title: Incidence of traumatic brain injury in New Zealand: A population-based study

authors: Feigin, Valery L.

subjects: United States

abstract: Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of long-term disability in children and young adults worldwide. However, accurate information about its incidence does not exist. We aimed to estimate the burden of TBI in rural and urban populations in New Zealand across all ages and TBI severities. 

Methods We did a population-based incidence study in an urban (Hamilton) and rural (Waikato District) population in New Zealand. We registered all cases of TB! (admitted to hospital or not, fatal or non-fatal) that occurred in the population between March 1, 2010, and Feb 28, 2011, using multiple overlapping sources of information. We calculated incidence per 100 000 person-years with 95% CIs using a Poisson distribution. We calculated rate ratios [RRs] to compare the age-standardised rates between sex, ethnicity, and residency (urban, rural) groups. We used direct standardisation to age-standardise the rates to the world population. 

Results The total incidence of TBI per 100 000 person-years was 790 cases (95% CI 749-832); incidence per 100 000 person-years of mild TBI was 749 cases (709-790) and of moderate to severe TBI was 41 cases (31-51). Children (aged 0-14 years) and adolescents and young adults (aged 15-34 years) constituted almost 70% of all TBI cases. TBI affected boys and men more than women and girls (RR 1.77,95% CI 1.58-1.97). Most TBI cases were due to falls (38% [516 of 1369]), mechanical forces (21% [288 of 1369]), transport accidents (20% [277 of 1369]), and assaults (17% [228 of 1369]). Compared with people of European origin, Maori people had a greater risk of mild TBI (RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08-1.39). Incidence of moderate to severe TBI in the rural population (73 per 100 000 person-years [95% CI 50-107]) was almost 2.5 times greater than in the urban population (31 per 100 000 person-years [23-42]). 

Interpretation Our findings suggest that the incidence of TBI, especially mild TBI, in New Zealand is far greater than would be estimated from the findings of previous studies done in other high-income countries. Our age-specific and residency-specific data for TBI incidence overall and by mechanism of injury should be considered when planning prevention and TBI care services.

text: Incidence of traumatic brain injury in New Zealand: A population-based study Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of long-term disability in children and young adults worldwide. However, accurate information about its incidence does not exist. We aimed to estimate the burden of TBI in rural and urban populations in New Zealand across all ages and TBI severities. 

Methods We did a population-based incidence study in an urban (Hamilton) and rural (Waikato District) population in New Zealand. We registered all cases of TB! (admitted to hospital or not, fatal or non-fatal) that occurred in the population between March 1, 2010, and Feb 28, 2011, using multiple overlapping sources of information. We calculated incidence per 100 000 person-years with 95% CIs using a Poisson distribution. We calculated rate ratios [RRs] to compare the age-standardised rates between sex, ethnicity, and residency (urban, rural) groups. We used direct standardisation to age-standardise the rates to the world population. 

Results The total incidence of TBI per 100 000 person-years was 790 cases (95% CI 749-832); incidence per 100 000 person-years of mild TBI was 749 cases (709-790) and of moderate to severe TBI was 41 cases (31-51). Children (aged 0-14 years) and adolescents and young adults (aged 15-34 years) constituted almost 70% of all TBI cases. TBI affected boys and men more than women and girls (RR 1.77,95% CI 1.58-1.97). Most TBI cases were due to falls (38% [516 of 1369]), mechanical forces (21% [288 of 1369]), transport accidents (20% [277 of 1369]), and assaults (17% [228 of 1369]). Compared with people of European origin, Maori people had a greater risk of mild TBI (RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08-1.39). Incidence of moderate to severe TBI in the rural population (73 per 100 000 person-years [95% CI 50-107]) was almost 2.5 times greater than in the urban population (31 per 100 000 person-years [23-42]). 

Interpretation Our findings suggest that the incidence of TBI, especially mild TBI, in New Zealand is far greater than would be estimated from the findings of previous studies done in other high-income countries. Our age-specific and residency-specific data for TBI incidence overall and by mechanism of injury should be considered when planning prevention and TBI care services.

year: 2013

title: Japanese language teaching in Malaysia and New Zealand: Recent history, current practice and curriculum

authors: Abdul Jabbar, Sazlina

subjects: Japanese language teaching

abstract: Comparisons of curriculum have been shown to be useful in terms of finding new ideas to raise the standard of education in one country and to enhance global competitiveness (Adamson & Morris, 2007). The purpose of the research reported in this thesis was to examine Japanese language education in Malaysia and New Zealand. The study compared the approach to Japanese language learning and teaching in both countries and also compared the curriculum and syllabus for both countries. This study employed three methods: semi-structured interview, autoethnography, and document analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to find out the recent history and current practice of Japanese Language teaching in Malaysia and New Zealand. Four participants, one from Malaysia and three from New Zealand were involved in the interviews. Autoethnography was also infused in the research which permitted the author to share her knowledge and experiences as an experienced Japanese language teacher in Malaysia. The analysis of the curriculum and syllabus documents were carried out to look at the content of both countries‟ Japanese Language Curriculum to investigate its underpinning approach to language teaching, and to analyze the similarities and differences between the Malaysian and New Zealand Japanese Language Curricula.

The results show that both Japanese language curricula shared many similarities in terms of their types of syllabus, language learning aims and language areas focused in the curricula content. This indicates that Malaysia and New Zealand, like other countries in the world, follow international trends in language teaching.
   Both countries‟ Japanese language syllabi have strong characteristics of Skills-Based and Outcomes-Based Syllabi. The curricula emphasize the acquisition of four very important language skills: listening, writing, reading and speaking. Both curricula promote teachers autonomy in decision-making and designing or planning programs. However, in comparison, New Zealand shows more teacher-autonomy than Malaysia. The findings also indicate that, although Japanese Language Curriculum in both Malaysia and New Zealand follows the global trends in language teaching, each also reflects its nation‟s visions and the needs of its people: Malaysian Japanese Language Curriculum was established to enable students to recognize and embrace the values that had brought Japan to its economic level now. While, Japanese language education in New Zealand starts because of the government‟s desire to trade and do business with Japan, a new economic power at the time.

text: Japanese language teaching in Malaysia and New Zealand: Recent history, current practice and curriculum Comparisons of curriculum have been shown to be useful in terms of finding new ideas to raise the standard of education in one country and to enhance global competitiveness (Adamson & Morris, 2007). The purpose of the research reported in this thesis was to examine Japanese language education in Malaysia and New Zealand. The study compared the approach to Japanese language learning and teaching in both countries and also compared the curriculum and syllabus for both countries. This study employed three methods: semi-structured interview, autoethnography, and document analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to find out the recent history and current practice of Japanese Language teaching in Malaysia and New Zealand. Four participants, one from Malaysia and three from New Zealand were involved in the interviews. Autoethnography was also infused in the research which permitted the author to share her knowledge and experiences as an experienced Japanese language teacher in Malaysia. The analysis of the curriculum and syllabus documents were carried out to look at the content of both countries‟ Japanese Language Curriculum to investigate its underpinning approach to language teaching, and to analyze the similarities and differences between the Malaysian and New Zealand Japanese Language Curricula.

The results show that both Japanese language curricula shared many similarities in terms of their types of syllabus, language learning aims and language areas focused in the curricula content. This indicates that Malaysia and New Zealand, like other countries in the world, follow international trends in language teaching.
   Both countries‟ Japanese language syllabi have strong characteristics of Skills-Based and Outcomes-Based Syllabi. The curricula emphasize the acquisition of four very important language skills: listening, writing, reading and speaking. Both curricula promote teachers autonomy in decision-making and designing or planning programs. However, in comparison, New Zealand shows more teacher-autonomy than Malaysia. The findings also indicate that, although Japanese Language Curriculum in both Malaysia and New Zealand follows the global trends in language teaching, each also reflects its nation‟s visions and the needs of its people: Malaysian Japanese Language Curriculum was established to enable students to recognize and embrace the values that had brought Japan to its economic level now. While, Japanese language education in New Zealand starts because of the government‟s desire to trade and do business with Japan, a new economic power at the time.

year: 2012

title: The Development and Evaluation of a Cultural Competency Training Programme for Psychologists Working with Māori: A Training Needs Analysis

authors: Waitoki, Waikaremoana

subjects: Māori

abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a cultural competency training programme for clinical psychology students to work with Māori consumers.  A pilot programme (study 1) was developed from the international and national cultural competency and bicultural training literature.  Following the pilot, it was identified that the programme could be made more robust by conducting a second study the training needs analysis using the critical incident technique.  Study two was conducted with 30 experienced clinical psychologists who had worked with Māori clients.
  
The training needs analysis sought to identify the awareness, knowledge and skills (AKS) that the experienced psychologists used in their practice with Māori.  An unexpected finding from study two was that the psychologists used distinctly Māori-cultural practices incorporating Māori tikanga and Māori knowledge with their clients even though they had little or no bicultural course content in their clinical training.  The data from the pilot programme, and the training needs analysis were used to refine the final workshop.  
The workshop was delivered to two university sites over a two-day period using intern clinical psychologist.  The programme evaluation had three components: (1) analysis of pre and post programme questionnaires; (2) analysis of the retrospective questionnaires (3) and an analysis of a participant’s case report on a Māori consumer. 
The themes that evolved from this research are that the critical incident technique is a useful way of identifying bicultural training material that would otherwise go unnoticed.  In relation to training evaluation, there is a real need to develop meaningful measures of bicultural competency acquisition for clinical students.  The finding advances the proposition that a distinct Māori psychology exists that could potentially challenge the relevance of Western psychology for Māori.  
A contextual theme underpinning bicultural training programmes is that training and practice occurs against the backdrop of Pākehā dominance in all aspects of academia and society. Consequently, there is a need to find a balance between Māori and Western psychological knowledge.  Future uses of this research will be in developing and evaluating bicultural training programmes, developing appropriate measures of cultural competency acquisition and assessing the potential for a distinct Māori psychology.

text: The Development and Evaluation of a Cultural Competency Training Programme for Psychologists Working with Māori: A Training Needs Analysis The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a cultural competency training programme for clinical psychology students to work with Māori consumers.  A pilot programme (study 1) was developed from the international and national cultural competency and bicultural training literature.  Following the pilot, it was identified that the programme could be made more robust by conducting a second study the training needs analysis using the critical incident technique.  Study two was conducted with 30 experienced clinical psychologists who had worked with Māori clients.
  
The training needs analysis sought to identify the awareness, knowledge and skills (AKS) that the experienced psychologists used in their practice with Māori.  An unexpected finding from study two was that the psychologists used distinctly Māori-cultural practices incorporating Māori tikanga and Māori knowledge with their clients even though they had little or no bicultural course content in their clinical training.  The data from the pilot programme, and the training needs analysis were used to refine the final workshop.  
The workshop was delivered to two university sites over a two-day period using intern clinical psychologist.  The programme evaluation had three components: (1) analysis of pre and post programme questionnaires; (2) analysis of the retrospective questionnaires (3) and an analysis of a participant’s case report on a Māori consumer. 
The themes that evolved from this research are that the critical incident technique is a useful way of identifying bicultural training material that would otherwise go unnoticed.  In relation to training evaluation, there is a real need to develop meaningful measures of bicultural competency acquisition for clinical students.  The finding advances the proposition that a distinct Māori psychology exists that could potentially challenge the relevance of Western psychology for Māori.  
A contextual theme underpinning bicultural training programmes is that training and practice occurs against the backdrop of Pākehā dominance in all aspects of academia and society. Consequently, there is a need to find a balance between Māori and Western psychological knowledge.  Future uses of this research will be in developing and evaluating bicultural training programmes, developing appropriate measures of cultural competency acquisition and assessing the potential for a distinct Māori psychology.

year: 2012