Rangahau Aranga: AUT Graduate Review
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Beyond Needles and Syringes: A Review of Innovations in Local Anaesthesia Administration in Dentistry
Get PDFEfficient pain and discomfort management in oral health is crucial, as they can act as barriers to effective dental care delivery (Al-Omari & Al-Omiri, 2009). Oral health practitioners who poorly manage pain and discomfort can potentially initiate fear and a negative attitude towards dental treatment. Local anaesthesia is vital in pain and discomfort control during dental procedures. Traditionally, it is administered using a needle and syringe, a method that causes pain upon injection (Yesilyurt et al., 2008). In response, innovative technologies have been introduced to reduce pain and discomfort during local anaesthesia administration. Numerous techniques have been examined to minimise injection pain, including slowing the injection rate, pre-warming the solution, and using narrow or sharp needles. However, despite these advancements, achieving a completely painless injection remains a significant challenge (Yesilyurt et al., 2008). The increasing recognition of this challenge has prompted research into alternative methods and supplementary aids, including devices that make administering dental local anaesthesia less painful. While previous studies have reported the effectiveness of specific technologies, such as computer-controlled local anaesthesia devices, compared to conventional needles and syringes, investigations of other emerging devices and technologies designed to reduce discomfort during dental anaesthesia administration are lacking. Therefore, a scoping review will be performed, adhering to the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) (Aromataris & Munn, 2020). This scoping review will systematically map the existing body of knowledge related to various local anaesthesia techniques and their associated devices developed to minimise pain during dental procedures. Moreover, as detailed in the existing literature, it will capture their defining characteristics and role in reducing pain during dental procedures. It will identify common themes and gaps in current knowledge to guide future research priorities
Key Factors Affecting the Implementation of Integrated Project Delivery for Lean Construction
Get PDFThe global construction industry suffers from increased costs, time delays, and low productivity rates. A solution to these issues is the increased application of Lean Construction (LC) and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). LC is a way to design the production system to minimise waste and maximise the possible value generation. IPD is the practical application of LC. IPD is an approach that integrates people, systems, business structures, and practices into a process that collaboratively utilises the skills and opinions of all project participants to enhance project results. IPD aims to minimise waste in construction projects, improving health and safety, cost, schedule, and quality, and addressing the trust issues in the construction industry by attempting to promote a positive collaboration based on mutual respect. Though numerous literature is available on IPD, an in-depth analysis of the barriers to IPD has never been conducted. This study addresses this research gap and aims to present the barriers to IPD in detail. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using 4 databases: Scopus, Emerald, ScienceDirect and International Group for LC using keywords “integrated project delivery” and “challenges”. Additional searches using synonyms such as “barriers” and “obstacles” were conducted as well; the keywords yielding the highest number of results were selected and every paper was examined to identify either explicit or implicit mention of IPD barriers. The SLR identified 222 barriers to IPD globally. The barriers were grouped into themes and separated as primary codes. The themes include Legal and Contractual, Financial, Technological, Cultural/Organisational, Collaboration and Communication, and Governmental/Political. The barriers are displayed using VOSViewer to visualise the co-occurrence of factors. The implications of this research will aid researchers and industry practitioners in understanding existing barriers comprehensively and identifying the most frequent barriers to IPD for LC in the global context
Tangohia Mai te Taura (Take This Rope)
Get PDFEmanating from my PhD thesis Tangohia mai te taura (Take This Rope), this presentation discusses a practice-led research project that asks: ‘How might approaches to Māori documentary making serve to elevate whānau narratives of experience and function as an artistic mode of redress?’ The project generates a photographic essay in discourse with whakatauākī (significant saying), composed waiata (song), oratory, and a documentary that collectively considers connections between our murdered ancestor Chief Mokomoko, whenua, and whānau. By framing ‘documentary’ as something inclusive of film but also embracing oratory, toi pūkare and photographic essay creation, the study considers ways in which a researcher dealing with vulnerable family narratives might work cooperatively with a rōpū of artistic collaborators within Mātauranga Māori (Māori customs and knowledge) and kaupapa Māori (Māori research approaches). Emanating from the Kaupapa Māori paradigm, the study employs a Pūrākau methodology (McNeill and Pouwhare 2018; Pouwhare, 2016; 2019), where a tree functions as a metaphor for connecting explicit and esoteric knowledge. In such research, mahi (practice) operates like osmosis, drawing sustenance from roots that reach down into the realm of Te Kura Huna (what is unseen, genealogical, esoteric or tacit), drawing knowledge up into Te Kura Tūrama (the light of what is explicit and seen). The significance of the study lies in its potential to rethink documentary inquiry as culturally located practice. In so doing, the project will contribute to the corpus of knowledge about the wrongful execution of Chief Mokomoko and the resulting impact of land confiscation on our whānau. It will also extend how processes of indigenous, photographic and filmic documentation might function as a form of raranga (weaving), where interwoven strands are employed to create a fabric of understanding that may increase feelings of value, identification and historical redress
Trauma to Tyranny: Autobiographical Narrative as Empathetic Design
Get PDFThis paper considers a new form of graphic novel that combines the potentials of print and Virtual Reality [VR] storytelling. The novel ‘Upgraded Gods’, now in its final year of development, uses an autobiographical narrative to consider the nature and impact of malignant and collective narcissism in contemporary Russian society. The thesis asks, ‘How might one employ physical and virtual modes of storytelling to enhance empathetic experience in a narrative that considers the nature and impact of malignant narcissism?’ Goldner-Vukov & Moore (2010) identify malignant narcissism as a severe personality disorder that has “devastating consequences for the family and society” (p. 392), while traumatic childhood experiences are considered foundational to the development of malignant narcissism. Covington (2018) suggests that leaders can only enact a narcissistic abuse of power when they receive the support from a traumatised society that searches for “a charismatic leader who will promise to restore power and status to the group” (p. 255). Employing an autoethnographic methodology activated by heuristic inquiry, the study develops an immersive narrative that follows a protagonist through her childhood in the USSR, through the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, into her exile and subsequent analysis of contemporary Russian politics and society. The significance of the research lies in its employment of creative practice to contribute embodied experience to wider theoretical discourses that consider the dynamics of power abuse through social and political aggression. Specifically, the study also examines the manner in which traumatic experiences may affect individuals' wellbeing, and shape social institutions and economics, contributing to the rise of far-right, nationalist, and fundamentalist movements. In the realm of graphic novel design, such analyses may be identified in a emerging trajectory of autobiographical literary works such as "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi, "Gast" by Carol Swain, and “Commute” by Erin Williams. 
Experiences of cisgendered women partnered with transmasculine persons during their transition: An Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Australian study [short form summary]
Get PDFDoes Management at a Neuroscience Centre Improve Outcomes for Patients with a Severe Traumatic Brain Injury? A Systematic Review
Get PDFPatients with severe Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) require management in hospital. However, should they be directly transported to a Neuroscience Centre (NC) or can they be safely treated at a local hospital before being subsequently transferred to an NC? This systematic review was undertaken to evaluate what effect transfers to an NC had on mortality rates amongst adult patients with a severe TBI. A systematic literature review was conducted using the databases Medline, CINAHL, Google Scholar and Cochrane. The inclusion criteria were: published between 2010 and 2023, adult patients (≥18) with severe TBI (Glasgow coma scale ≤8). The primary outcome studied was mortality. The secondary outcomes were, the impact that subsequent transfer to an NC had on mortality, the delay subsequent transfer had on surgery, and the accuracy of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) triage. The review analysed seven studies. Four reported no statistically significant difference in mortality in patients taken to an NC, despite NCs receiving more severely injured patients. Transferring patients from a local hospital to an NC was significantly associated with reduced mortality in one study (aOR, 0.79, 95% CI, 0.64-0.96), and reduced 24-hour (RR 0.31, 0.11-0.83) and 30-day (RR 0.66, 0.46-0.96) mortality in another. Subsequent transfers prolonged delays to surgery in several studies but were not statistically significant. This systematic review found that directly transporting severe TBI patients to an NC did not improve mortality. Mortality at 24-hour and 30-days was significantly reduced in patients who were subsequently transferred to an NC. A subset of patients benefit from urgent neurosurgical intervention as direct transfer to an NC improved their mortality rates. Severe TBI patients were accurately recognised by EMS staff. The skewing of more severely injured patients directly transported to an NC may be masking any survival benefit of direct NC admission
An Exploration of how Intimate Partner Relationships Impact the Mental Wellbeing of Men in the Construction Sector in Aotearoa New Zealand: Understanding the Interplay Between Work, Family, and Employee Mental Health
Get PDFThis poster presentation aims to illustrate a comprehensive literature review and methodology used in my study. The main purpose of this study is to explore how intimate partner relationships impact the mental wellbeing of men in the construction sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. The focus of my research is on relationship breakdown, which is a predominant theme preceding suicide by men in the industry (Bryson et al., 2019). Several studies have investigated specific elements of intimate partner relationships associated with suicidality, including intimate partner violence and abuse (Devries et al., 2013; McLaughlin et al., 2012). There is currently no research within Aotearoa New Zealand that has explored the interplay between men’s work, family, and mental health. For this study, I will use qualitative research methodology because I seek to capture the experiences, perceptions and perspectives of construction workers, their intimate partners, and key stakeholders. The underlying theoretical paradigms will be constructivism and interpretivism. Grounded theory will be used to develop a theoretical basis for understanding the different influences on mental health and the role that intimate partner relationships play in workers’ mental wellbeing. Data collection for Study 1 will comprise semi-structured face-to-face interviews (n = ∼ 20) with key stakeholders in the construction sector. Study 2 will comprise 15-20 semi-structured face-to-face interviews with construction workers across a range of occupations, as well as interviews with their intimate partners (30-40 interviews in total). Participants will be recruited through the MATES in construction programme. The interview data will be transcribed verbatim, and NVivo software will be used for data management and coding. It is hoped that this study will contribute to understanding more about the risk factors associated with poor mental health in the construction industry and that it may stimulate action from stakeholders in better supporting the mental wellbeing of its workers including impacting organisational and governmental policies and procedures within the construction sector in Aotearoa New Zealand
Dental Anxiety: A ‘Twin Burden’ for Patients and Dental Professionals
Get PDFOral health is integral to general health; yet oral diseases are the most widespread non-communicable diseases affecting almost half the world’s population. Much has been documented on patient dental anxiety; but there is a dearth of literature on how dentists deal with the problem afflicting themselves as well. Dentists, perceived as guardians of oral health therefore, need to remain vigilant to their own health needs. This study will employ a mixed-method research approach. First, I will survey New Zealand dentists on how they identify and manage anxious patients in their clinical practices. The study’s second phase will involve conducting semi-structured interviews (Appukuttan, 2016) with participating dentists to investigate the stress dentists face in treating these anxious patients and then explore their own coping strategies. The study findings could inform the development of evidence-based guidelines and strategies for managing patient anxiety, providing a framework to support dentists. It could also highlight potential areas of improvement in dentist training programmes, thereby strengthening the profession’s ability to handle patient anxiety. Furthermore, it could shed light on practical and beneficial self-care and coping strategies for dentists, potentially leading to a healthier work environment and an enhanced quality of life for dental professionals (Newton et al., 2006). In this presentation I will underscore the reciprocal nature of dental anxiety, revealing it as a problem with a profound two-way impact
Exploring Island Resilience Through the Lived Experiences of Pacific Islands People Adapting to a Global Disruption: A Comparative Case Study in the Cook Islands and the Kingdom of Tonga
Get PDFThis research explored the lived experiences and perceptions of Pacific Islands’ people responding and adapting to the significant global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary aim of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of the social dimensions of resilience from the perspectives of Pacific Islands’ people. While there has been growing interest in these explorations of resilience, no studies to date have explored how Pacific Islands’ communities respond and adapt to a global disruption through the lens of subjective well-being and human agency. This research addressed this using a comparative case study approach to explore the adaptive responses of people in the Cook Islands and the Kingdom of Tonga. This research used an interpretive research paradigm underpinned by a constructivist grounded theory methodology and, due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, undertook semi-structured interviews with 25 participants in the Cook Islands and 24 participants in Tonga through the use of online video-conferencing technologies (primarily Zoom) facilitated by the development of local research partnerships. The findings indicate that the resilience of Pacific Islands people depends on their capacity to collectively act and forge networks that are simultaneously local and global, enabling the use of traditional and foreign knowledge systems in ways that support the local human capacity that enhances the self-reliance of their island societies amidst a volatile, globalised world. These insights challenge the reductionist, ahistorical, and disempowering framings of small island nations as inherently vulnerable and externally dependent by demonstrating how Pacific Islands people used various forms of situated agency and social capital to increase their bargaining power and support the social-ecological wellbeing of their communities according to their needs, interests, and priorities
Early Detecting of Infectious Disease Outbreaks: AI Potentials for Public Health Systems
Get PDFThe world is increasingly connected through technology, bringing people closer despite vast distances. However, this has led to urbanization, population growth, and a complex global economy. Climate change is also a consequence of our consumerist lifestyle. These changes have also increased the risk of global outbreaks and pandemics (Haileamlak, 2022). Fortunately, technological advancements offer tools such as digital surveillance, data analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help manage such crises. AI models excel at analysing large amounts of data quickly, revealing complex trends and patterns beyond human capability (Aleixo et al., 2022; Sylvestre et al., 2022). The objective of this presentation is to introduce a comprehensive framework integrating AI with the public health system to harness its strong analytical capabilities and support the early detection of infectious diseases. The proposed framework involves data collection from various sources, cloud-based or centralized repository data storing and pre-processing, AI model development, and data analysis, resulting in an effective early warning system to inform public health authorities promptly. Integrating AI into the public health system enhances response efforts and swift tackling of challenges for better health outcomes. However, effectively harnessing AI's potential and integrating it into existing systems presents significant challenges, requiring the retention of technical expertise and a comprehensive understanding of AI functionalities among healthcare professionals. Addressing these obstacles is vital for enhancing public health resilience and effectively responding to future outbreaks, as demonstrated during the recent use of AI in the COVID-19 response