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 Division of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Otago. She holds qualifications including BHSc, PGDipPH, MPH, and PhD. Her academic career at the University of Otago focuses on advancing Māori health through teaching and research, where she creates safe learning spaces for students to explore and challenge the impacts of colonisation on health inequities. Willing received the University of Otago Teaching Excellence Award in the Kaupapa Māori Category for her innovative approaches to Hauora Māori education within Medicine, Dentistry, and other health programmes.

Her research specialises in health policy and health systems, with a commitment to improving Māori health outcomes and addressing inequities in Aotearoa New Zealand. Current projects examine immunisation uptake and coverage among hapū māmā and tamariki, ethical guidelines for prioritising intensive care unit resources to promote equity, and the discourse and framing of Māori health in policy and practice. 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, with E. Fenton, N. J. Pickering, W. Yeo, and S. Barham); 'Using automated psychological tools for understanding and improving mental health outcomes in Aotearoa' (Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, 2026, with O. K. Harrison et al.); 'Are online maps and booking systems for antenatal vaccination fit for purpose? A qualitative study' (Vaccines, 2025, with P. Tohaia, A. Young, L. Fangupo, and G. McDonald); 'Feasibility of software prompts to support antenatal vaccination decision-making: A cross-sectional study' (Health Education Journal, 2025, with L. Hornal et al.); and others contributing to fields like maternal vaccination, ethnic health inequities, and health service access. Willing's work influences health equity discussions and policy development for Māori communities.