Abstract:
This paper seeks to clarify Te Aka Whai Ora’s positioning on the issues that should be considered by the organisation and its key health stakeholders, when undertaking or assessing quantitative data analyses associated with Māori health and health inequities. This report focuses on quantitative data analysis of national datasets, but there will be instances where the best approach or methods will be different e.g., qualitative studies, quantitative at the local level, independent research projects. The report was written in response to various requests for advice or endorsement regarding measuring and monitoring Māori health and inequities. It aims to provide Te Aka Whai Ora and their key stakeholders with guidance on methods that are grounded in underlying research principles and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The structure of the report, therefore, begins with a description of the principles that inform the authors’ positioning. These are then woven throughout the report in relation to specific examples for examining Māori health and inequities. An overview of the importance of understanding ethnicity and ethnicity data are described. This is followed by a description of key considerations related to Māori health data analyses. This covers questions relevant to monitoring Māori health, methods and approaches to measuring Māori health and inequity, and a description of key population statistics and selected datasets, including their strengths and limitations. While the intended audience is Te Aka Whai Ora and key stakeholders, the report may be useful to other groups looking to undertake data analyses by ethnicity. This report has been informed by Māori (and non-Māori) public health and Kaupapa Māori epidemiological expertise. The content reflects extensive experience within research, policy and strategy settings with authors who have been associated with ethnicity data theorisation and analysis both within Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. The content of this paper should be read in conjunction with the report prepared for Te Aka Whai Ora, “Action plan for achieving high quality ethnicity data in the health and disability sector” (McLeod & Harris, 2023).