Culturally safe neonatal care: talking with health practitioners identified as champions by indigenous families
Authors: Adcock A et al.
Summary: Health practitioners have important roles in eliminating inequities and sustaining Māori self-determination, according to a Kaupapa Māori study. Ten health practitioners who had been identified as champions by whānau of preterm Māori infants were interviewed for the study. Champions felt collaboration between health practitioners and whānau was crucial to enabling whānau autonomy. Connectivity and relationships were central to this concept, as was the appreciation that childbirth is a sacred time that is potentially disrupted when an infant is born prematurely. The authors stated that their findings were an exemplar of what culturally safe care looks like in day-to-day practice with Māori.
Reference: Qual Health Res. 2023;33(6):531-542.
Abstract
Is there equity of patient health outcomes across models of general practice in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Authors: Sheridan N et al., and The Primary Care Models Study Group
Summary: A national cross-sectional study has shown that being Māori or Pasifika, or living in material deprivation, is associated with poorer health outcomes, regardless of the type of primary care offered. Outcomes assessed were polypharmacy in individuals aged ≥65 years, glycosylated haemoglobin testing in adults with diabetes, childhood immunisations received by 6 months of age, ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations in those aged 0-14 years and 45-64 years, and emergency department attendances. A total of 924 primary care practices with 4,491,964 enrolled patients were included in the study. While 73% of the population were enrolled in traditional primary care practices, the proportion of Māori, Pasifika and individuals living in material deprivation was low in these practices. Māori, Pasifika and trust/non-governmental organisation practices had disproportionate enrolments of patients with high health needs. Although patients with higher health needs received more clinical input, this was insufficient to achieve equity across all outcomes. No one model of primary care out-performed others for all health outcomes.
Reference: Int J Equity Health. 2023;22(1):79.
Abstract