About the project

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) remain the leading cause of death of young children globally (1). New Zealand (NZ) has a larger ARI burden among young children than most developed countries (2). Within NZ, Pacific children experience a larger ARI disease burden than children of any other ethnic group (2).

This study aims to explore some of the causes of this health inequity by:

1) describing the acute respiratory infection burden in the Pasifika cohort of the Growing Up in New Zealand study, and  

2) identifying factors which affect Pasifika children's access to health care and their predisposition to developing ARIs.

Four groups of children will be identified within the Pasifika cohort:

1. Those with no parental report of lower respiratory infection.

2. Those with parental report of lower respiratory infection but no hospital presentation or admission.

3. Those with hospital presentation but not admission with lower respiratory infection.

4. Those with hospital admission with lower respiratory infection.

For these groups their patterns of health care utilization will be compared according to their receipt of antenatal care, receipt of well-child care, relationship with primary care, use of complimentary care, and their experiences of health care racism.

Findings from this study will inform interventions to improve access to care for this population group that is disproportionately affected by respiratory disease morbidity and contribute to reduced ARI morbidity.

References

1. GBD Lower Respiratory Infections Collaborators. Quantifying risks and interventions that have affected the burden of lower respiratory infections among children younger than 5 years. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 2020;20(1):60-79. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(19)30410-4

2. Loto-Aso E, Howie SR, Grant CC. Childhood pneumonia in New Zealand. Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health 2022;04:04. doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15941

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Start date: 1/07/2024

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