Ph.D. Research Profile: Francis Ayuka
Examining place influence on alcohol-related behaviour and health outcomes in New Zealand
Contact Details
Room: 343
Phone: +64 3 364 2987 ext. 4686
Fax: +64 3 364 2907
Email: cfa25@student.canterbury.ac.nz
Mail: GeoHealth Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
Qualifications
University of Nairobi, Kenya BA (Hons)
University of St Andrews , Scotland : MRES (Health Geography)
Research Interests
Neighbourhoods and health: the role of geographical context
Social Inequality and health related behaviours
Research Overview
This research aims to determine the potential influence of various place effects on alcohol-related behaviour and health outcomes in New Zealand.
Objectives:
- To establish the geography of alcohol consumption for small areas in New Zealand, by using available proxy measures such as mortality data and hospital admissions, as well as other available and appropriate data.
- To determine the variation in the geography of these proxies by age group, sex, ethnicity and socio-economic status.
- To develop and test measures of geographical access to alcohol outlets (off site and on site) for small areas in New Zealand.
- To develop or obtain the measure of social capital and cohesion most pertinent to alcohol consumption, for small areas across New Zealand.
- To determine, via multi-level modelling, whether access to alcohol outlets or social capital make an independent contribution to hazardous alcohol consumption and binge drinking for individuals in the New Zealand Health Behaviour Survey (NZHBS), after controlling for potential confounding factors including deprivation. Comparisons will be made to establish which is the most important in contributing to risk of hazardous alcohol consumption or binge drinking.
Supervisor
Associate Professor Ross Barnett
Department of Geography
University of Canterbury
Co-Supervisor
Dr Jamie Pearce
Director, GeoHealth Laboratory
Department of Geography
University of Canterbury