Chris Cunningham

Professor, Massey University

Professor Chris Cunningham is Director of the Research Centre for Māori Health and Development (RCMHD) at Massey University. He is the Principal Investigator for its two main research programmes: Te Pumanawa Hauora (Māori Health) and Best Outcomes for Māori: Te Hoe Nuku Roa (Māori Households Longitudinal Study).

Professor Cunningham is a co-Director of He Kāinga Oranga - Housing and Health Research Programme, which was awarded the prestigious Prime Minister’s Science Prize in 2014.

Chris is the Director of the Research Centre for Māori Health and Development (RCMHD) at Massey University. He is the Principal Investigator for its two main research programmes: Te Pumanawa Hauora (Māori Health) and Best Outcomes for Māori: Te Hoe Nuku Roa (Māori Households Longitudinal Study).

Originally appointed Director of Health Research in the School of Māori Studies in 1996, Chris was appointed as inaugural Director of the Centre when it was established in 2002. The Centre won a Massey University Research Medal in 2007. In 2016 Chris was awarded a Massey University: Health Research Council Senior Research Leader’s Award. 

RCMHD runs a successful Doctoral Research Programme which has produced 32 PhD graduates since 2000.  RCMHD's current research projects focus on smokefree, hepatitis B, healthy classrooms, healthy housing, primary care screening, health service quality measurement, sports concussion and cardiac health.

 

Key publications

  1. Howden-Chapman P Crane J Keall M Pierse N Baker MG Cunningham C Amore K Aspinall C Bennett J Bierre S Boulic M Chapman R Chisholm E Davies C Fougere G Fraser B
    2023
    He Kāinga Oranga: reflections on 25 years of measuring the improved health, wellbeing and sustainability of healthier housing
    Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand
    Volume 54, 2024
  2. Keall, M.
    Tupara, H.
    Pierse, N.
    Wilkie, M.
    Baker, M.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    Cunningham, C.
    (2021).
    Home modifications to prevent home fall injuries in houses with Māori occupants (MHIPI): a randomised controlled trial.
    Lancet Public Health,
    6(9), e631-e640.
  3. Keall, M.
    Tupara, H.
    Pierse, N.
    Wilkie, M.
    Baker, M.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    Cunningham, C.
    (2020).
    Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial of home modification to prevent home fall injuries in houses with Māori occupants.
    MDPI Methods and Protocols,
    3(4), 71.
  4. Keall, M.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    Pierse, N.
    Cunningham, C.
    Baker, M.
    (2018).
    Lessons Learned from Implementing a Programme of Home Modifications to Prevent Falls amongst the General Population.
    Safety,
    4(2), 26;
  5. Keall, M.
    Pierse, N.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    Guria, J.
    Cunningham, C.
    Baker, M.
    (2016).
    Cost—benefit analysis of fall injuries prevented by a programme of home modifications: A cluster randomised controlled trial.
    Injury Prevention,
    23(1). doi: 10.1136/injuryprev-2015-041947
  6. Keall, M.
    Pierse, N.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    Cunningham, C.
    Cunningham, M. Guria, J.
    Baker, M.
    (2015).
    Home modifications to reduce injuries from falls in the Home Injury Prevention Intervention (HIPI) study: a cluster-randomised controlled trial.
    The Lancet,
    385 (9964), 231-238.
    Download document
    Home-modifications-to-reduce-injuries-from-falls-in-the-Home-Injury-Prevention-Intervention-Lancet-published.pdf
  7. Howden-Chapman, P.
    Pierse, N.
    Nicholls, S.
    Bennett, J.
    Viggers, H.
    Cunningham, M. Phipps, R. Boulic, M. Fjallstrom, P. Free, S. Chapman, R. ...
    Baker, M.
    Cunningham, C.
    ...
    Crane, J.
    (2008).
    Effects of improved home heating on asthma in community dwelling children: randomised community study.
    BMJ,
    337(a1411), 852-5. doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.a1411
  8. Keall, M.
    Baker, M.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    Cunningham, M.
    Cunningham, C.
    (2007).
    Healthy Housing Index Pilot Study Final Report.
    He Kāinga Oranga/Housing & Health Research Programme Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington.
    Download document
    Healthy-Housing-Index-Pilot-Study-Final-Report-2007.pdf
  9. Howden-Chapman, P.
    Matheson, A.
    Crane, J.
    Viggers, H.
    Cunningham, M. Blakely, T.
    Cunningham, C.
    Woodward, A.
    Saville-Smith, K.
    O’Dea, D. Kennedy, M.
    Baker, M.
    Waipara, N. Chapman, R. Davie, G.
    (2007).
    Effect of insulating existing houses on health inequality: cluster randomised study in the community.
    BMJ,
    334, 460. doi:10.1136/bmj.39070.573032.80
    Download document
    Effect-of-insulating-existing-houses-on-health-inequality-cluster-randomised-study-in-the-community.pdf
  10. Bierre, S.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    Signal, L.
    Cunningham, C.
    (2007).
    Institutional challenges in addressing healthy low-cost housing for all: learning from past policy.
    Social Policy Journal of New Zealand,
    30, 42-64.
  11. Howden-Chapman, P.
    Crane, J.
    Matheson, A.
    Viggers, H.
    Cunningham, M. Blakely, T. O’Dea, D.
    Cunningham, C.
    Woodward, A. Saville-Smith, A.
    Baker, M.
    Waipara, N.
    (2005).
    Retrofitting houses with insulation to reduce health inequalities: Aims and methods of a clustered, randomised community-based trial
    Social Science and Medicine,
    61(12, 2600-2610.
    Download document
    Insulation-proofs.pdf
  12. Howden-Chapman, P.
    Viggers, H.
    Matheson, A.
    Crane, J.
    Waipara, N. Blakely, T. Cunningham, M.
    Cunningham, C.
    Woodward, A. O’Dea, D.
    Saville-Smith, K.
    Douwes, J. Marshall, C. Skelton, P.
    (2002)
    A national study of the health effects of insulating homes: the baseline data (Report 2).
    University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    A national study of the health effects of insulating homes: the baseline data (Report 2), August 2002. He Kainga Oranga Housing and Health Research Programme Department of Public Health Wellin

    Download document
    A national study of the health effects of insulating homes_ the baseline data Report 2.pdf

Back to top