ORCID Profile
0000-0003-0188-1586
Current Organisation
The University of Auckland
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Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 24-05-2023
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 20-12-2021
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0261163
Abstract: New Zealand’s rate of suicide persistently exceeds the global average. The burden of suicide in New Zealand is disproportionately borne by youth, males and Māori (NZ indigenous people). While the demographic characteristics of suicide decedents are established, there is a need to identify potential points of contact with health services where preventative action could take place. This paper aims to determine if suicide deaths in New Zealand were likely to be preceded by contact with health services, and the type and time frame in which these contacts took place. This study utilised a whole-of-population-cohort of all in iduals age 15 years and over, who were alive on March 5 th 2013, followed up to December 2015. Associations between the odds of suicide, demographic factors, area-based deprivation, and the timing of last contact with primary, secondary, and tertiary services were analysed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Contact with a health service in the 6 Months prior to death was associated with the highest odds of suicide. Over half of the suicide decedent population (59.4%) had contacted primary health services during this period. Large proportions of the suicide decedent population contacted secondary and tertiary services in the 6 Months prior to death, 46.5% and 30.4% respectively. Contact with primary, secondary and tertiary services in the prior 6 Months, were associated with an increased odds of suicide of 2.51 times [95% CI 2.19–2.88], 4.45 times [95% CI 3.69–4.66] and 6.57 times [95% CI 5.84–7.38], respectively, compared to those who had no health services contact.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 12-03-2021
DOI: 10.1101/2021.03.11.21253424
Abstract: 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. The New Zealand historical census series between 1976-2013 was used to examine SRBs between ages 0-5 by ethnicity. A retrospective birth cohort in New Zealand was created using the Stats NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure from 2003-2018. A logistic regression was conducted and adjusted for selected variables of interest including visa group, parity, maternal age and deprivation. Finally, associations between family size, ethnicity and family gender composition were examined in a subset of this cohort (families with 2 or 3 children). There was no evidence of ‘missing women’ or gender bias as indicated by a deviation from the biological norm in New Zealand’s Asian population. However, Indian and Chinese families were significantly more likely to have a third child if their first two children were females compared to two male children. The analyses did not reveal male-favouring SRBs or any conclusive evidence of sex-selective abortion among Indian and Chinese populations. Based on this data, we conclude that in comparison to other western countries, New Zealand’s Asian migrant populations presents as an anomaly. The larger family sizes for Indian and Chinese populations where the first two children were girls suggested potentially ‘soft’ practices of son preference. - There are discrepancies in Sex Ratios at Birth (SRB) among the Asian minority migrant populations – particularly Indian and Chinese populations –in countries like Canada, UK, USA. SRBs show a pronounced number of males over female children, suggesting a widespread practice of sex-selective abortions in these communities since the 1970s. - These trends implicitly reflect social norms of gender bias through son preference, and daughter devaluation. - The present study did not find evidence of skewed SRBs that favour boys over girls among Asian ethnicities. The analyses however did find a tendency for Indian and Chinese families to have larger families especially when the first two children were girls. - Overall, the findings suggest the absence of widespread practices of sex-selective abortion making New Zealand an anomaly relative to other migrant-receiving countries. However, there are still vestiges of son preference that are seen through decisions around family size and gender composition.
No related grants have been discovered for Annie Chiang.