2007 Health Research Council Pacific Career Development Award recipient and former international netball star Amanda Dunlop speaks to SPASIFIKmag.com.
Former netball international Amanda Dunlop was one of seven scholarship winners from the Health Research Council’s Pacific Career Development Award programme, announced at the end of 2007. She received a grant of NZ$66,950 to study towards a PhD at the University of Auckland. Her doctoral thesis is Social Marketing and Pacific peoples in New Zealand.
HRC’s Pacific Career Development Awards programme is aimed at developing and supporting the Pacific workforce capacity in health research in New Zealand. Nearly $650,000 was awarded for the 2007 year for three Masters Scholarships, three PhDs Scholarships and one Postdoctoral Fellowship.
She speaks exclusively to SPASIFIKmag.com about winning the scholarship and what she hopes to find out in her studies.
SPASIFIKmag.com Q&A with Amanda Dunlop
What is your research about?
My research is looking at the effectiveness of current social marketing approaches for Pacific peoples in New Zealand, and how these approaches can be made more effective to support improved behaviour change, and ultimately health outcomes, for our Pacific peoples.
Social marketing is the systematic application of commercial marketing technologies to the analysis, planning, execution and evaluation of programmes designed to influence the voluntary behaviour change of target audiences, improving their welfare and that of society. I’m looking at social marketing in health specifically.
Social marketing efforts may involve adopting a new behaviour such as covering up in sun, modifying an existing behaviour such as eating more healthily by eating more fruit and vegetables and drinking more water and milk, or stopping a behaviour altogether such as smoking.
In recent years in New Zealand, social marketing has been used to promote immunisations (“Meningococcal B”), utilisation of health services (Breast Screening), physical activity (“Push Play”), smoking cessation (“Quit line, Smokefree) and healthy eating (“Feeding Our Futures”).
Pacific peoples have consistently been a key target group for social marketing efforts in New Zealand because of their poor health outcomes. However, there hasn’t been any research into the effectiveness of these social marketing approaches for Pacific peoples. Do they work for example? How could they be made more effective? So that’s what I’m looking at. I want to help ensure that the social marketing approaches used for Pacific peoples in New Zealand are appropriate, effective and will result in real behaviour change and improved health outcomes for our Pacific peoples.
What made you choose this topic as your research?
Social marketing is a very topical issue, not only in New Zealand but internationally. Social marketing’s popularity and usage within New Zealand is increasing. Pacific peoples have consistently been a key target group for social marketing efforts in New Zealand because of their poor health outcomes. However, there hasn’t been any research into the effectiveness of these social marketing approaches for Pacific peoples. Do they work for example? How could they be made more effective? So that’s what I’m looking at. I want to help ensure that the social marketing approaches used for Pacific peoples in New Zealand are appropriate, effective and will result in real behaviour change and improved health outcomes for our Pacific peoples.
How do you plan to carry out your research?
Phase 1 of my research is an examination of the current social marketing approaches that are being used in New Zealand to influence behaviour change for Pacific peoples. The purpose of this is to understand what the current approaches are, how the social marketing programmes are developed, and how effective they have been in influencing our Pacific peoples to change their behaviours. This will be done by analysing all of the available documents on key case studies, and by conducting interviews with the programme managers who were responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the social marketing programmes. Out of this process, a set of critical success factors for influencing behaviour change for Pacific peoples will be identified.
Phase 2 of my research will be based on the findings from Phase 1. I’ll carry out interviews and focus group sessions with key Pacific peoples and the Pacific churches in Counties Manukau participating in the research to get their views on the critical success factors and what will work. I’ll then look to develop and implement a social marketing programme based on these findings, in partnership with the participating churches and Counties Manukau District Health Board.
What’s your reaction to receiving this scholarship?
I felt very honoured to have received the award. I was also relieved. Being a ‘mature/adult’ student with a young family and mortgage, I needed funding support to be able to continue my research. The award has given me this support and a sense of security to move on with confidence.
Was there anyone who influenced you greatly?
My parents, Jim and Peggy, and my grandmother, Emele Moa Te’o Fairbairn have been the main influences on my life and the pathways I’ve chosen. All greatly valued education and impressed on my sisters and I from an early age the need to complete our education to a tertiary level, because “education and knowledge was the key” to the creating a better life for ourselves and our family. They also engrained in us strong Christian, moral and social principles, particularly “tautua”; and that our role in life is to serve and to improve the well-being of our family and community. That’s what we try to do.
My mother [Victoria University Associate Professor Tagaloatele Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop] in particular is a wonderful role model, not only for me personally and our family but for many young Pacific women. She was the highest-awarded Pacific person in the New Years Honours List announced recently - she received an Officer of New Zealand Merit Award (ONZM) in recognition of her research on families.
Our Pacific peoples and communities have also influenced me. Our people want better health outcomes for their families, and in most part know what needs to be done to achieve this, but are unable act on and realise it for many varying reasons including a lack of resources, access to health services and appropriate programmes for example. Doing whatever I can to help improve our peoples’ health and well-being is what drives me – it’s a lifelong passion. This research will help do this.
AMANDA DUNLOP – PROFILE:
PERSONAL
• Aiga Sa Petaia from Fasito’o-uta, and Atoa from Siumu and Tanugamanono. On my father’s side, we are Tainui, Ngati Maniapoto from Kawhia.
• Born in Wairoa, New Zealand. The fourth of 5 girls.
• Educated in Samoa, attending Malifa, Leifiifi Intermediate and Samoa College. Came to New Zealand to do forms 6 and 7 at Nelson College for Girls in preparation for university.
• Married with a 23 month old daughter, Lanuola.
EDUCATION
• 1996: M.A (Applied) Social Sciences: Recreation and Leisure studies (with Merit), Victoria University of Wellington
• 1992: B.A Sociology and Classical Studies (double major), Victoria University of Wellington
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
• Feb 2007 – present: Full-time student, and do some contract work for Counties Manukau District Health Board.
• May 2004 – Feb 2007: Manager of the Let’s Diabetes (LBD) Programme, Counties Manukau District Health Board.
• April 2002 – 2004: Senior Policy Analyst, Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs.
• Nov 2000 – Apr 2002: Communications Advisor, Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs.
• Aug 1998 – Nov 2000: Contract work for Fairbairn-Dunlop Business Associates Ltd, Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs. Semi-professional netball player.
• May 1996 – Aug 1998: Cultural Development Adviser, ACC.
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS
• 14 years international and provincial representative netball, including selection to three World Championships and one World Youth Championship. Also had the privilege of captaining a number of these teams.
• 3 years international and provincial age group representative basketball.
• University Sports Blue Award (1992) in recognition of sporting achievements.
