilising liquid-based cytology. However, it has also had a role in the incidental diagnosis of endometrial cancer.

ARTICLE

Vol 136 No 1581: 25 August 2023

Administration of Routine Antenatal Anti-D Prophylaxis (RAADP) in Wellington, Aotearoa: is our practice equitable?

Zoe Lahood, Judy Ormandy

Pregnant people who have a Rhesus-negative blood type are at risk of developing antibodies against Rhesus-positive foetal red blood cells (sensitisation), if there is crossover of foetal cells into the maternal circulation. This can result in a condition called haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN), causing symptoms ranging in severity from foetal anaemia to hydrops foetalis, stillbirth or neonatal death.

ARTICLE

Vol 136 No 1581: 25 August 2023

Equity of Māori access to the orthopaedic rehabilitation service of the Bay of Plenty: a cross-sectional survey

Lachlan Cate, Nigel Giles, Bert van der Werf

To date there has been one Aotearoa New Zealand study into the extent of rehabilitation access after total joint arthroplasty. Notably, the study elucidated a trend toward poorer rehabilitation access in rural areas.

ARTICLE

Vol 136 No 1581: 25 August 2023

Caregiver experiences of racism and child mental health outcomes: cross-sectional analysis from Aotearoa New Zealand

Rebekah Jaung, Chao Li, Ricci Bernette Harris, Sarah-Jane Paine

Alongside personal experiences of racism, racism can be experienced indirectly or vicariously through the experiences of other individuals or groups. Vicarious racism is proposed to impact on children’s perception of the world as being fair and just, thus negatively impacting on their sense of mental wellbeing (mental and socio-emotional health).

ARTICLE

Vol 136 No 1581: 25 August 2023

Patients’ and clinicians’ views on shared decision making in cancer care: a qualitative study of Aotearoa New Zealand patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives | OPEN ACCESS

Karol J Czuba, Rachel Owens, Pieta A Brown, Te Hao Apaapa-Timu, R Matthew Strother, Ryan P Radecki

Shared decision making (SDM) is the collaboration between patients and healthcare providers to make care decisions based on the available medical evidence in accordance with patients’ values and preferences.

EDITORIAL

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

State of general practice in New Zealand

Bryan Betty, Les Toop, Jo Scott-Jones

If general practice fails then the health system fails.

EDITORIAL

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

Artificial intelligence in medicine: Promethean moment or Pandora’s box?

Tim Eglinton, Isaac Tranter-Entwistle, Saxon Connor

Does the transformative power of AI hold out hope for the future of healthcare, or have we opened a Pandora’s box that will create more problems for the system than it solves?

EDITORIAL

Vol 136 No 1581: 25 August 2023

The rise (and possible fall) of ketamine treatment in New Zealand

Ben Beaglehole, James Foulds, Roger Mulder

In this editorial we outline the current status of ketamine in the treatment of mental illness in New Zealand and how we see it is evolving.

EDITORIAL

Vol 136 No 1580: 4 August 2023

Is it time to reduce the age of screening for colorectal cancer?

Oliver Waddell, Tamara Glyn, Frank Frizelle

The incidence of bowel cancer in people aged under 50 in Aotearoa New Zealand is increasing. This is part of a worldwide trend that is occurring despite the overall incidence of bowel cancer decreasing in many countries.

EDITORIAL

Vol 136 No 1578: 7 July 2023

Cancer screening and better clinical diagnosis should not be in competition

Mark Elwood

In this volume of the Journal, we publish two articles that raise a challenging issue: how can we manage a screening programme and also protect or enhance the normal process of clinical diagnosis?

EDITORIAL

Vol 136 No 1577: 16 June 2023

Medical privilege in the law of evidence in Aotearoa New Zealand

Ruth Campbell

When can information obtained in the course of medical examination or treatment be admitted and used in criminal proceedings? How is the law working in practice? Is reform necessary or desirable?

EDITORIAL

Vol 136 No 1576: 26 May 2023

Time for action, not words: the urgent rebuilding of New Zealand’s mental health workforce

James A Foulds, Ben Beaglehole, Roger T Mulder

There is overwhelming agreement that New Zealand faces a health workforce crisis, although one might argue that, like our workforce, the word “crisis” is getting worn out from overuse.

VIEWPOINT

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

Low and intermediate risk aortic dissection detection risk score and negative D-dimer: a word of caution

Steve Waqanivavalagi

Acute aortic syndrome (AAS) comprises acute aortic dissection, intramural haematoma and penetrating aortic ulcer. Together with aortic rupture and aortic embolus, AAS remains a life-threatening vascular emergency for emergency department (ED) patients presenting with chest, back, or abdominal pain.

VIEWPOINT

Vol 136 No 1581: 25 August 2023

Low risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease transmission from blood transfusions in Aotearoa New Zealand suggests donor exclusion policies can be relaxed

David T S Hayman, Michael G Baker

On 23 February 2023, the Aotearoa New Zealand blood service urgently needed blood. This shortage came after the service estimated in 2022 that it required 40,000 more donors in 2023 to meet demand; yet, currently, New Zealand excludes potential donors who lived in the United Kingdom (UK) for 6 months or more (cumulative time) between 1980 and 1996 due to the potential for these people to be infected with variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD).

VIEWPOINT

Vol 136 No 1580: 4 August 2023

Voices for health: going, going, going…

Boyd Swinburn

This time last year, I was feeling quite optimistic about the potential for real action on improved public health from this Government. We were entering a new phase for health as the Simpson report was about to be implemented on steroids, with its explicit priorities on population health and joined-up health structures for improved health equity.

VIEWPOINT

Vol 136 No 1580: 4 August 2023

Abortion law in Aotearoa New Zealand

Felicity Goodyear-Smith

Throughout history, many women have found themselves unhappily pregnancy through a variety of circumstances. Until recent times, the choices to address this were limited, and consequences were often dire.

VIEWPOINT

Vol 136 No 1578: 7 July 2023

Towards a national equitable and sustainable clinical research infrastructure for Aotearoa New Zealand

Lisa Stamp, Matire Harwood, Stuart Dalziel, Tom Love, David Moore, Kelvin Woock, Katrina Sharples, Frank H Bloomfield

Aotearoa New Zealand does not invest as effectively as it could, and should, in clinical trial research, nor in health research generally when compared to Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Thus, we do not realise the significant potential benefits of clinical trial research for the people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

VIEWPOINT

Vol 136 No 1578: 7 July 2023

The planning of cancer screening programmes

Brian Cox, Gil Barbezat, Murray Pfeifer, Alice Macklow, Dave MacKay, Melissa Vining, Phil Bagshaw

For a cancer screening programme to be a major advance in the control of cancer in the population, it must be properly organised and resourced. New Zealand has three important national cancer screening programmes, but unfortunately each has had troubled beginnings.

VIEWPOINT

Vol 136 No 1578: 7 July 2023

Who does not benefit from our national breast screening programme and who should have oversight?

Ineke Meredith, Ross Lawrenson

The recent report on the delays for mammography encountered by women in the Wellington Region reminds us that the organisation of cancer screening is far from straightforward. Screening can reduce mortality from cancer, but it is costly, and the benefits are many years in the future.

LETTER

Vol 136 No 1576: 26 May 2023

An initial exploration into the benefits of a proactive post-COVID-19 health check | OPEN ACCESS

Fiona Pienaar, Ruth Large

While the sequelae of COVID infection has been given various names, in December 2022 the World Health Organization (WHO) defined the post-COVID-19 condition (commonly known as long COVID) as “the continuation or development of new symptoms 3 months after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with these symptoms lasting for at least 2 months with no other explanation.”

LETTER

Vol 136 No 1576: 26 May 2023

Emergency department point-of-care ultrasound in forearm fracture management

Andrew Russell Munro

Shaye Seefried et al., in their paper Paediatric forearm fractures manipulated in the emergency department: incidence and risk factors for re-manipulation under general anaesthesia, show a high rate of reduction failure in forearm fractures in children in the Starship Hospital Emergency Department (ED).

LETTER

Vol 136 No 1574: 28 April 2023

Vaping in Aotearoa New Zealand teens remains problematic: stronger regulations and education warranted

Jonathan Cox, Ben Wamamili, Philip Pattemore

E-cigarette use (vaping) by Aotearoa New Zealand youth continues to trend upwards. Vapes are promoted in Aotearoa New Zealand as a less harmful source of nicotine for current smokers who have unsuccessfully attempted to quit. However, non-smokers face increased risks if they begin to vape.

LETTER

Vol 136 No 1574: 28 April 2023

Prehabilitation for patients with cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand

Hanna van Waart, Marta Seretny

Historically, rest and outright inactivity were recommended for patients with cancer. However, over the last two decades research has highlighted the benefits of physical activity during the cancer continuum, so much so that the American College of Sports Medicine is running an ‘Exercise Is Medicine’ initiative.

LETTER

Vol 136 No 1573: 14 April 2023

Amoebic colitis masquerading as inflammatory bowel disease for a decade

Sailish Honap, Simon Anderson

Entamoeba histolytica colitis is a classical inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mimic. Although early misdiagnosis is common, diagnostic delay for a decade, including prolonged immunosuppressive therapy, is rare.

LETTER

Vol 136 No 1572: 24 March 2023

Consent for teaching—response to Rennie et al.

Ben Gray

I agree with Rennie et al.; patient autonomy is important. Central to this debate is the tension between the ideal, what is happening and what is possible.

LETTER

Vol 136 No 1570: 17 February 2023

Welcoming the Medical Council’s review of doctors and health-related commercial organisations: more is needed to ensure financial factors never influence patient care

Adrian Balasingam

In September 2022, the Medical Council of New Zealand released a consultation paper suggesting that referrals to a facility where a doctor has a financial interest should only occur where there is no suitable alternative that meets the patient’s needs. As independent radiologists, we strongly believe that financial factors should never influence decisions relating to patient care.

BOOK REVIEW

Vol 135 No 1550: 25 February 2022

This pākehā life: an unsettled memoir

Kaaren Mathias

This pākehā life: an unsettled memoir is a candid memoir by Alison Jones, who currently is a Professor in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland in the school of Māori and Indigenous Education, Te Puna Wānanga.

BOOK REVIEW

Vol 134 No 1532: 26 March 2021

Perfection: The life and times of Sir William Manchester

Saxon Connor

I recently spent a weekend in Martinborough and as many people do spent some time browsing the local bookshop.

BOOK REVIEW

Vol 133 No 1527: 18 December 2020

From Southland to Surgery: A Journey around Values

Richard Acland

Professor John Morton has not only written an intriguing catalogue of the Christchurch surgical scene in the latter part of the 20th century, but has also provided a well-considered philosophy for medical care.

BOOK REVIEW

Vol 133 No 1521: 4 September 2020

My Life in Public Health

Frank Frizelle

In the time of Covid, some of the superheroes of the health sector are the public health physicians. This book outlines the active and varied personal and professional life of one New Zealand public health physician.

BOOK REVIEW

Vol 132 No 1489: 1 February 2019

Mind That Child; A Medical Memoir

Frank Frizelle

This a book that recounts the experience of the Auckland Starship’s paediatrician Dr Simon Rowley over his professional lifetime.

BOOK REVIEW

Vol 132 No 1488: 18 January 2019

Fat Off; the Right Way A clever and sustainable eating guide for weight loss and healthy living

Frank Frizelle

Paul Anderson is a New Zealander who trained in general surgery and works part-time in Australia and part-time in New Zealand.

BOOK REVIEW

Vol 132 No 1488: 18 January 2019

The Art of Recovery: six personal journeys

Frank Frizelle

As an editor you receive books for review, which are sent to suitable people following an email agreement to review.

The principal scientific journal for the profession in New Zealand

Vol 136 No 1582: 15 September 2023

A retrospective observational study of the management of non-traumatic dental presentations at a tertiary centre in New Zealand: a Choosing Wisely approach

State of general practice in New Zealand

Artificial intelligence in medicine: Promethean moment or Pandora’s box?

How young people in Aotearoa perceive vaping and the associated oral health risks

Exploring older peoples' attitudes and preferences around the use of their healthcare information

Exploring the impact of e-learning modules and webinars on health professionals’ understanding of the End of Life Choice Act 2019: a secondary analysis of Manatū Hauora – Ministry of Health workforce survey

Non-attendance at diabetic retinal screening in Te Tai Tokerau, Northland, Aotearoa New Zealand

How young people in Aotearoa perceive vaping and the associated oral health risks

A retrospective observational study of the management of non-traumatic dental presentations at a tertiary centre in New Zealand: a Choosing Wisely approach

Endometrial cancer diagnoses prompted by routine cervical cytology: a retrospective case study

Administration of Routine Antenatal Anti-D Prophylaxis (RAADP) in Wellington, Aotearoa: is our practice equitable?

Equity of Māori access to the orthopaedic rehabilitation service of the Bay of Plenty: a cross-sectional survey

Caregiver experiences of racism and child mental health outcomes: cross-sectional analysis from Aotearoa New Zealand

Patients’ and clinicians’ views on shared decision making in cancer care: a qualitative study of Aotearoa New Zealand patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives | OPEN ACCESS

State of general practice in New Zealand

Artificial intelligence in medicine: Promethean moment or Pandora’s box?

The rise (and possible fall) of ketamine treatment in New Zealand

Is it time to reduce the age of screening for colorectal cancer?

Cancer screening and better clinical diagnosis should not be in competition

Medical privilege in the law of evidence in Aotearoa New Zealand

Time for action, not words: the urgent rebuilding of New Zealand’s mental health workforce

Low and intermediate risk aortic dissection detection risk score and negative D-dimer: a word of caution

Low risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease transmission from blood transfusions in Aotearoa New Zealand suggests donor exclusion policies can be relaxed

Voices for health: going, going, going…

Abortion law in Aotearoa New Zealand

Towards a national equitable and sustainable clinical research infrastructure for Aotearoa New Zealand

The planning of cancer screening programmes

Who does not benefit from our national breast screening programme and who should have oversight?

An initial exploration into the benefits of a proactive post-COVID-19 health check | OPEN ACCESS

Emergency department point-of-care ultrasound in forearm fracture management

Vaping in Aotearoa New Zealand teens remains problematic: stronger regulations and education warranted

Prehabilitation for patients with cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand

Amoebic colitis masquerading as inflammatory bowel disease for a decade

Consent for teaching—response to Rennie et al.

Welcoming the Medical Council’s review of doctors and health-related commercial organisations: more is needed to ensure financial factors never influence patient care

This pākehā life: an unsettled memoir

Perfection: The life and times of Sir William Manchester

From Southland to Surgery: A Journey around Values

My Life in Public Health

Mind That Child; A Medical Memoir

Fat Off; the Right Way A clever and sustainable eating guide for weight loss and healthy living

The Art of Recovery: six personal journeys

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