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Are Maori under-served for cardiac interventions?
I Westbrooke1, J Baxter, J Hogan
1New Zealand Health Funding Authority. iwestbrooke@doc.govt.nz
The New Zealand Medical Journal
|January 19, 2002
Summary
Hospitalisation rates for heart failure and cardiac interventions vary significantly by age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Maori populations experience disproportionately higher heart failure hospitalisation rates and lower cardiac intervention rates.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular epidemiology
- Health services research
- Public health
Background:
- Understanding disparities in cardiovascular disease hospitalisation is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Existing data often lack multi-dimensional analysis of factors influencing hospitalisation rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hospitalisation rates for heart failure and cardiac interventions.
- To analyze these rates across age, gender, ethnicity (Maori/non-Maori), and deprivation levels.
Main Methods:
- Utilized four years of publicly-funded hospital discharge data.
- Cross-classified data by age, gender, ethnicity, and New Zealand Deprivation Index (NZDep96).
- Employed multi-dimensional trellis graphs for visualization of population hospitalisation rates.
Main Results:
- Heart failure hospitalisation increases with age and higher deprivation.
- Cardiac intervention rates rise with age up to 65-74 years.
- Significant ethnic disparities observed: Maori heart failure rates are double non-Maori rates, while cardiac intervention rates are lower for Maori.
Conclusions:
- Multi-dimensional graphical analysis effectively reveals complex hospitalisation patterns.
- Ethnic disparities in heart failure and cardiac interventions are significant and concerning.
- Urgent attention is needed to address Maori health needs and equitable access to cardiac care.