Māori approaches to Māori health issues are required

Māori approaches to Māori health issues are required, Canterbury researcher says
March 10, 2015

Māori approaches to Māori health issues are required to improve the health of the Māori population which is a national priority, a University of Canterbury researcher says.

Health sciences lecturer Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll says there are nationwide concerns about Māori health and it comes as no surprise that Māori are at the top of the statistics for poor health.

She says the current state of Māori health is a product of inequities fostered in the settlement and colonisation of Aotearoa New Zealand, perpetuated in prevailing social structures. Statistics New Zealand figures for 2010 to 2012 show that Māori could expect to live seven years less than non- Māori.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Māori and non-Māori. However, death rates resulting from cardiovascular disease for the period 2000-2004 were two-and-a-half times higher for Māori than for non-Māori. Māori were also almost twice as likely to be hospitalised for heart disease as non-Māori.

“Māori adults had significantly higher cancer registration rates than non-Māori adults for all cancers between 2004 and 2006. Māori were almost twice as likely to die from cancer compared to non-Māori adults. Lung cancer is the second leading cause of death for Māori and diabetes features in the top five causes of death for both Māori males and Māori females but not for non-Māori of either gender.”

Ahuriri-Driscoll, who has Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne and Ngāti Kahungunu connections, says Māori are also more likely to be exposed to risk factors for poor health such as smoking and obesity.

Socioeconomic deprivation is a significant determinant of poorer health outcomes. A much higher proportion of Māori live in areas with the most deprived index scores, marked by lower income, employment and education levels and more limited access to transport and communication.

“Affordability and availability combined with geographic location are key factors in Māori using health services, such as Māori being deterred by visiting a doctor primarily because of cost. Encouragingly, a recent report has shown that inequities in health between ethnic and income groups may now have begun to stabilise or even decrease.

“A population health and social justice orientation underpins my approach to Māori health teaching and research at the University of Canterbury. The Māori health papers I teach equip students with the critical thinking tools to re-consider what they know of Māori health and what strategies that they might employ so that they can be part of future action, indeed solutions.

“Māori approaches to Māori health issues are required. My colleagues and I have explored rongoā Māori or traditional Māori healing for the last seven years as a culturally meaningful option for care. Rongoā Māori is a holistic system of healing derived from Māori philosophy and customs and is part of the publicly funded and delivered healthcare system. Supported by the Health Research Council and the Ministry of Health, and in partnership with healers, we have identified wellness outcome measures and sustainability issues associated with healing practice.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media