Abstract
Background
A marked equity gap is acknowledged in almost all health outcomes for Māori and Pacific people in Aotearoa. In cardiovascular (CV) health, the gap is across all major markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and morbidity and CVD is the largest contributor to the difference in life expectancy between Māori, Pacific and non-Māori, non-Pacific people. All CV research performed in Aotearoa should therefore progress equity for Māori and Pacific people. Achieving equity within any piece of work however requires leadership, and a strategic approach at all stages of the project, guided by an active and effective governance structure that guides and supports the operational research team.
Method
The Multi-Ethnic New Zealand study of Acute Coronary Syndromes (MENZACS) study is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study embedded within the All New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndrome Quality Improvement (ANZACS-QI) programme in 6 hospitals. Patients with first-time ACS were enrolled and study-specific research data collected alongside the ANZACS-QI registry. The project has a focus for Māori and Pacific people and has had a governance group from inception that has worked closely with the research team through methodological development, Results analysis and in problem solving culturally specific concerns.
Results/Conclusion
This presentation will walk through the process of set-up and operationalisation of Māori governance with a view to outlining a best practice approach. There will also be Case examples—including specifically the collection of genetic information—where the governance group and research team worked in an integrative manner to ensure the correct process was established and then implemented.