Dr Jemaima Sipaea Tiatia-Seath

PhD, DPH, MA (Hons), BA

HOS - Te Wananga o Waipapa

In: Maori and Pacific Studies » Faculty of Arts

Biography

Jemaima Tiatia-Seath is currently Co-Head of School and Head of Pacific Studies (Acting), Te Wānanga o Waipapa, School of Māori Stuides and Pacific Studies, University of Auckland. She is of Samoan descent and has a community/public health background. Her research interests include: mental health, Pacific suicide prevention and postvention, youth development, Pacific health and wellbeing and inequities and inequalities in health.

Research | Current

Principal investigator - Pacific Health Research Knowledge Translation project, Health Research Council of NZ (HRC) funded - 'Heilala Malu – Tongan Framework for Suicide Prevention Resource’ (2017).
Principal investigator for Te Ra o Te Waka Hourua funded - 'Pacific Suicide Postvention Guidelines' with Hibiscus Research Ltd (2017).
Principal investigator for Te Ra o Te Waka Hourua funded - 'Suicide Postvention: Support for Pacific Communities' with Hibiscus Research Ltd (2016) http://hdl.handle.net/2292/32391
Co-investigator - The University of Auckland Adolescent Health Research Group https://www.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/en/faculty/adolescent-health-research-group.html
Principal investigator - HRC and Ministry of Health Pacific Partnership Programme funded project - ‘Suicide Prevention for Tongan Youth in New Zealand' (2015).
Postdoctoral Pacific Health Research Fellowship HRC funded - 'Suicide and Samoans: The Journey Towards Prevention’ (2014).
HRC Pacific Health PhD Research Award - ‘Reasons to Live: NZ-born Samoan Young People's Responses to Suicidal Behaviours’ (2003).
Principal investigator - HRC Project Grant - ‘Pacific Youth Emergency Department Suicide Study’ (2000).

Teaching | Current

PACIFIC 100 Introduction to Pacific Studies, Semester I, 2018

PACIFIC 206/306 - Pacific Youth: Contemporary Realities in the Pacific Region, Semester I, 2018

PACIFIC 702 - Topics in Pacific Research, Semester 1, 2018

Postgraduate supervision

PhD in progress

2017: Caleb Marsters - Run it straight! - Pasifika men, mental wellbeing and elite sports, Pacific Studies, University of Auckland

2016: Therese Kiely - Pacific young women’s images of God and mental wellbeing (with Caroline Blyth). Theology, University of Auckland

2015: Eliza Puna - Cook Islands youth: Positive mental health wellbeing and suicide prevention. Pacific Studies, University of Auckland

Masters in progress

2017: Rose Palmer - Factors that foster positive mental health status in unpaid at-home caregivers for the elderly in New Zealand (with Ngaire Kerse). Dissertation for Master of Public Health, School of Population Health, University of Auckland

2016: Joanna Minster - Cultural resilience and mental wellbeing among multi-ethnic Cook Islands young adults. Master of Public Health, School of Population Health, University of Auckland

2016: Sili Pita - Navigating the historical context of incest in Samoa: 1900’s–2000s (with Damon Salesa). Master of Arts, Pacific Studies, University of Auckland

2016: Sonia Pope - Exploring the intergenerational views of wellbeing among Tongan women (with Tanya Samu). Master of Arts, Education, University of Auckland

Masters completed

2017: Caleb Marsters - Young Pacific male athletes and positive mental health wellbeing. Master of Public Health, Pacific Health, University of Auckland

2016: Tony Patolo - Exploring young Pacific tertiary students’ views and experiences of bullying. Master of Arts, Pacific Studies, University of Auckland

2016: Desiree Chan Chui - Violence against women in Samoa: 1970s-1990s (with Damon Salesa). Master of Arts, Pacific Studies, University of Auckland

2015: Cecelia Faumuina Khaka - Malanga: The voice of positive dissonance. Master of Philosophy - Art and Design, AUT (with Dr Webley Ings and David Sinfield)

2013: Eliza Puna - New Zealand born Cook Islands youth views towards positive mental wellbeing and suicide prevention. Master of Public Health, University of Auckland

2013: Drollet Joseph - Culturally competent approaches in reducing obesity for Cook Islands people in New Zealand. Dissertation for Master of Arts, Pacific Studies, University of Auckland

Areas of expertise

Pacific suicide prevention, postvention and research
Pacific health and wellbeing
Youth development
Pacific studies
Mental health
Pacific cultural competencies
Injury prevention

Committees/Professional groups/Services

2017-current: Member of the New Zealand Rugby League NZ Wellbeing Committee

2014-2017: Appointed to the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s New Zealand Suicide Mortality Review Committee

2016-current: Appointed to Unitec’s Standing Committee, Fono Faufautua Council

2016-current: Committee member of the Health Promotion Agency's National Depression Initiative Advisory Group

2014-current: Committee member of the Mental Health Foundation's Suicide Bereavement Advisory

2014-current: Member of Ara Taiohi: For People Working with Young People

2014-current: Member of the International Association for Suicide Prevention

2012-2014: Member of the World Association of Cultural Psychiatry

2005-current: Member of PACIFICA (Pacific Allied Women’s Council Inspires Faith and Ideals Concerning All) Auckland Central Branch

Reviewer for:

Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing: Te Mauri - Pimatisiwin

New Zealand Medical Journal

Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology

Pacific Health Review

Journal of Primary Health Care

Religions

Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)

Tiatia-Seath, J., Lay-Yee, R., & von Randow, M. (2017). Supporting the bereavement needs of Pacific communities in Aotearoa New Zealand following a suicide. Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing Te Mauri - Pimatisiwin, 2 (2), 129-141. Related URL.
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Martin von Randow
Puna, E. P., & Tiatia-Seath, J. (2017). Defining positive mental wellbeing for New Zealand-born Cook Islands youth. Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing, 2 (1), 97-107. Related URL.
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Eliza Puna
Tiatia-Seath, J., Lay-Yee, R., & Von Randow, M. (2017). Suicide Mortality among Pacific peoples in New Zealand, 1996–2013. New Zealand Medical Journal, 130 (1454), 21-29. Related URL.
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/34320
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Martin von Randow, Roy Lay-Yee
Teevale, T., Lee, A. C.-L., Tiatia-Seath, J., Clark, T. C., Denny, S., Bullen, P., ... Peiris-John, R. J. (2016). Risk and Protective Factors for Suicidal Behaviors Among Pacific Youth in New Zealand. Crisis, 37 (5), 335-346. 10.1027/0227-5910/a000396
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/31163
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Terryann Clark, Arier Lee, Simon Denny, Theresa Fleming, Roshini Peiris-John, Pat Bullen
Tiatia-Seath, J. (2016). Suicide Postvention: Support for Pacific Communities: Report for Waka Hourua - National Suicide Prevention Programme for Māori and Pasifika Communities. Auckland: Hibiscus Research Ltd. Related URL.
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/32391
Tiatia-Seath, J. (2015). Tongan youth suicide study: Report to the Health Research Council of New Zealand and Ministry of Health for the Pacific partnership programme. Auckland, New Zealand.
Tiatia-Seath, J. (2014). Pacific peoples, mental health service engagement and suicide prevention in Aotearoa New Zealand. Ethnicity and Inequalities in Health and Social Care, 7 (3), 111-121. 10.1108/EIHSC-10-2013-0023
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/25430
Tiatia, J. (2012). Commentary on ‘Cultural Diversity Across the Pacific’: Samoan Cultural Constructs of Emotion, New Zealand-Born Samoan Youth Suicidal Behaviours, and Culturally Competent Human Services. Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, 6 (02), 75-79. 10.1017/prp.2012.9