Health by Design
Improving health and wellbeing is one of the most complex and urgent social challenges of our time. It is inherently linked with economic development, improved governance, sustainable environmental strategies, and improving financial wellbeing and quality of life for all people.
“Health by Design” is an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary concept to foster social intervention and tackle the inherently complex social problems that it addresses. This involves a design process that is focused on the needs and preferences of the end-user of a service or product.
Massey University’s College of Health invites you to its series of free public lectures by leading researchers presenting innovative research and solution-focused case studies aimed at helping us to understand how design and design thinking can be applied to improve health and wellbeing.
Prevention through Design
Associate Professor Ian Laird | School of Health Sciences, College of Health
Date and time: 4 April 2019, 5.00pm to 6.30pm
Location: Japan Lecture Theatre, University House, Manawatū campus
Associate Professor Ian Laird will present latest research and New Zealand case studies that will guide our understanding of how noise induced hearing loss can be prevented through design. Designing out hazards in the early engineering stages is seen as one of the most effective means of preventing occupational injuries and illnesses. It is a transdisciplinary process and although this concept is well known, there has not been a concerted effort to achieve broad implementation of it, particularly in relation to noise exposure and prevention of noise induced hearing loss. However, some prevention through design principles have been successfully applied to noise reduction in the construction and mining industry sectors but have not been applied extensively within the agricultural sector.
Healthy cities and communities
Professor Karen Witten | SHORE Whāriki, College of Health
Date and time: 8 August 2019 at 5.30pm to 7.00pm
Location: SNW100, Sir Neil Waters Lecture Theatre, Auckland campus
The design of city streets and public spaces affects how people move through, engage and connect with their communities. Professor Karen Witten will discuss how re-designing of public spaces and streets can be guided by a set of principles developed through a participatory design process involving residents, mana whenua representatives, local community leadership, council, and transport agencies. Focusing on two Auckland case studies ‘Freyberg Square in the city centre’ and ‘Future Streets in Mangere’, the presentation will draw on data gathered via community surveys, walk and talk interviews and discussion groups with children and young people to explore how the re-development is influencing the mobility, accessibility and user experiences of residents.
Improving primary health care
Professor Nicolette Sheridan | School of Nursing, College of Health
Date and time: 5 November 2019 at 5.30pm to 7.00pm
Location: Flax & Fern Room, Block 9, Level B, Student Centre, Wellington campus
Over the last two decades, New Zealand has produced a series of primary health care strategies. These strategies received wide agreement but faltered at implementation. Professor Nicolette Sheridan will speak on the opportunity to re-focus our primary health care system. What works best for patients and how to address the issues of implementing primary care best practice.
Speakers
Associate Professor Ian Laird, School of Health Sciences
Ian leads the Occupational Health and Safety programme at Massey University. He has served on many government committees and has provided occupational health and safety advice to the Ministers of Health and Labour. He has also been a member of the Occupational Health Advisory Group, which advises the Worksafe New Zealand board. Ian is a Fulbright Fellow and in 2006 was appointed Visiting Scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Professor Karen Witten, SHORE Whāriki
Karen Witten is a geographer and psychologist with expertise in how neighbourhood infrastructure, amenity access and social environments influence the everyday mobility, health and wellbeing of residents. Her work is interdisciplinary and has had a particular focus on the wellbeing of children and people with disabilities.
Professor Nicolette Sheridan, School of Nursing
Professor Nicolette Sheridan is Director, Centre for Nursing and Health Research Massey University. She is a registered nurse with more than 25 years’ experience in clinical practice, research and education.
She is currently the lead investigator for a study investigating models of primary care funded by the Health Research Council and Ministry of Health. She also co-led a recently completed joint New Zealand/Canada study implementing models of primary health care.
Other recent studies have reported on the health care experiences of Māori and Pacific adults with long-term conditions.
Nicolette is of Ngāpuhi descent.
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