Rate My Professor Esther Willing

Dr Esther Willing (Ngāti Toarangatira, Ngāti Koata, Ngā Ruahine) is an Associate Professor in Hauora Māori and Director of the Kōhatu Centre for Hauora Māori in the University of Otago's Division of Health Sciences. She holds the qualifications of Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc), Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health (PGDipPH), Master of Public Health (MPH), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). In her leadership role at Kōhatu, she drives research and initiatives to enhance Māori health outcomes. Willing also serves as convenor for the Hauora Māori vertical module within the Early Learning in Medicine curriculum and for the course MAOH201 Hauora Māori in Practice: Working with Individuals. Her professional memberships include the Health Services Research and Policy Association of Australia and New Zealand and the International Public Policy Association. These roles underscore her commitment to integrating Māori perspectives into health education and policy.

Willing's research specializations focus on Māori health, health policy, and health services research, particularly efforts to improve Māori health outcomes and address inequities in Aotearoa New Zealand. Her work examines immunisation uptake and coverage for hapū māmā (pregnant women) and tamariki (children), guidelines for prioritising intensive care resources to promote equity, and the discourse and framing of Māori health issues within policy and systems. Key publications include 'Equity in the ICU: An exploratory qualitative study of the ethical acceptability of a reserve system for allocating limited ICU resources' (Journal of Medical Ethics, 2026, co-authored with E. Fenton, N. J. Pickering, W. Yeo, and S. Barham); 'Prioritising culturally appropriate interventions to increase antenatal immunisation in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Delphi study' (Journal of Primary Health Care, 2025, co-authored with L. Fangupo, A. Young, M. Hobbs, G. McDonald, and A. Smith); 'Feasibility of software prompts to support antenatal vaccination decision-making: A cross-sectional study' (Health Education Journal, 2025, co-authored with L. Hornal, P. Dawson, M. Hobbs, L. Marek, P. McIntyre, and A. Young); 'Are online maps and booking systems for antenatal vaccination fit for purpose? A qualitative study' (Vaccines, 2025, co-authored with P. Tohaia, A. Young, L. Fangupo, and G. McDonald); and 'The role of differing cultural perspectives in interRAI assessments' (Proceedings of the New Zealand Association of Gerontology Conference, 2025, co-authored with S. Colhoun, P. Norris, E. Keddell, and D. Cormack). Through these contributions, she advances evidence-based strategies for health equity.