Abstract
Background: Perinatal mental health and maternal suicide are critical equity issues for Aotearoa, NZ's health system, and require a systems-level response. Health equity is mandated in Aotearoa, NZ, through Te Tiriti o Waitangi; however, Māori continue to face inequitable access to services, resources, and best practice perinatal healthcare. The purpose of this research was to utilise qualitative data to identify how Aotearoa, NZ's health system is performing, from the perspectives of Māori mothers and birthing parents experiencing perinatal mental illness.
Methods: Kaupapa Māori Research methodology was utilised to privilege the voices of Māori in the design and implementation of this qualitative research. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 19 Māori mothers/birthing parents with experience of perinatal mental illness. All participants had accessed a community perinatal mental health service within the previous 12 months.
Results: Expert analysis from Māori mothers and birthing parents identified key recommendations relating to services, treatment, workforce, and communication and education within the perinatal health system. The recommendations encompassed participants' perceptions of how the health system can enhance efficiency, improve health outcomes, and achieve equity for Māori within the perinatal period.
Conclusion: To achieve equity in the perinatal period, systemic and structural transformation of the perinatal health system is required. The recommendations identified by Māori mothers and birthing parents can be applied at clinical, service, and system levels to remove the structural barriers faced by Māori in the perinatal health system and be utilised in the development of an equitable, early intervention and prevention-focused perinatal mental health system.
Oral presentation.