Mpox vaccine eligibility, uptake and coverage among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The 2022 multi-country mpox outbreak predominantly affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM). As a small country distant from transmission hotspots but vulnerable to imported cases, New Zealand's (NZ) response involved numerous challenges, including low vaccine supplies and lack of regulatory approval, prohibiting vaccine promotion and inhibiting vaccine delivery. We triangulated data sources to estimate mpox vaccine eligibility among GBM.

Assessing the gaps in cardiovascular disease risk assessment and management in primary care for Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand- a systematic review.

Background: Māori and Pacific peoples carry the highest burden of cardiovascular disease in New Zealand (NZ). This systematic review aimed to determine access to evidence-based cardiovascular disease risk assessment (CVDRA) and management in primary care for Māori and Pacific peoples compared with other ethnicities in NZ, as well as factors contributing to reduced access.

Methods: In this systematic review with a narrative synthesis, keywords related to Māori and Pacific peoples, cardiovascular disease, and primary care were used to search MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, NZresearch.

Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) due to Influenza in Post-COVID Resurgence: Disproportionate Impact on Older Māori and Pacific Peoples.

Objective: Influenza reemerged after a 2020-2021 hiatus in 2022, but understanding the resurgence needs pre-COVID era surveillance. We compared age- and ethnicity-specific incidence of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) from a hospital network in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2022 against a baseline, 2012-2019.

Methods: Annual and monthly influenza SARI incidence per 1000 persons by age and ethnic group between 2012 and 2022 was calculated using resident population as the denominator.

Forecasting severe respiratory disease hospitalizations using machine learning algorithms.

Background: Forecasting models predicting trends in hospitalization rates have the potential to inform hospital management during seasonal epidemics of respiratory diseases and the associated surges caused by acute hospital admissions. Hospital bed requirements for elective surgery could be better planned if it were possible to foresee upcoming peaks in severe respiratory illness admissions. Forecasting models can also guide the use of intervention strategies to decrease the spread of respiratory pathogens and thus prevent local health system overload.

Comparison of the Burden and Temporal Pattern of Hospitalisations Associated With Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Before and After COVID-19 in New Zealand.

Background: Changes in the epidemiology of illnesses caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection following the COVID-19 pandemic are reported. The New Zealand (NZ) COVID-19 situation was unique; RSV community transmission was eliminated with the 2020 border closure, with a rapid and large increase in hospitalizations following the relaxation of social isolation measures and the opening of an exclusive border with Australia.

Methods: This active population-based surveillance compared the age-specific incidence and seasonality of RSV-associated hospitalizations in Auckland, NZ, for 2 years before and after the 2020 border closures.

Pertussis epidemiology in adults: Retrospective analysis of pertussis incidence and association with comorbidities among adult populations in Aotearoa New Zealand, using national administrative datasets.

Background: In New Zealand, approximately half reported pertussis cases are adult. Studies indicate underestimated pertussis burden in this population and probable reservoir for childhood pertussis. Pertussis is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development and increased risk with pre-existing COPD.

Who are Pacific peoples in terms of ethnicity and country of birth? A cross sectional study of 2,238,039 adults in Aotearoa New Zealand's Integrated Data Infrastructure.

Background: The aggregation of Indigenous peoples from Pacific Island nations as 'Pacific peoples' in literature may mask diversity in the health needs of these different groups. The aim of this study was to examine the heterogeneity of Pacific groups according to ethnicity and country of birth.

Methods: Anonymised individual-level linkage of administrative data identified all NZ residents aged 30-74 years on 31 March 2013 with known ethnicity and country of birth.

A study of Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island Māori, and Niuean infant care practices in the Growing Up in New Zealand study.

Background: Despite a low rate of infant mortality, Aotearoa New Zealand has a high rate of Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants (SUDI), with disproportionate impact for Pacific infants. This study explored the infant care practices, factors and relationships associated with increased risk of SUDI amongst Tongan, Samoan, Cook Islands Māori, and Niuean mothers in New Zealand, to inform evidence-based interventions for reducing the incidence of SUDI for Pacific families and their children.

Methods: Analysis comprised of data collected in 2009-2010 from 1089 Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori and Niuean mothers enrolled in the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal cohort study.

Paediatric COVID-19 vaccination coverage and associated factors among migrant and non-migrant children aged 5-11 years in Aotearoa New Zealand: A population-level retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Children with migrant and refugee backgrounds may experience immunisation inequities due to barriers to accessing and accepting vaccines. In Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), national reporting can mask inequities in coverage by migration background. This study explored paediatric COVID-19 vaccine uptake among children with migrant and refugee backgrounds.

Childhood vaccination uptake among children born in Aotearoa New Zealand based on parental nationality.

Migrants and refugees generally experience immunization inequities compared to their host populations. Childhood vaccination coverage rates are influenced by a complex set of interrelated factors, including child and parental nativity. Coverage rates for MMR, pertussis, and HPV vaccines were compared among children born in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) of overseas-born parents or NZ-born parents.

Herpes zoster vaccine safety in the Aotearoa New Zealand population: a self-controlled case series study.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, zoster vaccine live is used for the prevention of zoster and associated complications in adults. This study assessed the risk of pre-specified serious adverse events following zoster vaccine live immunisation among adults in routine clinical practice. We conducted a self-controlled case series study using routinely collected national data.

A retrospective cohort study investigating the comparative effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccines against hospitalisation with otitis media and pneumonia in New Zealand.

Background: Since 2008 New Zealand has used three different formulations of pneumococcal vaccines on the national infant schedule, PCV7, PCV10 and PCV13, switching between PCV10 and PCV13 twice in 10 years. We have used New Zealand's linkable, administrative health data to examine the comparative risk of otitis media (OM) and pneumonia hospitalisations among children receiving three different pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV).

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data.

Herpes zoster vaccine effectiveness against herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in New Zealand: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ) and associated complications cause significant burden to older people. A HZ vaccination programme was introduced in Aotearoa New Zealand in April 2018 with a single dose vaccine for those aged 65 years and a four-year catch up for 66-80 year-olds. This study aimed to assess the 'real-world' effectiveness of the zoster vaccine live (ZVL) against HZ and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

MMR vaccine coverage and associated factors among overseas-born refugee children resettled in Aotearoa New Zealand: a national retrospective cohort study.

Background: Refugee children may be under-immunised against common vaccine-preventable diseases due to a myriad of factors related to their migration journey.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study explored the rates and determinants of enrolment on the National Immunisation Register (NIR) and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) coverage among refugee children up to 18 years old who resettled in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) from 2006 to 2013. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression were conducted to determine associations.

Likelihood-based estimation and prediction for a measles outbreak in Samoa.

Prediction of the progression of an infectious disease outbreak is important for planning and coordinating a response. Differential equations are often used to model an epidemic outbreak's behaviour but are challenging to parameterise. Furthermore, these models can suffer from misspecification, which biases predictions and parameter estimates.

Post-licensure zoster vaccine effectiveness against herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Given the substantial impact of herpes zoster on health and quality of life, and its considerable economic burden, prevention through vaccination is a priority. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the herpes zoster vaccines (recombinant zoster vaccine [RZV] and zoster vaccine live [ZVL]) against incident herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in older adults.

Methods: We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the effectiveness of herpes zoster vaccines in adults aged 50 years or older, compared with no vaccination or another vaccine.

Evidence of suboptimal maternal vaccination coverage in pregnant New Zealand women and increasing inequity over time: A nationwide retrospective cohort study.

Background: Adequate maternal vaccination coverage is critical for the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks such as pertussis, influenza, and more recently COVID-19. To guide efforts to increase vaccination coverage this study examined the extent of vaccination coverage in pregnant New Zealand women over time by area-level deprivation and ethnicity.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was used consisting of all pregnant women who delivered between 01 January 2013 and 31 December 2018, using administrative health datasets.

Sex ratios and 'missing women' among Asian minority and migrant populations in Aotearoa/New Zealand: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Objectives: Recent research from the UK, USA, Australia and Canada point to male-favouring sex ratios at birth (SRB) among their Asian minority populations, attributed to son preference and sex-selective abortion within these cultural groups. The present study conducts a similar investigation of SRBs among New Zealand's Asian minority and migrant populations, who comprise 15% of the population.

Setting And Participants: The study focused on Asian populations of New Zealand and comparisons were made with NZ European, Māori, Pacific Island and Middle-Eastern, Latin American and African groups.

Charting elimination in the pandemic: a SARS-CoV-2 serosurvey of blood donors in New Zealand.

New Zealand has a strategy of eliminating SARS-CoV-2 that has resulted in a low incidence of reported coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to describe the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in New Zealand via a nationwide serosurvey of blood donors. Samples (n = 9806) were collected over a month-long period (3 December 2020-6 January 2021) from donors aged 16-88 years.

Does the National Immunisation Register stack up? Quantifying accuracy when compared to parent-held health record books.

Aim: The National Immunisation Register (NIR), which is derived from general practice management systems, is an important tool for the provision of clinical services, national immunisation programme evaluation and immunisation research in New Zealand. However, the accuracy of the NIR data has not yet been quantified. This study aimed to examine, describe and quantify the extent of discrepancy in the NIR compared to Well Child Tamariki Ora parent-held health record books (Health Books).

Pacific peoples and alcohol: a review of the literature.

Aim: To present a review of recent research exploring alcohol use by Pacific peoples in New Zealand. The review builds on a comprehensive narrative review of research and literature on Pacific peoples and alcohol use, Pearls Unlimited (2009).

Method: We conducted a scoping review of published and grey literature written and published between 2009 and 2019.