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Dr Sarah Rhodes is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago, part of the Faculty of Health Professional Programmes within the Health Sciences Division. She earned her PhD in Physiotherapy from the University of Otago in 2021 with a thesis titled 'Supporting physical activity behaviour change in adults with obstructive sleep apnoea,' which investigated exercise interventions combined with motivational text messaging to improve physical activity, functional capacity, and self-efficacy in this population. Her undergraduate qualifications include a first-class BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy and a first-class BSc (Hons) in Economics and Management. As a practicing cardio-respiratory physiotherapist, Rhodes has worked across diverse clinical environments, including intensive care units, surgical wards, and rehabilitation units. Since 2016, she has contributed to physiotherapy undergraduate education through clinical teaching, laboratory sessions, lectures in years two and three, and paper coordination.
Rhodes' research centers on cardio-respiratory physiotherapy and the management of long-term conditions, with key interests in long COVID, sleep-disordered breathing, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Her ongoing projects encompass qualitative investigations into the experiences of long COVID patients and their families accessing primary care, evaluations of primary care long COVID clinics, health providers' management practices, and user experiences with post-COVID symptom tools. Notable publications include 'Suggestions for managing long Covid in primary care in Aotearoa New Zealand: a qualitative study' (Journal of Primary Health Care, 2025, co-authored with M. Tutbury), 'Experiences of accessing primary care by those living with long Covid in New Zealand: a qualitative analysis' (PLoS ONE, 2025, with C. Douglas), contributions to the 'New Zealand Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Guidelines: 2025 update' (New Zealand Medical Journal, 2025), and earlier works such as 'Physical activity behaviour and barriers to activity in adults at high risk of obstructive sleep apnoea' (2020). She leads efforts in person-centered, cost-effective solutions through clinician, patient, and whānau collaborations. Rhodes serves as President of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (New Zealand branch), former Secretary of Physiotherapy New Zealand's cardio-respiratory special interest group, and Allied Health representative on the TSANZ New Zealand executive committee, advocating for physiotherapy in respiratory care and COVID-19 rehabilitation.
Explore how Massey University and University of Otago researchers reveal the scale of long COVID affecting nearly 200,000 Kiwis, urging a comprehensive government strategy amid gaps in care and support.
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