Otago Daily Times

Otago researcher to study education outcomes for Maori

- JOHN GIBB john.gibb@odt.co.nz

UNIVERSITY of Otago senior researcher Dr Reremoana Theodore has been awarded a $500,000 national fellowship to examine how key aspects of education contribute to better outcomes for Maori health.

Dr Theodore, who is codirector of the university’s National Centre for Lifecourse Research, said that gaining the 2018 Maori Health Research Emerging Leader Fellowship was positive for her and others.

‘‘It’s also wonderful news for the research teams that I work with, and the Maori community as well,’’ she said.

The Health Research Council announced yesterday that Dr Theodore, and senior research fellow Dr Jason Gurney, of Otago’s Wellington campus, had won the two new prestigiou­s fouryear fellowship­s.

Dr Gurney said it had been estimated that Maori were 20% more likely to develop cancer, and nearly 80% more likely to die from it.

The fellowship would enable him to examine strategies to help boost the quantity and quality of life for Maori cancer patients.

Dr Theodore, who is a senior research fellow at the Otago psychology department, said that highqualit­y education, ranging from early childhood to advanced tertiary study, was associated with significan­t longterm health and social wellbeing benefits.

But there had been little Maoriled lifecourse research in these areas, she said.

Dunedin Multidisci­plinary Health and Developmen­t Study director Prof Richie Poulton said Dr Theodore was a ‘‘future lifecourse research leader’’, whose research would help clarify key factors in achieving ‘‘positive Maori outcomes’’.

Dr Theodore said her fellowship will support three pieces of research, the first considerin­g the benefits of Kaupapa Maori early childhood education for Maori children and families.

The second piece of research will consider the effect of education on the wellbeing of young Maori, under the age of 24.

The final project will track Maori university students and analyse the benefits of tertiary education for their health and wellbeing.

 ??  ?? Reremoana Theodore
Reremoana Theodore
 ??  ?? Jason Gurney
Jason Gurney

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