News
World Smokefree Day
World Smokefree Day is celebrated every year on May 31.
Drinking more alcohol during the pandemic? Reseachers launch free app to help people reduce their alcohol use
Many people have increased their alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic, often because they want to relax, are bored, stressed or anxious
New app for people experiencing gambling problems
The National Institute for Health Innovation (NIHI) has developed a new app called Manaaki for people experiencing harms or problems from their gam
Celebrating International Nurses Day
Every year on 12 May, we celebrate the all important work of nurses around the world.
NIHI has been awarded an important MAS grant
We are happy to announce that NIHI has been awarded $16,000 from the MAS Foundation to develop an online platform that will distribute info
Did you know that ZOOM fatigue is a real thing?
Zoom Fatigue (substitute zoom with Teams, Skype etc…) is real!
Household chaos and the impact on the wellbeing of children
Household chaos, represented by the level of disorganisation or environmental confusion in the home, has been associated with a range of adverse ch
A refreshed look and feel for SPARX
SPARX, the e-therapy tool provided by the University of Auckland, has just been updated with a refreshed look.
World Health Day - Celebrate the nurses & midwives
As part of the WHO World Health Day, today 7 April we celebrate the significant work of nurses and midwives.
Professor Chris Bullen on TenCent news feature
Our Director, Professor Chris Bullen made an appearance at Ten Cent news to discuss recent developments on Gamification.
NIHI’s latest actions to support Govt. and COVID-19 response
Professor Chris Bullen has been appointed as a member of the Technical Advisory Group’s epidemiology sub-group, to provide advice and expert commen
NIHI acts rapidly to respond to COVID-19
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 NIHI has been working to develop proposals and innovative tools to support essential services and the Government whe
‘MyTeen’ on RNZ - Click to listen
Researcher Dr Joanna Chu joined in Nine to Noon show to talk about 'MyTeen' and
Congratulations to Associate Professor Robyn Whittaker
A recent review of 20 years of research into digital health behaviour change technology has found NIHI's Associate Professor Robyn Whittaker to hav
Healthier Lives Project Awarded
Congratulations to Prof Cliona Ni Mhurchu and her project team on being awarded funding by the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge to evalua
In 2015, the Ministry of Health requested that all New Zealand District Health Boards (DHBs) implement a healthy food and drink organisational Poli
Digital Health Week conference – HiNZ 2019
Digital Health Week NZ features over a range of events and workshops, catering to the various professions and topics within digital health.
Between 20 and 22 November, 1,400 delegates headed to Hamilton to attend the Digital Health Week conference – HiNZ 2019.
Exploring perspectives around youth well-being, parenting, and parenting support
Development of MyTeen Text Messaging Program to Support Parents of Adolescents: Qualitative Study
Parents play an important role in the lives of adolescents, and supporting and addressing the needs of families continue to be the focus of many re
Finding our way out of ‘quick and dirty’ social media
"No, we are not 100 percent certain of the impact social media is having on our well-being and the well-being of those around us.
Dr Samantha Marsh recently wrote a piece for Newsroom about how we interpret use of social media and its impact on our lives.
Digital Health Week
Join us at HiNZ Digital Health Week.
Digital Health Week NZ runs from Monday 18 November to Friday 22 November 2019, at Claudelands in Hamilton.
NIHI is on the move
NIHI will soon be relocating to University of Auckland's Grafton campus from 25 November 2019.
We're excited to announce that we will be moving into our new home in Grafton in late November.
Growing Health Innovation with Manoj Alwis
NIHI turns 30 this year. That’s 30 years of ground-breaking work that has help shape research, informed policy and driven innovation.
What were you doing 30 years ago?
Growing Health Innovation with Dr Joanna Chu
NIHI turns 30 this year. That’s 30 years of ground-breaking work that has help shape research, informed policy and driven innovation.
What were you doing 30 years ago?
Celebrating 30 Years of NIHI
On Monday 9th September, over 150 attendees registered to attend a full day conference at Grafton Campus, to recognise NIHI’s 30th
Nicotine-based vapes, plus patches most effective method to quit smoking: new study
A new study has discovered nicotine-filled vapes could help people give up smoking faster.
Growing Health Innovation with Dr Rosie Dobson
NIHI turns 30 this year. That’s 30 years of ground-breaking work that has help shape research, informed policy and driven innovation.
What were you doing 30 years ago?
New Zealand’s Waitematā DHB develops Digital Academy
Honorary Assoc.
Starship launches app that will help combat antibiotic resistance challenges
Recently we partnered with Starship Hospital to create a children-specific version of our successful adult antibiotic prescription app, Script.
EngageBot at ISRII 2019
18 February 2019
At the recent International Society for Research on Internet Interventions (ISRII) in Auckland, one of our chatbot developers, Dr Jamal Zolhavarieh presented our project EngageBot.
RuFIT Continues
4 June 2019
Rewarding. Challenging. Fun. That's how our recent participants have described the RuFIT Programme.
After several rounds of our RuFIT programme, we're excited to be looping back to begin another 12-weeks with The Blues.
Rugby Fans in Training New Zealand (RuFIT-NZ)
Are you a fan of professional rugby? Want to get fit? You may be eligible to take part in a free healthy lifestyle programme being run through the Blues, the Highlanders and the Crusaders.
Books4Tonga
10 June 2019
Books4Tonga is a charity that has been set up to establish village libraries in Tonga to enhance the writing, reading and speaking of English.
Smoking among young teens nearly stubbed out - survey
4 April 2019
Smoking among young teen students appears close to being stubbed out, a new survey suggests.
Growing Health Innovation with Helen Eyles
20 August 2019
Thinking back, where were you 30 years ago when NIHI was first forming?
We were all there supporting each other to achieve our own goal but as a group - RuFIT-NZ Study
18 April 2019
“They didn’t treat us as unfit people. They treated us as equals. They saw us as a group of guys prepared to come, listen and change.”
PDH and HRC Announce Postdoctoral Fellowship Recipient in Data-Driven Precision Health
20 May 2019
Congratulations to Dr Rosie Dobson, who has become the first recipient of the joint Postdoctoral Fellowship from Precision Driven Health (PDH) and
What is the best way to use nicotine replacement therapy to quit smoking?
23 April 2019
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a medicine that is available as skin patches, chewing gum, nasal and oral sprays, inhalers, lozenges and tablets that deliver nicotine to the brain.
Growing Health Innovation with Dr Natalie Walker
26 August 2019
Thinking back to when NIHI was first formed, what were you doing at the time?
SPARX Goes Global
29 April 2019
On an April morning in Iqaluit, Ayesha Eyegetok sits down to test-drive a new video game. The scenery of snow and rock resembles the Nunavut landscape. A stone centrepiece fountain is decorated with arctic animals, including a narwhal. The characters are Inuit men and women, standing in traditional, fur-lined parkas, waiting for the player to begin a quest that teaches lessons in mindfulness and coping strategies.
NIHI successful in latest HRC funding round
NIHI researchers have been successful in the latest Health Research Council funding rounds being awarded funding for a programme and two project grants.
Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu has been awarded a programme grant to test the health impact of supermarket strategies and Health Star Rating labels. The research team will look at strategies to support healthier diets across four different domains; at an individual level, government level, food industry level and public health level.
World Smokefree Day 2019
15 May 2019
Every year, on 31 May, is an opportunity to highlight World Smokefree Day.
Kiwi women are continuing to drink when pregnant, according to fresh figures from the Growing Up in NZ Study
NIHI's Professor Chris Bullen speaks to Jack Tame on Breakfast about the results of fresh figures from the Growing Up in NZ Study, showing Kiwi women are continuing to drink when pregnant, with 23 per cent drinking in their first trimester.
COVID-19 UPDATE, 15th April 2020
NIHI’s response to COVID-19
Professor Chris Bullen’s involvement in the COVID-19 response
Our Director, Professor Chris Bullen along with other Epidemiological experts from the University of Auckland are working on using datasets available from the IDI to model where potential future COVID-19 ‘hotspots’ may occur.
The 2017 Global Burden of Disease study released this week
16 November 2018
“The 2017 Global Burden of Disease study released this week indicates that our focus at NIHI on discovering innovative interventions to tackle the non-communicable disease and their risk factors is right on the mark,” says NIHI Director, Professor Chris Bullen.
Clinical Trials Day 2019
23 May 2019
Clinical Trials Day is celebrated around the world in May to recognize the day that James Lin started what is often considered the first randomized
Fellowships Success at NIHI
It’s been a stand out year for NIHI’s emerging researchers according to NIHI Director Professor Chris Bullen.
He waka eke noa Better Together
27 May 2019
This event was hosted by A Better Start – E tipu e Rea – National Science Challenge.
Recruitment for free healthy lifestyle programme opens
Are you a fan of rugby? Want to get fit? You may be eligible to take part in a free healthy lifestyle programme being run through the Blues and the Highlanders.
We are looking for male rugby fans who are interested in improving their health and fitness to take part in RUFIT-NZ, a 12-week healthy lifestyle programme delivered through professional rugby clubs. In order to participate, you will need to be 30-65 years old and be overweight.
NIHI at ISRII 2019
21 February 2019
NIHI’s work was showcased at the recent ISRII (International Society for Research on Internet Interventions) 10th Scientific Meeting. The international conference brought together experts from around the world in digital health research, including researchers, developers, clinicians, policy and practice leaders, engineers and computer scientists from across the public and private sectors. Presentations included:
The Wellbeing Budget
6 June 2019
“The Coalition Government has signalled major new investments in mental health and addictions, an area where NIHI has much to offer with our innova
Hāraurau ngā purapura hou kia puāwai - Watch our new seeds blossom
13 May 2019 | UPDATE
This study has now closed recruitment. You can still visit our webpage to find out more but no further downloads of the app will be possible. Thank you to all of those who are participating.
2 April 2019
"Wanting the best for our children is what I, and all parents and whānau, want," says Gayl Humphrey, the lead investigator in our See How They Grow study.
Activity and Nutrition Aotearoa Conference
11 Jun 2019
Recently, some of our team attended the Activity and Nutrition Aotearoa (ANA) Conference.
Three of our researchers, Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu, Dr Leanne Young and Dr Helen Eyles, recently attended the Activity and Nutrition Aotearoa Co
Energy labelling for alcoholic beverages
16 April 2019
Do we need energy labelling on our alcohol packaging? Does it impact on people's purchasing and consumption of alcohol? Some of the team here at NIHI recently set to work to find out more about what, if any, impact labels showing kilojoules or calories would have if they were including on alcohol packaging.
Eat My Lunch
20 Aug 2019
The NIHI team recently wanted to give back to the local community.
Fresh, people-led approach for smokefree communities
Recently, some of our researchers worked closely with the team at Hāpai Te Hauora to look at how Auckland could work to reach the government’s goal of Smokefree 2025.
Are the mysterious lung illnesses linked to vaping?
19 August 2019
US health officials are investigating almost 100 cases of a mysterious lung illness linked to vaping and e-cigs. But before you freak out, have a l
The Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) Conference
23 April 2019
Associate Professor Robyn Whittaker and Dr Rosie Dobson, along with colleagues Dr Judith McCool (University of Auckland), Dr Chris Paton (University of Oxford) and Dr Smisha Agarwal (Johns Hopkins), ran a satellite session at the recent CUGH conference in Chicago.
Are artificial sweeteners better for you than sugar?
Watch NIHI's Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu on TVNZ's Breakfast as she discusses whether artifical sweetners are better for you than sugar.
Research links coffee and tea consumption to lung cancer
13 May 2019
There is no shortage of research into the health benefits of coffee.
AUDIO New study aims to find out if food labels affect our choices
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/professor-cliona-ni-mhurchu-do-labels-on-packaged-foods-affect-our-choices/
DIET Symposium held in Wellington
10 September 2018
Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu and the HRC-funded DIET programme team held a symposium in Wellington on the 4th September 2018, ‘Tackling Diet-related Disease in NZ’, to share results of the 5-year research programme with key stakeholders. The symposium was opened by Hon Dr David Clarke, Minister of Health, and finished with a panel discussion chaired by Kim Hill.
Successful Projects for the Spark Health Digital Innovation Programme 2020
Dr Ehsan Vaghefi – Toku Eyes
“THEIA – mobile diabetic retinopathy screening AI”
Prof Chris Bullen discusses the current meningitis outbreak with Emma Espiner, Newsroom
28 November 2018
New Zealand is in the grip of a meningitis outbreak. This week the government announced an urgent vaccination campaign for the hardest hit communities in Northland.
Vaccines are in short supply internationally, as many other countries struggle to deal with their own outbreaks.
World Smokefree Day 2019
15 May 2019
Every year, on 31 May, is an opportunity to highlight World Smokefree Day.
It's a day of raising awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure and to encourage people who smoke to quit.
What are the current issues for the food industry?
Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu joined a panel hosted by Kim Hill to discuss the practical and social dilemmas associated with tackling the diet-related disease in New Zealand. Listen in here.
Games for Health
28 May 2019
This is a feasibility study investigating whether serious games can improve children's knowledge of healthy lifestyles and type 2 diabetes.
Hack Aotearoa 2019 - Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
24 January 2019
Our team were recently involved in Hack Aotearoa 2019 - Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, a conference where health professionals, data scientists and innovators from across Aotearoa, were immersed in workshops and discussion on the concepts of Artificial Intelligence, including machine learning, natural language processing and image recognition.
Should Health Star food ratings be mandatory?
30 Years of NIHI
14 March 2019
NIHI is celebrating 30 years of undertaking and managing clinical trials and service delivery.
Voices from OL@-OR@
10 June 2019
Hear from some of our participants in the video or check out the results with the Māori (in green) and Pasifika (in red) communities below.
Understanding the Relationship Between BMI and Mortality
2 April 2019
In this editorial, we comment on a recent paper by Sun and colleagues which used Mendelian Randomisation to try to estimate the causal relationship between BMI and mortality.
Growing Health Innovation with Karen Carter
18 July 2019
Karen, what were you doing 30 years ago?
Māori, male and overweight? New study combines whakapapa and Super Rugby
16 April 2019
"Once a lot of Māori males hit 30, sport drops off and physical activity drops off and our rates of obesity increase really quickly," says Dr Ihirangi Heke (Waikato-Tainui).
eHealth TV interviews Associate Professor Robyn Whittaker
7 August 2019
Associate Professor Robyn Whittaker recently sat down with eHealth TV at Precision Driven Health's Winter Research Day at Whenua Pupuke, North Shor
Red meat eaters have higher risk of developing bowel cancer, study finds
18 April 2019
Each bottle of beer you drink and steak you eat could be increasing your risk of bowel cancer, new research has found.
Dr Kathryn Bradbury, from NIHI and University of Auckland, found people who consumed red meat even within recommended daily guidelines had a 20 per cent higher chance of developing bowel cancer than those who ate one-third as much.
OL@-OR@ are Finalists at the Best Awards
22 August 2019
The OL@-OR@ team have been named as a finalist in the Best Design Awards 2019 Public Good category.
Keck School of Medicine
23 April 2019
Associate Professor Robyn Whittaker and Dr Rosie Dobson along with colleague Dr Jude McCool (University of Auckland) recently visited the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Grant awarded to test impact of supermarket strategies and Health Star Rating labels
Professor Ni Mhurchu's team has been collecting information on composition, labelling and ingredients of packaged foods in New Zealand for the past five years.
Find My Fund
13 May 2019
Director, Chris Bullen, recently represented NIHI at University of Auckland's event Celebrating Research Excellence.
AUDIO Study reveals fast food growth spurt
COVID-19 UPDATE, 3rd April 2020
NIHI’s response to COVID-19
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 NIHI has been working to develop proposals and innovative tools to support essential services and the Government wherever possible. We’ve put together a short list of the projects we have been working on in the last few weeks.
Q&A: Does NZ have a place for e-cigarettes?
Opinion: Amid the global backlash against e-cigarettes three researchers discuss outcomes of their New Zealand trials on vaping and provide some cl
Discussion on the therapeutic benefits of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes to smokers worldwide who want to quit the killer habit is being overtake
NIHI develops chatbot to answer patient queries
12 October 2018
Researchers at the National Institute for Health Innovation are developing a chatbot to answer patients questions after surgery.
The two-year Engagebot project is funded by a Health Research Council Explorer Grant, which support transformative research ideas.
NIHI ehealth and mhealth co-lead Gayl Humphrey says the aim is to determine if creating a chatbot in this area is possible, useful and acceptable to patients.
Detection of smoking status from retinal images; a Convolutional Neural Network study
15 May 2019
Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death globally.
NIHI at Health Informatics New Zealand
4 December 2018
NIHI’s work was showcased at the recent Health Informatics New Zealand (HINZ) conference in Wellington. NIHI’s booth in the exhibition hall displayed a range of our mHealth and health informatics projects being carried out. There was a lot of interest by conference delegates with existing collaborations strengthened and new contacts and relationships formed.
Foods, macronutrients and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women
27 May 2019
This research looked at the associations between diet and breast cancer in a really large study of approximately 700,000 women in the UK.
Why more carbs can actually be good for you
A New Zealand-led scientific review has found people with a diet high in fibre - specifically whole grains - have lower rates of a range of chronic diet-related diseases. Dr Kathryn Bradbury from NIHI said there was good evidence that higher intakes of whole grains were associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer and lower body weight.
Get Good Done
28 May 2019