Masters Thesis Abstract: Christen Kyre
Investigating gaps between normative housing standards in Christchurch and the housing standards required to maintain good health and well being through the construction of geographical indexes
Hometown: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Education:
University of North Carolina at Asheville
BA Sociology
Minor Art
Pre-Medical
University of Canterbury
PGDipHealSc Health Information Management
MSc Geography (current)
Health Care Experience:
Ophthalmic Technician (2005)
Raleigh, North Carolina
Emergency Care Technician (2001-2003)
Asheville, North Carolina
Survey and Housing Quality Information
My research objective for this project is to investigate differences between normative standards of housing in Christchurch and standards of housing required to maintain good health. I will construct two housing quality indexes. One will weight housing quality components based on the normative standards of housing in Christchurch, which includes housing policy, housing interventions, building codes, and public opinion. The second index will weight the same housing quality components based on the standards required to maintain health and well being. I am contacting experts in housing in Christchurch and housing and health experts throughout New Zealand to rate physical, economic, social, and environmental components of housing based on their contribution to housing quality.
The ratings will be used to weight the components of the housing indexes. Data for each housing component is attained from readily available sources including Statistics New Zealand and the Christchurch City Council. I am interested in the components of housing that exhibit the greatest variations between standards of quality and their implications on public health. I will also look at the overall spatial variations between the two indexes and the implications of differences in standards of quality to socio-economically disadvantaged groups in Christchurch.
Past Research:
Trust and Satisfaction in Health Care by Social Class
UNC-A, Department of Sociology (May 2004)
Sodium Azide Reduces the Lifespan of the Nematode, caenorhabditis elegans
Kyre, C., et al. (2003). The Worm Breeders Gazette 17(4):21
UNC-A, Department of Biology
Research Interests:
Housing and Health: I want to investigate the gaps between the current housing policies and accepted standards of housing quality in New Zealand and the standards of housing quality required to maintain good health and well being. What groups are disadvantaged by the gaps between normative housing standards and healthy housing? What groups are most advantaged and why? Where are further interventions necessary and how can disadvantaged groups become empowered in the housing market?
Supervisor: Simon Kingham
Contacts:
Room 242
Phone: +64 3 364 2987 ext. 4686
Fax: +64 3 364 2907
christen.kyre@canterbury.ac.nz