Health journeys of Pacific children aged 10-14 years with mental health conditions in New Zealand: Evidence from the New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure

Abstract

In New Zealand (NZ), young Pacific people are overrepresented among those experiencing mental health conditions (MHC) compared to young people of other ethnicities. Despite this, little is known about the possible determinants associated with these conditions among Pacific children and furthermore, their relationship with other health outcomes. The aims of this research were to describe MHC among Pacific children aged 10-14 years in NZ during 2008-2015; investigate the role of deprivation and migration as determinants for the onset of these MHC; look at short-term health outcomes, (measured by the occurrence of ambulatory sensitive hospitalisation (ASH) conditions) for Pacific children with MHC; and comment on using the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) to identify children with MHC.

Using data extracted from several health data sets housed in Statistics New Zealand’s Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), the focus of this quantitative study are young Pacific people, aged 10- 14 years old between July 1st 2008 to June 30th 2015, with a range of MHC (attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), mood disorders, anxiety, conduct disorder or substance disorder). Data for these young people was accessed through use of the IDI datasets, which provides access to microdata across different organisations in NZ and allows the extraction of data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Statistics New Zealand sources.

Results of this study showed ADHD, mood and substance disorder are the most common MHC among Pacific children aged 10-14 years. Demographic patterns showed most Pacific children with MHC lived in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation and many were geographically located in the Counties Manukau region. Around two thirds were born in NZ and the remaining third overseas. Experience of ASH conditions among Pacific children with MHC appeared to be higher than among Pacific children without a MHC diagnosis, highlighting an important pattern of co-morbidity that is useful for services to be aware of and to respond to. It was therefore concluded that deprivation is associated with the onset of MHC, and that being diagnosed with a MHC is also associated with the onset of other health conditions.

The findings of this study are consistent with literature and statistics about Pacific mental health, helping to gain a clearer insight in to what factors may be contributing to young Pacific people being more at risk of developing MHC and furthermore, how this onset can lead to other detrimental health outcomes. In addition, these findings also indicate where focus should be placed and what MHC are more common in this cohort. Ultimately, this research has the potential to help young Pacific people with MHC living in NZ.