MPH , BA , ATCL
Assistant Research Fellow: He Kāinga Oranga | Housing and Health, New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities research programmes, University of Otago, Wellington
Contact details
Email rachel.dohig@otago.ac.nz
Research interests and activities
Rachel works between housing and energy poverty research, with a particular emphasis on working with the public housing community.
Her Master’s thesis explored the experiences of public housing tenants during COVID-19 and the public health and social measures enacted in response. Alongside her focus on housing equity Rachel has a deep interest in communication, and how we most effectively communicate our results and projects with participants, community groups, industry, and policy makers alike.
Publications
Chen, Z., O'Sullivan, K. C., Dohig, R. K., Pierse, N., Jiang, T., Riva, M., & Das, R. (2025). Identifying summer energy poverty and public health risks in a temperate climate. Climate Risk Management, 48, 100698. doi: 10.1016/j.crm.2025.100698 Journal - Research Article
Dohig, R. K., O'Sullivan, K. C., Desmarais, A.-M., & Bierre, S. (2025). Staying cool at home: Cooling practices, barriers, and possibilities for disabled people's experiences of managing summer heat in Aotearoa New Zealand. Energy Research & Social Science, 120, 103895. doi: 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103895 Journal - Research Article
Dohig, R. K., O'Sullivan, K. C., Telfar-Barnard, L., & Howden-Chapman, P. (2024). ‘I think life changed for everybody from the first lockdown’: Public housing tenants’ experiences of COVID-19 public health and social measures in Aotearoa New Zealand. International Journal of Housing Policy. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/19491247.2024.2438294 Journal - Research Article
Grimes, A., Smith, C., O'Sullivan, K., Howden-Chapman, P., Le Gros, L., & Dohig, R. K. (2024). Housing tenure and subjective wellbeing: The importance of public housing. Applied Research in Quality of Life. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s11482-024-10369-y Journal - Research Article
Grimes, A., Smith, C., O'Sullivan, K., Howden-Chapman, P., Le Gros, L., & Dohig, R. K. (2023). Micro-geography and public housing tenant wellbeing [Motu Working Paper 23-08]. Wellington, New Zealand: Motu Economic and Public Policy Research. Retrieved from https://www.motu.nz/our-research/wellbeing-and-macroeconomics/well-being-and-sustainability-measures/micro-geography-and-public-tenant-wellbeing/ Working Paper; Discussion Paper; Technical Report