title: How differing methods of ascribing ethnicity and socio-economic status affect risk estimates for hospitalisation with infectious disease

authors: Hobbs, Mark R.

subjects: Ethnicity/race

abstract: Significant ethnic and socio-economic disparities exist in infectious diseases (IDs) rates in New Zealand, so accurate measures of these characteristics are required. This study compared methods of ascribing ethnicity and socio-economic status. Children in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal cohort were ascribed to self-prioritised, total response and single-combined ethnic groups. Socio-economic status was measured using household income, and both census-derived and survey-derived deprivation indices. Rates of ID hospitalisation were compared using linked administrative data. Self-prioritised ethnicity was simplest to use. Total response accounted for mixed ethnicity and allowed overlap between groups. Single combined ethnicity required aggregation of small groups to maintain power but offered greater detail. Regardless of the method used, Māori and Pacific children, and children in the most socio-economically deprived households had a greater risk of ID hospitalisation. Risk differences between self-prioritised and total response methods were not significant for Māori and Pacific children but single-combined ethnicity revealed a diversity of risk within these groups. Household income was affected by non-random missing data. The census derived deprivation index offered a high level of completeness with some risk of multicollinearity and concerns regarding the ecological fallacy. The survey-derived index required extra questions but was acceptable to participants and provided individualised data. Based on these results, the use of single-combined ethnicity and an individualised survey-derived index of deprivation are recommended where sample size and data structure allow it.

text: How differing methods of ascribing ethnicity and socio-economic status affect risk estimates for hospitalisation with infectious disease Significant ethnic and socio-economic disparities exist in infectious diseases (IDs) rates in New Zealand, so accurate measures of these characteristics are required. This study compared methods of ascribing ethnicity and socio-economic status. Children in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal cohort were ascribed to self-prioritised, total response and single-combined ethnic groups. Socio-economic status was measured using household income, and both census-derived and survey-derived deprivation indices. Rates of ID hospitalisation were compared using linked administrative data. Self-prioritised ethnicity was simplest to use. Total response accounted for mixed ethnicity and allowed overlap between groups. Single combined ethnicity required aggregation of small groups to maintain power but offered greater detail. Regardless of the method used, Māori and Pacific children, and children in the most socio-economically deprived households had a greater risk of ID hospitalisation. Risk differences between self-prioritised and total response methods were not significant for Māori and Pacific children but single-combined ethnicity revealed a diversity of risk within these groups. Household income was affected by non-random missing data. The census derived deprivation index offered a high level of completeness with some risk of multicollinearity and concerns regarding the ecological fallacy. The survey-derived index required extra questions but was acceptable to participants and provided individualised data. Based on these results, the use of single-combined ethnicity and an individualised survey-derived index of deprivation are recommended where sample size and data structure allow it.

year: 2019

title: Indigenous languages shaping multi-lingual interfaces

authors: Keegan, Te Taka Adrian Gregory

subjects: computer science

abstract: This paper reports on an investigation into the indigenous language usage of two bilingual/multilingual digital libraries. Results show that the indigenous language was significantly used by clients and indicate why clients chose to use the indigenous language. Feedback from clients has suggested how the interface should be improved to assist both indigenous and non-indigenous language usage. These results serve as an example of how indigenous languages are shaping multilingual interfaces.

text: Indigenous languages shaping multi-lingual interfaces This paper reports on an investigation into the indigenous language usage of two bilingual/multilingual digital libraries. Results show that the indigenous language was significantly used by clients and indicate why clients chose to use the indigenous language. Feedback from clients has suggested how the interface should be improved to assist both indigenous and non-indigenous language usage. These results serve as an example of how indigenous languages are shaping multilingual interfaces.

year: 2008

title: Cognitive functions associated with consumption of traditional volumes of kava (Piper methysticum): A feasibility study

authors: Aporosa, S. 'Apo'

abstract: Kava (Piper methysticum) is a traditional and culturally significant Pacific Island beverage, which contains active compounds called kavalactones that produce soporific relaxant effects similar to Benzodiazepine (Sarris et al, 2012, Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental, 27:262-9). Traditional kava drinkers frequently exceed the pharmacologically recommended amount of ≤300mg of kavalactones/day by 30 times (Aporosa & Tomlinson, 2014, Anthropologica, 56:163-75). Little is known about cognitive function at this high consumption rate. With Pacific peoples in New Zealand over represented in motor vehicle accidents, Police suspect traditional kava use may be a contributing factor. Previous research (Aporosa, 2017, Journal of Psychopharmacology, 31[8], A84) used an industry standard measure of drug driving to examine cognitive functions of kava users in a naturalistic setting. The industry standard measure revealed no statistical differences in cognitive functioning between kava users and control participants, despite observation of slowed movement and slurred speech by the kava users. Consequently, with full study utility as a goal, the feasibility of using a new psychometric measure of cognitive functioning – the Brain Gauge (BG) – was examined in a naturalistic setting.

text: Cognitive functions associated with consumption of traditional volumes of kava (Piper methysticum): A feasibility study Kava (Piper methysticum) is a traditional and culturally significant Pacific Island beverage, which contains active compounds called kavalactones that produce soporific relaxant effects similar to Benzodiazepine (Sarris et al, 2012, Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental, 27:262-9). Traditional kava drinkers frequently exceed the pharmacologically recommended amount of ≤300mg of kavalactones/day by 30 times (Aporosa & Tomlinson, 2014, Anthropologica, 56:163-75). Little is known about cognitive function at this high consumption rate. With Pacific peoples in New Zealand over represented in motor vehicle accidents, Police suspect traditional kava use may be a contributing factor. Previous research (Aporosa, 2017, Journal of Psychopharmacology, 31[8], A84) used an industry standard measure of drug driving to examine cognitive functions of kava users in a naturalistic setting. The industry standard measure revealed no statistical differences in cognitive functioning between kava users and control participants, despite observation of slowed movement and slurred speech by the kava users. Consequently, with full study utility as a goal, the feasibility of using a new psychometric measure of cognitive functioning – the Brain Gauge (BG) – was examined in a naturalistic setting.

year: 2019