Cultural safety and renal care

The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. They and other Polynesian peoples who have migrated here in more recent times are over represented in our health statistics in ways that are of concern to New Zealand health care providers. Maori and Polynesian have higher rates of infant mortality, lung cancer, mental illness and, pertinent to this discussion, higher rates of diabetes and End Stage Renal Failure. Some of the issues raised by these statistics are the subject of my presentation today.