GABRIELLE DAVIE, JESSE WHITEHEAD, RORY MILLER, JUNE ATKINSON, SUE CRENGLE, BRANDON DE GRAAF, ROSS LAWRENSON, MICHELLE SMITH, AND GARRY NIXON (2024) Accuracy Of Domicile Codes in New Zealand’s Hospital Discharge Data and Implications for Urban-Rural Analyses New Zealand Population Review, Vol 50, 42-70.

Open Access

Abstract  Inaccurate geospatial information can result in misleading conclusions. Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health has recommended that, of their national collections, only the Mortality Collection (MORT) is suitable for rural-urban analysis of health outcomes. This paper analyses 48,644 deaths in hospital (2015–2018) and compares whether the domicile code recorded in the National Minimum Dataset (NMDS) of hospital discharges is consistent with that in MORT. While 16.5 per cent of rural residents had inconsistent domicile codes, this was higher for urban residents (21.6 per cent). Domicile inaccuracy resulted in incorrect rurality classification for 1.0 per cent and 13.6 per cent of the most urban and most rural residents, respectively.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RORY MILLER, GABRIELLE DAVIE, SUE CRENGLE, TALIS LIEPINS, LYNNE CLAY, JESSE WHITEHEAD, JANE TAAFAKI, BRANDON DE GRAAF, AND GARRY NIXON (2024) Development of an Interactive Web App to Examine Rural-Urban Variation in COVID-19 Vaccination Rates and to Inform Case Study Site Selection New Zealand Population Review, Vol 50, 325–351.

Open Access

Abstract Differences in COVID-19 vaccination rollout between rural and urban areas of Aotearoa New Zealand have not been well examined. Internationally, COVID-19 vaccination rates in rural areas typically lagged urban or metropolitan regions. This paper outlines the development of a web app using the R-Shiny framework as an approach for synthesising and visualising COVID-19 vaccination rates with a key focus on geographic variation. The primary aim of this paper, developed as part of a broader Ministry of Health funded mixed methods study, is to describe the development of a web app and demonstrate the use of the app to highlight the geographic variation in COVID-19 vaccination rates between and within regions and communities. Vaccination data were obtained from New Zealand’s COVID-19 immunisation register, with the Health Service User (HSU) 2021 data set defining the population. Vaccination rates were calculated for 15 fortnights between 1 June and 31 December 2021. This was a period of intense vaccination activity with all people aged 12 and over eligible by the end of the study. The app includes national-level summary statistics of the percentage of people who received their second COVID-19 vaccination. An interactive choropleth map shows the change in vaccination rates for each of the statistical area 2 (SA2) regions in New Zealand. This map allows zooming and scrolling, enabling users to consider national, regional or local perspectives of the changes in vaccination rates over time. Finally, a second interactive map was created that lets users select and aggregate regions of interest using SA2s. Data throughout the app can be grouped and filtered by combinations of rurality (categorised by the Geographic Classification for Health), ethnicity, district health board and age group. The data and maps within the web app assisted selection of four case study sites which, in turn, provided an important resource for researchers, policymakers and vaccination providers to examine the geographical variation, including rural-urban differences, in the New Zealand COVID-19 vaccination rollout. The development of this web app builds on the work to develop other tools to visualise geographic variation of health data.