Ofanaite Ana Dewes is a New Zealand academic, and an Associate Investigator at the Maurice Wilkins Centre and a Research Fellow at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.[1]

Ofa Dewes
Dewes in 2023
Alma materUniversity of Auckland
AwardsMember of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Scientific career
FieldsMedical research
InstitutionsUniversity of Auckland
Thesis
Doctoral advisorRobert Scragg, David R Thomas, Raina Elley

Academic career

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Dewes was born and raised in Suva, Fiji[2] of mixed Rotoman, Tongan, Tuvaluan, and Tokelauan ethnicity, and affiliates to the Māori iwi Ngāti Porou.[1]

She gained a doctoral degree from the University of Auckland with a thesis entitled Obesity Prevention in Pacific Adolescents: Is there a role for the church?; she also has a Master of Business Administration. She later joined the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery as an Associate Investigator, and is a Research Fellow at the University of Auckland's Centre of Methods and Policy Application in the Social Sciences.[1]

Her research is focussed on the Pasifika community in New Zealand, studying family caring, ageing, chronic diseases such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes,[3] and the role of the church in promoting well-being.[1]

Dewes was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2023 for services to health and the Pacific community.[4]

Selected works

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  • Taylor, Tamasin Ariana; Beban, Grant; Yi, Elaine; Veukiso, Michael; Sang-Yum, Genevieve; Dewes, Ofa; Wrapson, Wendy; Taufa, Nalei; Campbell, Andrew R. T.; Siegert, Richard J.; Shepherd, Peter (2024). "Empowering Pacific Patients on the Weight Loss Surgery Pathway: A Co-designed Evaluation Study". Obesity Surgery. 34 (3): 959–966. doi:10.1007/s11695-024-07084-w. ISSN 0960-8923. PMC 10899268. PMID 38345730.
  • Morgan, Tessa; Wiles, Janine; Park, Hong-Jae; Moeke-Maxwell, Tess; Dewes, Ofa; Black, Stella; Williams, Lisa; Gott, Merryn (2021). "Social connectedness: what matters to older people?". Ageing and Society. 41 (5): 1126–1144. doi:10.1017/S0144686X1900165X. ISSN 0144-686X.
  • Dewes, Ofa; Milne, Barry; Sporle, Andrew (31 May 2022). Goodyear-Smith, Felicity (ed.). "Intergenerational, integrative and intellectual Pacific properties and pathways for life (IPforLife): a study protocol". Journal of Primary Health Care. 14 (2): 173–178. doi:10.1071/HC22004. ISSN 1172-6156. PMID 35771695.
  • Morgan, Tessa; Wiles, Janine; Park, Hong-Jae; Moeke-Maxwell, Tess; Dewes, Ofa; Black, Stella; Williams, Lisa; Gott, Merryn (2021). "Social connectedness: what matters to older people?". Ageing and Society. 41 (5): 1126–1144. doi:10.1017/S0144686X1900165X. ISSN 0144-686X.
  • Morgan, Tessa; Wiles, Janine; Moeke-Maxwell, Tess; Black, Stella; Park, Hong-Jae; Dewes, Ofa; Williams, Lisa Ann; Gott, Merryn (2 October 2020). "'People haven't got that close connection': meanings of loneliness and social isolation to culturally diverse older people". Aging & Mental Health. 24 (10): 1627–1635. doi:10.1080/13607863.2019.1633619. ISSN 1360-7863.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Ageing Well (2024). "Dr Ofa Dewes". www.ageingwellchallenge.co.nz.
  2. ^ "Dr Ofa Dewes | Maurice Wilkins Centre". www.mauricewilkinscentre.org. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  3. ^ Godfrey, Dominic (25 March 2021). "Type-2 Diabetes could hit quarter of NZ's Pacific population". RNZ.
  4. ^ "The King's Birthday and Coronation Honours List 2023 - Citations for Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)". www.dpmc.govt.nz. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
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