Areas of Focus

mental-health-and-addiction, health-policy-and-research, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity: Push and Pull Factors for Transgender Migration to Aotearoa/New Zealand

This research draws on data from the 2022 Counting Ourselves survey to examine the push...

1 December 2025 11:38 am

Ekta Kumar

Cross-cultural Adaptations of Mental Health Screening Tools: A Scoping Review

Summary This review examines how mental health assessment tools are culturally adapted for different contexts....

7 November 2025 11:10 am

Ekta Kumar

mental-health-and-addiction, children-and-young-people, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

Inequities in Adolescent Sleep Health in Aotearoa New Zealand: Cross-sectional survey findings

Summary Aotearoa New Zealand adolescents experience significant ethnic inequities in sleep health. Māori, Pacific, Asian,...

31 October 2025 11:53 am

Ekta Kumar

mental-health-and-addiction, health-policy-and-research, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

Utilisation of Specialist Mental Health and Addiction Services in New Zealand: a comparative analysis of refugees with the general population

Summary A national study using NZ data found that quota refugees accessed mental health services...

21 October 2025 2:03 pm

Ekta Kumar

children-and-young-people, population-health, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

Ethnic identification from pre-birth to early adolescence: longitudinal patterns and methodological considerations

Summary Ethnicity is a dynamic construct that can change over an individual's lifetime. This study...

29 September 2025 10:58 am

Ekta Kumar

mental-health-and-addiction, population-health, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

Evaluation Of the Afghan Evacuee Resettlement Programme In Aotearoa New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand resettled over 1,700 Afghan evacuees after the 2021 Taliban takeover. NFACT supported...

12 September 2025 3:21 pm

Ekta Kumar

health-communication, population-health, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of the Afghan Evacuee Resettlement Programme in Aotearoa New Zealand

Summary In 2021, over 1,700 Afghan evacuees resettled in New Zealand received tailored support from...

5 September 2025 4:13 pm

Ekta Kumar

mental-health-and-addiction, language-barriers, population-health Research & Insight

2025 New Zealand Asian Well-being & Mental Health Report

The 2025 survey aims to provide detailed insights into the mental health and well-being of...

4 August 2025 1:58 pm

Ekta Kumar

Latin American Refugees and Immigrants in New Zealand: The Impact of Migration Status on Quality of Life

This study explores how Latin American refugees and immigrants perceive their quality of life in...

28 July 2025 3:38 pm

Ekta Kumar

women-health, mental-health-and-addiction, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

Refugees and mental wellbeing. A call for community approaches in Aotearoa New Zealand

Summary The purpose of this paper is to examine community based, trauma informed to support...

10 July 2025 4:48 pm

Ekta Kumar

public-health, language-barriers, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

How to undertake research with refugees: lessons learned from a qualitative health research programme in Southern New Zealand

This paper explores qualitative health research with former refugees in Southern New Zealand. It highlights effective...

3 July 2025 12:27 pm

Ekta Kumar

public-health, whanau-voices, language-barriers Research & Insight

Moving backwards, moving forward: the experiences of older Filipino migrants adjusting to life in New Zealand

Summary This study explored how older Filipino migrants adjust to life in New Zealand. Through interviews,...

30 June 2025 1:45 pm

Ekta Kumar

women-health, mental-health-and-addiction, children-and-young-people Research & Insight

Mental health and wellbeing of ethnic migrant women and girls in Aotearoa New Zealand: a scoping review

This review examined studies on the mental health of Asian and MELAA women and girls...

13 June 2025 11:31 am

Ekta Kumar

whanau-voices, health-communication, population-health Research & Insight

Towards TB Elimination in Aotearoa/New Zealand: Key Informant Insights on the Determinants of TB among African Migrants

This research explores the factors influencing tuberculosis (TB) among African migrants living in New Zealand....

11 June 2025 4:29 pm

Ekta Kumar

Parental Vaccine Hesitancy among Former Refugees in Aotearoa New Zealand

Summary This study explored vaccine hesitancy among former refugee parents in New Zealand, finding a...

4 June 2025 4:51 pm

Ekta Kumar

public-health, population-health, health-investment-ethnic-communities Research & Insight

“On the books” yet “off the record”-occupational injury and migrant women: scoping review findings from OECD countries, with implications for New Zealand

Summary This study reviews research on work-related injuries (WRIs) among migrant women in OECD countries....

30 May 2025 2:37 pm

Ekta Kumar

African Migrants and TB in Aotearoa New Zealand: The Role of Individual, Social, Economic and Structural Factors

Summary Thesis investigates TB among African migrants in New Zealand, revealing complex social, structural, and...

22 May 2025 4:24 pm

Ekta Kumar

whanau-voices, children-and-young-people Research & Insight

“I haven’t even taken them to the doctors, because I have that fear of what to expect”: a qualitative description study exploring perceptions and experiences of early childhood healthcare among ethnically diverse caregivers in Aotearoa New Zealand

Summary Equity underpins Aotearoa New Zealand’s publicly funded healthcare system; however, ethnic inequality persists. This...

14 May 2025 12:51 pm

Ekta Kumar

population-health, health-policy-and-research, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

Using co-design to identify intervention components to address unhealthy dietary and activity behaviours in New Zealand South Asians

Summary This study employed a co-design approach to identify community-driven interventions addressing diet-related non-communicable diseases...

23 April 2025 1:25 pm

Ekta Kumar

population-health, health-policy-and-research, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

Ethnic Evidence: Increasing the visibility and value of New Zealand’s diversity

Summary Ethnic Communities in New Zealand are growing rapidly but remain largely invisible in public...

10 April 2025 3:57 pm

Ekta Kumar

health-communication, population-health, covid-19-impact Research & Insight

Conventional Medication Adherence and Self-Treatment Practices Among South Asian Immigrants: a qualitative study

Summary This qualitative study explores medication adherence among New Zealand South Asians with Cardiovascular Disease...

10 April 2025 2:24 pm

Ekta Kumar

A bibliography of Research With Asian Communities in Aotearoa (2000-2024)

Summary The bibliography is a wero (challenge) to the invisibility of Asians in research. It...

4 March 2025 1:17 pm

Ekta Kumar

Lived Experience of Dementia in the New Zealand Indian Community: A Qualitative Study with Family Care Givers and People Living with Dementia

Summary: This paper reports findings from an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of dementia...

28 November 2024 2:20 pm

Ekta Kumar

gender-equity-in-health Research & Insight

SYSTEMIC RACISM AND OPPRESSION IN PSYCHOLOGY: VOICES FROM PSYCHOLOGISTS, ACADEMIC STAFF, AND STUDENTS

Summary The WERO team launched a report in September 2024 that presented findings from the...

22 October 2024 2:28 pm

Ekta Kumar

An Ecological Analysis of Hope Amongst Asian Rainbow Young People in Aotearoa New Zealand

217 Asian rainbow youth left comments in the Identify survey about their hopes for Aotearoa....

22 October 2024 12:16 pm

Ekta Kumar

POSITION PAPER: ONLINEGAMBLING – PARTNERING TO MAXIMISE CONSUMER PROTECTION ANDMINIMISE GAMBLING HARM

In Aotearoa New Zealand, the only authorised providers of online gambling are the Lotteries Commission...

17 October 2024 2:31 pm

Ekta Kumar

With Your Mind at Peace, Everything is Fixed

Given the vast range of salutogenic effects of mindfulness, the current study sought to quantitively...

9 October 2024 3:21 pm

Ekta Kumar

health-communication Research & Insight

Asian health in Aotearoa New Zealand: Highlights and Actionable Insights

This editorial aims to highlight the health status for both children and adults, focusing on...

1 October 2024 3:28 pm

Ekta Kumar

Who is Out There? Mapping Language Organisations in Aotearoa

Report by: Languages Alliance Aotearoa NZ and Te Hononga Akoranga COMET Aotearoa New Zealand is...

20 September 2024 12:44 pm

Ekta Kumar

4 September 2024 11:05 am

Asian Health in Aotearoa: Findings from the New Zealand Health Survey 2002 – 2021

This report provides a current picture of the health status of the NZ population using...

Ekta Kumar

Dying Well in Aotearoa New Zealand for ethnic minority communities: a time for reclamation?

Summary Most New Zealanders, currently, are likely to die in hospital or in aged residential...

30 July 2024 4:01 pm

Ekta Kumar

children-and-young-people Research & Insight

Refugees and mental wellbeing. A call for community approaches in Aotearoa New Zealand

Summary The purpose of this paper is to examine community based, trauma informed to support...

29 July 2024 4:30 pm

Ekta Kumar

Asian Rainbow Youth in New Zealand: Protective Factors

Summary This article explores the impact of double minority status (ethnic and sexual/gender) and protective...

29 July 2024 4:05 pm

Ekta Kumar

public-health Research & Insight

Effectiveness of Green Physical Activity for Improving Health and Wellbeing: a narrative review

Summary: This narrative literature review explores the health benefits of Green Physical Activity (GPA) and...

12 June 2024 4:39 pm

Ekta Kumar

covid-19-impact Research & Insight

COVID-19 Lockdown in New Zealand: Perceived Stress and Wellbeing Among International Health Students Who Were Essential Frontline Workers

Summary: This study investigated stress levels and wellbeing among international health and nursing postgraduates in...

12 June 2024 4:16 pm

Ekta Kumar

public-health, population-health, health-investment-ethnic-communities Research & Insight

Barriers and Drivers in Mental health Services in New Zealand: Current status and future direction

Summary: In New Zealand, mental health issues, termed a 'silent epidemic', have multifaceted impacts, including...

12 June 2024 3:38 pm

Ekta Kumar

Asian Migrants Navigating New Zealand Primary Care: a qualitative study

Introduction The data reported in this paper is from the “Easy As project” which aimed...

2 February 2024 12:36 pm

Ekta Kumar

children-and-young-people, population-health, health-policy-and-research Research & Insight

Inequality and adolescent migrants: Results from Youth2000 Survey

While existing research into young migrants has explored aspects of their lived experiences, there is...

2 February 2024 12:13 pm

Ekta Kumar

public-health, population-health, health-investment-ethnic-communities Research & Insight

Hidden Figures and Misnomers: a case for disaggregated Asian health statistics in Aotearoa New Zealand to improve health outcomes

Introduction In this paper the authors provided a case for challenging the current status quo...

31 January 2024 3:46 pm

Ekta Kumar

public-health, population-health, health-investment-ethnic-communities Research & Insight

Post-Migration Food Habits of New Zealand South Asian Migrants: Implications for health promotion practice

Introduction In this study the changes in foods habits of South Asian migrants’ post-migration are...

31 January 2024 2:23 pm

Ekta Kumar

public-health, population-health, health-investment-ethnic-communities Research & Insight

Mental health of African asylum seekers and refugees in Hong Kong: using the social determinants of health framework

Background Hong Kong is non-signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, and...

18 January 2024 12:42 pm

Ekta Kumar

Stepwise tailoring and test–retest of reproducibility of an ethnic-specific FFQ to estimate nutrient intakes for South Asians in New Zealand

Introduction: A Lottery Health Research grant enabled the development of an ethnic specific dietary assessment...

18 January 2024 11:46 am

Ekta Kumar

public-health, population-health, health-investment-ethnic-communities Research & Insight

Exploring Reasons for Ethnic Disparities in Diet and Lifestyle-related Chronic Disease for Asian Subgroups in New Zealand: a scoping exercise

Introduction: This study used data from the 2003–04 and the 2006–07 NZ Health surveys for...

17 January 2024 3:34 pm

Ekta Kumar

women-health, language-barriers, gender-equity-in-health Research & Insight

Structural and Cultural Competencies in Maternity Care for Ethnic Minority and Migrant Women: Practitioner Perspectives from Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract Purpose – With global migration, the number of ethnic minority and migrant women receiving...

15 January 2024 3:02 pm

Ekta Kumar

children-and-young-people, population-health, ethnic-health-strategy Research & Insight

Factors Predicting Forgone Healthcare Among Asian Adolescents in New Zealand: Unmasking Variations in Aggregate Data

ABSTRACT AIM: To examine the relationship between social support, safety, healthcare experience and forgone healthcare...

12 January 2024 11:11 am

Ekta Kumar

A profile of New Zealand ‘Asian’ participants of the 2008/09 Adult National Nutrition Survey: focus on dietary habits, nutrient intakes and health outcomes

Introduction: This study used the data from the National Nutrition Survey to portray for the...

12 January 2024 10:41 am

Ekta Kumar

women-health, mental-health-and-addiction Research & Insight

Meeting Maternal and Reproductive Health Needs in a Post-Disaster Setting: A Qualitative Case Study From Indonesia

Abstract Meeting and planning for maternal and reproductive health (MRH) needs during post-disaster scenarios is...

11 January 2024 3:49 pm

Ekta Kumar

Isolation and prayer as means of solace for Arab women with breast cancer: An in-depth interview study

Abstract Objective: This study explored Arab women's experiences following the diagnosis and treatment of breast...

10 January 2024 3:59 pm

Ekta Kumar

women-health, population-health, health-policy-and-research Research & Insight

Setting the stage: reviewing current knowledge on the health of New Zealand immigrants-an integrative review

Abstract The growth of migrant communities continues to rise globally, creating unique and complex health...

9 January 2024 3:47 pm

Ekta Kumar

An in‑depth analysis of perinatal related mortality among women of South Asian ethnicity in Aotearoa New Zealand

Summary This study highlights how women of South Asian ethnicity in Aotearoa NZ were at...

9 January 2024 3:30 pm

Ekta Kumar

mental-health-and-addiction, public-health, children-and-young-people Research & Insight

Comparing and contrasting Tongan youth and service users’ interpretations of mental distress

Abstract Background: In Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), Pacific people have a higher prevalence of mental...

9 January 2024 2:33 pm

Ekta Kumar

mental-health-and-addiction, language-barriers Research & Insight

Chinese late-life immigrants’ loneliness and social isolation in host countries: An integrative review

Abstract Aims and objective: To synthesise current international empirical evidence on loneliness and social isolation...

9 January 2024 2:09 pm

Ekta Kumar

children-and-young-people, population-health, health-policy-and-research Research & Insight

An intersectional approach to exploring lived realities and harnessing the creativity of ethnic minority youth for health gains: protocol for a multiphase mixed method study

Summary This paper is targeted for researchers and describes the protocol for a multi-year study...

14 December 2023 12:47 pm

Ekta Kumar

public-health Research & Insight

Challenges and adjustments in maintaining health and well-being of older Asian immigrants in New Zealand-An integrative review – PubMed

Abstract Objective There is a paucity of health-related research on older Asian immigrants in New...

25 October 2023 2:33 pm

Ekta Kumar

children-and-young-people, population-health, health-investment-ethnic-communities Research & Insight

Flexible resources and experiences of racism among a multiethnic adolescent population in Aotearoa, New Zealand: an intersectional analysis of health and socioeconomic inequities using survey data

Summary Background As societies become increasingly diverse, understanding the complex nature of racism for multiple...

17 October 2023 3:31 pm

Ekta Kumar

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

Recent research from the UK, USA, Australia and Canada point to male-favouring sex ratios at...

16 October 2023 4:07 pm

Ekta Kumar

women-health, public-health, gender-equity-in-health, population-health Research & Insight

Grouping women of South Asian ethnicity for pregnancy research in New Zealand

This study was performed to identify appropriate groupings of women of SAsian ethnicity for perinatal...

16 October 2023 3:51 pm

Ekta Kumar

Improving health equity among the African ethnic minority through health system strengthening: a narrative review of the New Zealand healthcare system

Abstract Background In New Zealand, health equity is a pressing concern and reaching disadvantaged populations...

16 October 2023 3:18 pm

Ekta Kumar

A decade of Asian and ethnic minority health research in New Zealand: findings from a scoping review

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing proportion of Asian and MELAA (Middle Eastern, Latin American and...

13 October 2023 2:57 pm

Ekta Kumar