Research funded in 2016/2017

Infant feeding in New Zealand: Adherence to the national food and nutrition guidelines.

Research focus:

• What proportion of New Zealand infants are fed according to national Infant Feeding Guidelines?
• Does adherence to the national Infant Feeding Guidelines correlate with different socio-demographic characteristics?

Teresa Gontijo de Castro, and Sarah Gerritson, University of Auckland

Ministry of Health

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Read the media release about this report

Adverse childhood experiences and school readiness outcomes: Results from the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) study

and

Protective factors of children and families at highest risk of adverse childhood experiences: An analysis of children and families in the GUiNZ data who “beat the odds”.

Research focus:

• To explore the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their impact on school readiness among children in New Zealand.
• To establish clusters of protective factors that complement the risk factor view of families.

Professor Rhema Vaithianathan, Auckland University of Technology

Ministry of Social Development

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Read the media release about these reports. 

Predictive modelling of respiratory hospitalisations in early childhood.

Research focus:

• Identifying interactions, thresholds and hierarchies in the relationship between potential risk factors and respiratory hospitalisations in early childhood.
• Developing a robust predictive model that quantifies these relationships and identifies the areas of most influence on respiratory hospitalisations.
• Providing policy scenarios and recommendations that succinctly translate the technical results into ‘so what’ findings for policy-makers.

Chris Schilling, KPMG

Social Investment Agency

This research report did not meet MSD’s requirements for published research and as such we have decided to not publish it. However, it is available from the researcher by emailing Chris Schilling.

Does social connectedness buffer the impact of family transitions among vulnerable youth? A longitudinal investigation with GUiNZ data.

Research focus:

• Family transitions influencing vulnerability and health outcomes of the child over time.
• Whether social connectedness buffers against the impact of family transitions and vulnerability on various health and adjustment outcomes for family members.

Professor Paul Jose, Victoria University Centre for the Study of Families

Oranga Tamariki

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Read more about the key findings

Analysis of early childhood development outcomes and the association of alcohol exposure during pregnancy.

Research focus:

• Health, wellbeing, psychosocial and cognitive development of the GUiNZ cohort at 4 years of age.
• Building on knowledge about the impact of alcohol in pregnancy on children’s cognitive and behavioural outcomes
• Testing whether the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and other questionnaire information is sufficient to use to screen for neurodevelopmental delay, to assist in early intervention.

Dr Gail Kelly, NZ Institute of Economic Research, and Dr Debbie McLeod, Malatest International

Ministry of Health

This research report did not meet MSD’s requirements for published research and as such we have decided to not publish it. However, it is available from the researcher by emailing Eilya Torshizian.

Investigating the effects of screen time on preschool health and development:

Research focus:

• Examining temporal trends in the duration and type of screen usage across 2 years, 45 months and 54 months in the GUiNZ cohort.
• Determining the association between screen usage at 2 years of age and a range of physical, behavioural, and social outcomes at 4 years of age in the GUiNZ cohort.

Associate Professor Scott Duncan, Auckland University of Technology                                     

Ministry of Health

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Read the media release about this report.

Are New Zealand children meeting the Ministry of Health guidelines for sleep?

Research focus:

• How many New Zealand children are meeting the Ministry of Health guidelines for sufficient good quality sleep over time?
• What social and demographic factors are associated with New Zealand children meeting or not meeting the sleep guidelines?

Associate Professor Leigh Signal, Massey University

Ministry of Health

Intentions and decisions about early childhood education (ECE): Understanding the determinants and dynamics of households’ early intentions and decisions about ECE and childcare from birth to age two

Research focus:

• How do mothers choose and use early ECE for their child aged 0-2 years?

• What is the link between workforce participation and use of ECE services?
  
  
• Do postnatal decisions about ECE differ from antenatal intentions?

Dr Kane Meissel and Dr Elizabeth Peterson, University of Auckland

Ministry of Education

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Read the media release about this report

Pacific family violence: Building resilient Pacific families.

Research focus:

• Determining the prevalence of family violence among the Pacific GUiNZ families and identify the risk and protective factors relevant to preventing it and enhancing Pacific family resilience to family violence and related harms.

Dr Debbie McLeod, Malatest International and NZIER

Ministry of Social Development

The research report did not meet MSD’s requirements for published research.