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Indigenous health inequities are commonplace around the world, with outcomes that include death rates at earlier ages, along with higher levels of health issues, from diabetes to cancer.
To what extent are these health inequities present in Aotearoa New Zealand? One key indicator is the use of hospital Emergency Departments (EDs), and the differing outcomes experienced by Māori and non-Māori who present at EDs.
Despite high Māori ED use, few studies have examined ethnic inequities in EDs around Aotearoa New Zealand. To help improve understanding of this topic, we undertook the largest, most comprehensive investigation of ED outcomes by ethnicity to date.
For an overview of the approach taken, see the information on the EEDI study design. A detailed description of data sets, and how these have been treated, is provided on the methods page.
Results to date can be viewed through a national lens, and also examined in detail across 18 DHBs.
Among the key findings are that strong inequities in mortality exist despite some positive indicators of ED care for Māori. More research is needed to understand these findings.