Lay summary
As a Samoan woman with a background in public and private business, I have held roles in human resource management and strategic planning. This year, drawing on my experience in organisation and commitment to Pacific health, I began full-time study and am completing a PG Dip in Business in Health Management, followed by a Masters in Health Science (focused on Pacific health). I intend to undertake doctoral study in 2013, and to develop my research on the impact of chronic illness, work participation and poverty on Pacific families - exploring, in depth, the relationship with equity, service provision and quality of life. Qualitative methods, specifically interpretive description, will be adopted in the current study. Strong Pacific academic support is enabling me to develop Pacific theoretical knowledge; I want to make a substantial contribution to Pacific research. I believe that translating research into effective practice/policy can improve health, health care and equity outcomes.