I work, teach and research in mental health in communities with a focus on equity, young people and social inclusion and community health systems.
Research Interests
I am a public health physician and researcher with a wide range of research interests which include participation, inclusion and mental health in communities. I used mixed methods although qualitative research is my favourite research (so complex and nuanced). I work in public health in New Zealand and India, and with the team in India. I am founder/ director Burans (www.burans.org) and we have developed interventions (Nae Disha, Nae Umeed, Swasthya Labh Saadan) that have been adopted and scaled. Until recently I was the South East Asia regional board member of Health Systems Global.
Recent Publications
- Ahuriri-Driscoll A., Lovell S., Kawa DT., MacDonald LTAOT. and Mathias K. (2022) The future of Māori health is here – The 2022 Aotearoa New Zealand health reforms. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific 28 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100589.
- Heap CJ., Jennings HM., Mathias K., Gaire H., Gumbonzvanda F., Gumbonzvanda N., Gupta G., Jain S., Maharjan B. and Maharjan R. (2022) Participatory mental health interventions in low-income and middle-income countries: a realist review protocol. BMJ Open 12(4) http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057530.
- Jonsson F., Pat P., Mulubwa C., Jegannathan B. and Mathias K. (2022) Conducting research with young people at the margins – lessons learnt and shared through case studies in Cambodia, India, Sweden and Zambia. BMC Public Health 22(1) http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14427-8.
- Mathias K. (2022) This pākehā life: an unsettled memoir. The New Zealand medical journal 135(1550): 178-180.
- Mathias K., Nayak P., Singh P., Pillai P. and Goicolea I. (2022) Is the Parwarish parenting intervention feasible and relevant for young people and parents in diverse settings in India? A mixed methods process evaluation. BMJ Open 12(2) http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054553.