Abstract
Disability is of considerable concern for Māori as they are over represented in this area and have more severe disabilities than the non-Māori population in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Whilst many initiatives have been put forward to facilitate access to disability services, utilisation of services remains proportionately low for hauā Māori (Māori living with disability) despite their experiencing a higher incidence of multiple disabilities. This poor uptake of services indicates the need for targeted research to assess Māori experiences and viewpoints of disability, in order to better understand how to deliver relevant services for hauā Māori and their whānau (families). Given the prevalence of disability within the Māori population, it is also interesting to note the concept of ‘disability’ is largely non-existent within Te Ao Māori (Māori world-views) and in recent literature. Investigating the impact of disability for Māori and their whānau, more specifically Māori perceptions of ‘disability’ (MOH, 2011), has been identified as a research priority by Māori whānau living with disability.
In 2012, a collaborative study, Hauā Mana Māori, was conducted to explore, accessibility issues for hauā Māori and their whānau. This thesis reviews the qualitative component within this project that explicitly explored hauā Māori perspectives of disability and health and also aims to present the effective data collection techniques developed to perform disability research within this community. This study was guided by Kaupapa Māori Research (KMR) methodology, using philosophies steeped in tikaka Māori (Māori culture), Whānau Ora (community well-being) and hauora Māori (Māori health) ideologies. This process was largely informed by a group of hauā Māori living in Murihiku, Rōpū Kaiārahi (leadership group), to ensure the methods used were relevant and empowering to hauā Māori. Thirty hauā Māori living in Southern Aotearoa/New Zealand were interviewed using the data collection instrument, the Whakāro Pōkare Visual Tool, and the findings from thematic analysis are presented within.
Common themes of wellness for hauā Māori interviewed included feeling valued, being connected to community, having a strong sense of self and self-worth, having access to determinants of health and having a positive approach towards physical health. Conversely, frequently referred to themes within perspectives of disability comprised of being undervalued, feeling disconnected, a low self-esteem, limited access to resources and poor physical health.
A noteworthy finding was that many hauā Māori do not consider a physical limitation a disability, and are therefore not whakamā (embarrassed) to openly discuss issues that non-Māori tend to avoid. This attitude revealed a cultural dissonance, between Māori and non-Māori views on disability and pointed to a preference of Māori perspectives of acceptance for the hauā Māori interviewed.
Lastly, being guided by KMR principles allowed for relevant research process to be established leading to the development of an appropriate qualitative data collection instrument, the Whakāro Pōkare Visual Tool. This tool enabled the qualitative research to successfully collect voices of hauā Māori. Participants reported beneficial outcomes from being interviewed using the data collection tool. Future research investigating the potential for utilisation within the clinical setting is suggested.