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Dr (MD), MPH
Research Fellow

Teaches PUBH739 Special Topic: Introduction to Pacific Public Health

Contact details

Email Viliami@hauora.co.nz

Research interests and activities

Dr Viliami Puloka is a Research Fellow in the Health Promotion and Policy Research Unit, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington. He is also a Senior Health Promotion Strategist specialising in Pacific Health with the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand.

Viliami supports and facilitates Pacific research in New Zealand and in the Pacific. His vast experience and network in the Pacific region allows for effective and meaningful engagement with Pacific communities. He has a special interest in diabetes and obesity and believes “Diabetes is the Face of NCD in the Pacific”.

He led the fight against non-communicable diseases with the Pacific Community (SPC) supporting the 22 Pacific Island countries and Territories. He was the head and team leader of the Healthy Pacific Lifestyle Unit for almost a decade before moving to New Zealand in 2014. Before that, Viliami worked as a clinician, as well as public health practitioner in Tonga.

Publications

Robinson A., Hulme-Moir S., Puloka V., Smith M., Stanley J. and Signal L. (2017).  Housing as a determinant of Tongan children's health: innovative methodology using wearable cameras.  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14, 1170. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101170

Puloka, V. Domestic violence in Vava'u, Tonga Island. (1994) Pacific Health Dialog. 1(2):78-79.

Lower, T., Nauan, B., Abel, M., Ake, M., Puloka, V., & Tiban, K. (2005) Curbing the tide non communicable disease in the Pacific. Secretariat of the Pacific Community Publication.

Puloka. V. Chapter on Tonga. Cross Cultural Caring: A Handbook for Health Care Professions in Hawaii. John A Burn Medical School, University of Hawaii Press, 1980.

Publications

Puloka, V., Puloka, A., Lambert, M., & Signal, L. (2024). Polokalama Fekumi ki he Kanisā 'o e Halanga-me'atokoní—Ko e vakai 'a e Tongá: Tongan New Zealanders' views on how to ensure the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme works well for the Tongan community. New Zealand Medical Journal/Te ara tika o te hauora hapori, 137(1604), 53-61. Retrieved from https://nzmj.org.nz/ Journal - Research Article

Gage, R., Chambers, T., Smith, M., McKerchar, C., Puloka, V., Pearson, A., Kawachi, I., & Signal, L. (2022). Children's perspectives on the wicked problem of child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand: A wearable camera study. New Zealand Medical Journal, 135(1559), 95-111. Retrieved from https://journal.nzma.org.nz Journal - Research Article

Gray, L., MacDonald, C., Puloka, A., Bocock, C., Gwyther, R., Rushton, A., Puloka, V., … Kvalsvig, A., & Baker, M. G. (2022). The lived experience of hotel isolation and quarantine at the Aotearoa New Zealand border for COVID-19: A qualitative descriptive study. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 70, 102779. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102779 Journal - Research Article

Teng, A., Puloka, V., Signal, L., & Wilson, N. (2021). Pacific countries lead the way on sugary drinks taxes: Lessons for New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1543), 137-140. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal Journal - Research Other

Choi, K., Giridharan, N., Cartmell, A., Lum, D., Signal, L., Puloka, V., Crossin, R., Gray, L., Davies, C., Baker, M., & Kvalsvig, A. (2021). Life during lockdown: A qualitative study of low-income New Zealanders' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1538), 52-67. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal Journal - Research Article

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