Health Inequities for Māori within Primary Care Aotearoa New Zealand: Yersinia a case study

<p dir="ltr">This report focuses on why Māori have the lowest rates of reported yersiniosis<i> </i>(a type of gastroenteritis), when previous research found that Māori had higher rates of gastroenteritis compared to non-Māori. Our hypothesis was that notified rates severely under-represent the actual yersiniosis disease burden among Māori and this was an example of health inequities for Māori in primary care. This was a small scoping study. We undertook ten interviews with a range of health professionals in the primary care sector (a mix of Māori and Non-Māori) exploring why Māori have the lowest notified rates of yersiniosis by focusing on what happens when Māori present at a general practitioner’s office with gastrointestinal symptoms. The interview data was then analysed alongside findings from a rapid narrative literature review. Findings were based on the three key interview themes: access to primary care, asking for a sample, and sample follow up. Threaded throughout these key themes were underlying themes of unconscious bias, cultural competency, cultural fit, and health literacy. Several recommendations emerged from these findings.</p>