The Decade of Maori Development (1984-1994) stimulated the re-emergence of distinctly Maori approaches to progressing their own advancement. Maori health promotion is one such approach that has a central concern for improving Maori health outcomes. A range of Maori collectives are providing what they claim to be distinctly Maori health promotion initiatives. However, Maori health promotion has a pragmatic orientation, and this has, at least in part, led to conceptual and theoretical under-development. There is an almost complete lack of empirically and theoretically sound work to conceptualise Maori health promotion. This research programme has focused on identifying the defining characteristics of Maori health promotion.
The primary data source for this research programme was three case studies of Maori health promotion interventions.
Tipu Ora - a Maori community-based well-child programme;
the Plunket Kaiawhina Service - a national Maori focussed initiative located within a mainstream service; and,
the Wairarapa Maori Asthma Project - a tribally-based asthma management initiative.
The main source of data in each of the case studies was in-depth open-ended interviews with programme participants and stakeholders. Data was also drawn from document review and archival records.
The findings of this research indicate that Maori health promotion is based on a broad concept of health, which can be expanded as the basis for a more general argument for Maori advancement. Maori health promotion is the process of enabling Maori to increase control over the determinants of health and strengthen their identity as Maori, and thereby improve their health and position in society. Its defining characteristics have been identified in this research programme, and presented in �Kia uruuru mai a hauora�, a framework for Maori health promotion. The Framework has the potential to provide the basis for a more consistent and rigorous approach to Maori health promotion practice, policy, purchasing, and research. Aspects of the Framework may also have wider application to generic health promotion and other indigenous peoples� approaches to health promotion.
This study concludes that Maori health promotion draws primarily on the heritage and new knowledge that arises from Maori and Western experiences. However, it remains grounded in the distinctive concepts and values of Maori worldviews. Maori health promotion is a distinctly Maori process, in step with and indigenous health promotion, but primarily on the determination of Maori to be Maori.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/217561 |
| Date | January 2001 |
| Creators | Ratima, M. M (Mihi M.), n/a |
| Publisher | University of Otago. Wellington School of Medicine & Health Sciences |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://policy01.otago.ac.nz/policies/FMPro?-db=policies.fm&-format=viewpolicy.html&-lay=viewpolicy&-sortfield=Title&Type=Academic&-recid=33025&-find), Copyright M. M (Mihi M.) Ratima |
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