The perceptions of risk and management of infectious disease among Pacific Youth: To examine the role of social networks and social media for effective (and culturally relevant) communications

This project will contribute to the reduction of preventable infectious diseases among Pacific youth through the development of culturally relevant public health information disseminated via social media network sites. The focus is Rheumatic Fever, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, COVID-19, sexually transmitted infections and sexually transmitted diseases.

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Principal Investigator
Sir Collin Tukuitonga
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa - Centre for Pacific and Global Health (University of Auckland)
Public Contact
Kim Thomas
teniwhacomms@otago.ac.nz
Project Timeframe/Status
-
In Process

Whakarāpopoto Rangahau Summary of Research

Public health messages are an important component of health promotion. To this end, researchers will work with Pacific networks of stakeholders and communities of young people to generate an in-depth understanding of how young people perceive preventable infectious diseases. They will then co-create a series of messages, assess how these messages are received, and how they penetrate within and across social networks. Working with Pacific Youth will allow the researchers – and ultimately policymakers and public health agencies – to better understand how to use social media platforms to shift social norms around infectious disease prevention. 

Anecdotally, the Pacific Islands diaspora communities seem to be heavily reliant on social media to connect.  This research will be one of the first to develop and explore use of existing social media networks to disseminate messages within a small island setting with a close connection to family networks in a neighbouring country of residence (New Zealand). If as effective as a mechanism for reliable, cost-effective health communications, this approach could be applied to many other priority issues such as immunisation.

 

The project consists of three phases:

  • Phase 1 (quantitative) cross-sectional research with up to 800 Pacific youth in the Auckland region using a structured, standardised questionnaire. This includes exploration of social media and social networks for the Pacific youth. 
  • Phase 2 (qualitative) with up to 20 focus groups (of up to 10 youth in each) and fono. The focus groups will explore in-depth issues that emerge from the survey, literature, and advisory group and identify the barriers and enablers to access services, as well as effective information and communications. 
  • Phase 3 will develop implementable recommendations, in co-design with Pacific youth, for policy and practice with respect to the surveillance, prevention and control of the focus infectious diseases and others. These will be translated into Cook Islands, Tonga, and Niue languages. The developed messages will be selected based on the priorities from the focus groups, and situational gap analysis / literature review whereby paucities of resources and messaging for Pacific youth will be made clear.

Te Hiranga a Rangahau Research Impact

The NZ Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Health and Disability System Response Plan identified Pacific peoples as a priority population, requiring targeted support. A Pacific Health Response Plan identified as priorities in the response for Pacific communities: clear, consistent, and accessible communication of national measures with respect to both language and cultural barriers; and engaging Pacific community leaders, youth groups, and clinicians to enhance Pacific communities’ faith and trust in the health system to foster compliance with government instructions and measures. An approach has been developed to ensure that knowledge, information, and key messages would travel both ‘top down’ to facilitate a national response, and ‘ground up’ to feed back about the specific needs of Pacific youth and communities. 

Conducting research on Pacific youth and infectious diseases strengthens New Zealand's research capability by expanding expertise in the generation of Pacific knowledges around infectious disease risk factors and prevention strategies that utilise cultural relevant modes of communication. We will be using methods designed to collaborate with existing community networks, with the aid of digital tools, to ensure that there is effective reach and receptivity of infectious disease communications. The use of methods such as social network mapping and diffusion of innovation theory, will build team skills and capabilities that can be applied to other infectious disease threats. This approach ensures that the research project contributes to the overall capacity to respond effectively to emerging health challenges.

This research will: 

  • Produce greater understanding of how diverse Pacific youth groups manage the risk of infectious diseases (including COVID-19) and access and use health promotion, prevention and clinical services.
  • Explore in depth the barriers and enablers to health services and better understand Pacific youth perceptions of infectious diseases as it pertains to their social networks and social media. 
  • Develop implementable recommendations that will improve health policy for infectious diseases surveillance, prevention and control, and service delivery. 
  • Make a significant contribution to Pacific health methodological research literature in combining rigorous methods for policy making and health services research and partnering with Pacific stakeholders and end users. 
  • Work alongside international partners in the region to transfer and share learnings as appropriate, and scalable, to inform their health praxis and preparedness for pandemics. 
  • Build the capacity and capability of Pacific researchers from early career upwards and provide opportunities for Pacific youth to enter into these spaces with equitable resource, and access to Pacific leaders in the space to provide mentorship, professional and personal development. 
  • An amalgam of impacts will lead to better health outcomes for Pacific people who are disproportionately impacted by infectious diseases.
Te Niwha

Kairangahau Research Personnel

Sir Collin Tukuitonga
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health)
Principal Investigator

Assoc Prof Dr Judith McCool
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health)
Co-investigator

Dr Roannie Ng Shiu
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health)
Co-investigator

Dame Teuila Percival
KidzFirst, Moana Connect, Southseas Healthcare, University of Auckland
Expert Advisory Group

Dr Api Talemaitoga
Expert Advisory Group

Dr Gerard Sonder
Pacific Perspectives
Quantitative

Nalei Taufa
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health)
Research Operations Manager

 

Lois Chu Ling
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health)
Senior Research Operations Coordinator

Luisa Taufa
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health)
Project Coordinator

Dr Jason Tautasi
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health)
Project Manager

Alisi Tameifuna
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health
Research Assistant (part-time)

Raymond Maama
Research Assistant (part-time)

Lisi Malia Pereira
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health
Research Assistant (part-time)

Jay Chu Ling
Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa (Centre for Pacific and Global Health)
Research Assistant (part-time)