About the project

This project is part of a programme of research funded by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga entitled "Research to Interrupt Racism and (In)Equity (RIRI)", hosted by Te Kupenga Hauora Māori (Department of Māori Health) Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland. The proposed project contributes to the ongoing development of Kaupapa Māori epidemiology, by testing the ability of longitudinal analytical methods to make a positive contribution to Māori rights to health and wellbeing. It also leverages the work that was undertaken by members of the project team as part of the GUiNZ Now We Are 12 reporting series investigating how structural disadvantage impacts rangatahi Māori wellbeing. The main objectives of this project are to use longitudinal methods to examine ethnic inequities in structural disadvantage between rangatahi Māori and sole European young people, including changes over time. Analyses will also investigate longitudinal associations between structural disadvantage and inequities in mental health between rangatahi Māori and sole European young people.

The proposed analytical approach includes three main phases. First, latent class analyses will be used to identify how different factors of structural disadvantage cluster together at each time point (i.e. 6 times points from the antenatal DCW to 12Y DCW) in the whole cohort. Next, we will use Social Sequence Analysis to identify longitudinal patterns of structural disadvantage for rangatahi Maori and European young people in the GUiNZ study, over time. Finally, we will use multivariable linear regression models to examine the association between longitudinal trajectories of structural disadvantage and inequities in depression scores between rangatahi Māori and European young people at 12-years of age. This analysis will help to identify opportunities for interventions that target structural disadvantage as a basic cause of rangatahi Māori mental health inequities Dissemination of the findings of the study will include academic journal articles, presentations to the broader RIRI programme team and funder, and at relevant Indigenous research conferences. A policy brief will also be prepared for sharing amongst our broader network of Māori health and policy colleagues.

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Start date: 1/09/2024

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