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National | ACC

Iwi research aims to improve injury prevention and recovery for Te Arawa kaumātua

More than $1 million will help support injury prevention and rehabilitation research for the ageing Māori population of Te Arawa waka.

The Whaioranga te Pa Harakeke – Iwi-driven Injury Prevention & Recovery for Māori research project is being led by Te Arawa Whānau Ora.

It received $1.4m from the Health Research Council of NZ, ACC and the Ageing Well National Science Challenge and will partner with staff from Korowai Aroha Health Centre, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao, Poutiri Wellness Centre and The University of Auckland to carry out the research.

Auckland University principal investigator, Joanna Hikaka (Ngāruahine) says the research will help ACC engage better with older Māori, and hopefully lead to the extension of a kaupapa Māori service by ACC in the future.

“The study is explicitly pro-equity, privileges mātauranga Māori and kaupapa Māori approaches and aims for positive, transformative change”.

This includes tikanga-based approaches to injury prevention; improved access to ACC and injury care services; and iwi models of care to improve injury treatment, recovery, and health outcomes for kaumātua.