Mortality and social class in Maori and nonMaori New Zealand men: changes between 1975-7 and 1985-7

Abstract

Aims: Social class mortality differences in Maori and nonMaori New Zealand men aged 15-64 years have previously been examined for the period 1975-7. The analysis has now been repeated for the period 1985-7 in order to examine changes over time.

Methods: Numerator data were obtained from national death registrations and denominator data were obtained from the 1976 and 1986 censuses. These were used to calculate age-standardized death rates in Maori and nonMaori.

Results: Mortality declined by 28% in Maori and 14% in nonMaori between 1975-7 and 1985-7. The death rate for diseases amenable to medical intervention fell by 54% in Maori and 23% in nonMaori, but the Maori death rate was still 2.8 times the nonMaori death rate, whereas the relative risk for nonamenable causes was only 1.4.

Conclusions: Some progress has been achieved in reducing ethnic differences in mortality in New Zealand men, but substantial differences remain for diseases which are amenable to medical intervention (including chronic rheumatic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, and tuberculosis). It is likely that these differences reflect poor access to culturally safe and appropriate health care in Maori people.