In a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Public Health,senior lecturer of public health at the University of Auckland Dale Bramley findsgreat disparities between the health care of the Maori and non-Maori of New Zealand.
According to the report, Maori males have a life expectancy that is 8.9 yearsshorter than non-Maori males and 48.6 percent of adult Maori smoke, almosttwo times the majority of the population. Bramley recommended enhancing theresponsiveness of non-Maori health care providers to Maori needs and increasingMaori access to quality care. His report compares life expectancy and infantmortality rates, as well as data regarding immunizations, cervical cancer,breast cancer, smoking, obesity, diabetes, cardiac procedures, and kidney transplants.
Bramley’s study says that the health gap between Maori and non-Maoriin New Zealand is wider than that between Native Americans and non-Nativesin the United States.
