October 26, 2023
New Dunedin Study director continues its legacy
The new Māori director of Otago University’s world-renowned “Dunedin Study” – jokes she’s not really that new – considering she’s been involved with it for 25 years.
Associate Professor Moana Theodore, Ngapuhi, is just the 3rd director in the study’s 51-year history, and says she was introduced to it in 1998 by its founding director Dr Phil Silva and then went on also to be mentored by the last director, the late Professor Richie Poulton.
The study has followed the lives of more than one thousand people born in Dunedin between 1972 and 73.
Professor Theodore says that while only about 100 participants identified as of Maori ethnicity, their contribution has been valuable.
“The study members and their whanau have been participating for 50 years so we’re looking at what we might be able to do more in terms of thinking about Māori health and well-being and as a part of that there are other incredible studies in New Zealand and how we can partner with them to sort of share our approaches,” she says
Professor Moana Theodore says the study has a world-leading 94 percent retention rate for participants – who next year will be assessed at age 52 – an incredibly long time to be part of a continuous study.