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The UC Research Repository collects, stores and makes available original research from postgraduate students, researchers and academics based at the University of Canterbury.
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Advances in remote sensing of emperor penguins: first multi-year time series documenting trends in the global population
(The Royal Society, 2024) LaRue, Michelle; Iles , David; Labrousse , Sara; Fretwell , Peter; Ortega , David; Devane , Eileen; Horstmann , Isabella; Viollat , Lise; Foster-Dyer , Rose; Le Bohec , Céline; Zitterbart , Daniel; Houstin , Aymeric; Richter , Sebastian; Winterl , Alexander; Wienecke , Barbara; Salas , Leo; Nixon , Monique; Barbraud, Christophe; Kooyman , Gerald; Ponganis P, Paul; Ainley D, David; Trathan P, Philip; Jenouvrier S, Stephanie
Like many polar animals, emperor penguin populations are challenging to monitor because of the species' life history and remoteness. Consequently, it has been difficult to establish its global status, a subject important to resolve as polar environments change. To advance our understanding of emperor penguins, we combined remote sensing, validation surveys and using Bayesian modelling, we estimated a comprehensive population trajectory over a recent 10-year period, encompassing the entirety of the species’ range. Reported as indices of abundance, our study indicates with 81% probability that there were fewer adult emperor penguins in 2018 than in 2009, with a posterior median decrease of 9.6% (95% credible interval (CI) −26.4% to +9.4%). The global population trend was −1.3% per year over this period (95% CI = −3.3% to +1.0%) and declines probably occurred in four of eight fast ice regions, irrespective of habitat conditions. Thus far, explanations have yet to be identified regarding trends, especially as we observed an apparent population uptick toward the end of time series. Our work potentially establishes a framework for monitoring other Antarctic coastal species detectable by satellite, while promoting a need for research to better understand factors driving biotic changes in the Southern Ocean ecosystem.
Promoting resilience through teaching, research and public engagement
(2023) Kingham, Simon
Establishing a child and adolescent mental health center in Herat, Afghanistan: a project description
(Elsevier BV, 2023) Najm , Abdul Fattah; Niazi , Aziz-ur-Rahman; Alekozay , Mina; Allan , Emily B.; Mathias, Kaaren
Objective: Afghanistan has witnessed a long-lasting 4-decade armed conflict, which together with high levels of poverty and interpersonal violence, resulted in high incidence and prevalence of mental disorders in general population, including children and adolescents. Until mid-2018, there was neither mental health care facility nor a child psychiatrist in Afghanistan. Here, we report the establishment of the first children and adolescents’ mental health center (CAMHC) in Herat province of Afghanistan. Methods: In July 2018, CAMHC was initiated at Mental Health Training Center – Herat. CAMHC was initially planned by the International Assistance Mission (IAM) and Herat Public Health Directorate; and financially supported by the Tearfund UK, the United Methodist Committee on Relief and Tearfund Australia. The target population of CAMHC was children and adolescents in Herat and neighboring provinces, healthcare professionals, staff of government and non-governmental organizations, school teachers and community leaders. Results: A group of eight mental health professionals were trained and made the interdisciplinary board for diagnosis and management of mental disorders in children and adolescents. During the initial three-year period, 2 448 patients, including 1 264 (51.6%) boys and 1 184 (48.4%) girls, presented with mental disorders to CAMHC. Diagnosis and management of mental disorders were performed according to standard international protocols. Eighteen awareness-raising seminars were held; 2 000 leaflets, 10 000 posters, and 30 000 brochures were prepared and distributed; and two short video clips were produced and broadcast via IAM website, social media and local TV channels. A database was developed to house for project data, assessment of outcomes and reporting to stakeholders. Conclusion: Establishment of CAMHC resulted in significant achievements in diagnosis and management of mental disorders among children and adolescents, healthcare staff capacity building, and awareness-raising about mental disorders. Data obtained in CAMHC offers government, mental health professionals and the community the opportunity of improving mental health in the region.
Pacific (2021)
(Brill, 2023) Hopkins, W. John; Avila L
Outcomes of a brief mental health and resilience pilot intervention for young women in an urban slum in Dehradun, North India: A quasi-experimental study
(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2018) Mathias, Kaaren; Pandey, A.; Armstrong , G.; Diksha , P.; Kermode , M.
Background: Mental illness is a leading cause of the disease burden among young people. Poor mental health is linked to childhood adversity such as gender inequality, poverty and low educational attainment. Psycho-social assets in adolescents can moderate these impacts and be strengthened. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a brief mental health and resilience intervention among disadvantaged young women in urban North India. Methods: We used an uncontrolled repeated measures design to evaluate the effectiveness of the 15-module mental health and resilience curriculum among young women residing in a slum in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Standardised psychometric assessments were done to assess outcomes of the intervention at three time-points: pre-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 8-months post-intervention (T3), covering domains of self-efficacy, resilience, anxiety, depression and gender attitudes. Results: Young women completing the intervention (n=106) had all left school before 10th class. A statistically significant improvement in all psychometric measures was found at T2. These improvements were sustained at T3 in the areas of anxiety, depression and gender equality attitudes, while the measures of resilience and self-efficacy had declined to baseline. Conclusions: This intervention delivered by community-based peers among highly disadvantaged young women can lead to sustained improvements in anxiety and depression and attitudes to gender equality. While other studies in LMIC have shown increased adolescent resilience through peer-led curriculums, this study demonstrates improvements in mental health and gender attitudes can endure 8-months post-intervention. This low-cost, brief intervention can improve mental health resiliency and self-efficacy among disadvantaged young people. Further research should explore how to bring sustained improvements in resilience.