Rate My Professor Amanda D'Souza

Dr. Amanda D'Souza is a Senior Lecturer and co-Head of the Department of Public Health, Wellington, in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Otago. A qualified public health physician (FNZCPHM), she possesses expertise in children's health and wellbeing, informed by her diverse background in child health across policy, clinical practice, and community sectors. Her academic credentials comprise an MB ChB, Diploma in Child Health (DCH), Master of Public Health (MPH), and a PhD from the University of Otago, conferred in 2023. In addition to her leadership role in the department, Dr. D'Souza convenes the undergraduate public health module for medical students, playing a key role in shaping public health education within the medical curriculum.

Dr. D'Souza's scholarly pursuits center on child and youth health promotion, equity in childhood, public policy formulation, children’s rights advocacy, early childhood development, and strategies for preventing child maltreatment. Her PhD dissertation, entitled "Are children a priority in public policy? Lessons from case studies of Sweden, Australia, and Aotearoa New Zealand," critically analyzes the integration of children's perspectives in national policy development through comparative case studies. Select key publications include her co-authored article "Clearing the haze: Novel methodology objectively assessing children's online exposure to tobacco and vape marketing" in Health Promotion International (2025), "'Diabetes makes you lose your leg': Footcare self-management amongst I-Taukei Fijians: A wearable camera study" in Health Promotion Journal of Australia (2025), "Public Health Solutions Series: Good health in childhood is vital for lifelong wellbeing: Time for a preventive approach" (Public Health Expert blog, 2022), and "Revolutionized public health teaching to equip medical students for 21st century practice" in American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2020). As Chair of the Children's Rights Alliance and a member of the Paediatric Society of New Zealand, she contributes significantly to advocacy and professional discourse in child health.