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Issue

Vol 134 No 1542: 17 September 2021

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Issue Summary

Article
SUMMARY

A decade of Asian and ethnic minority health research in New Zealand: findings from a scoping review

Health research on Asians and other ethnic minority groups in New Zealand is extremely limited. A study of peer-reviewed publications in national and international academic journals identified a total of 115 articles from 2010–2019, a period in which minority ethnic populations in the country grew from 12% to 18%. Of these published studies, the majority focused on the Indian and Chinese populations, whereas there was virtually little research done on smaller demographic groups: for instance, publications on New Zealand’s African populations totalled eight, and Sri Lankan, Middle-Eastern and Latin American groups had fewer than five studies each to report. The study also identified a concentration of research in two key areas, cardiovascular diseases and vitamin deficiencies, and demonstrated a glaring gap in evidence across a broader range of diseases and their treatment and management. There is also little research that focuses on the experiences of these groups within New Zealand’s health system. Among the suggestions to improve health scholarship for these populations include: better prioritisation of Asian and ethnic minority health in research; the targeted availability of resources such as research grants to undertake research on this population group; better support and systems that enable the conversion of research into publications; and urgent improvements in the training, recruitment and retention of Asian and minority ethnic researchers in New Zealand universities and health research agencies.

Article
SUMMARY

A decade of Asian and ethnic minority health research in New Zealand: findings from a scoping review

Health research on Asians and other ethnic minority groups in New Zealand is extremely limited. A study of peer-reviewed publications in national and international academic journals identified a total of 115 articles from 2010–2019, a period in which minority ethnic populations in the country grew from 12% to 18%. Of these published studies, the majority focused on the Indian and Chinese populations, whereas there was virtually little research done on smaller demographic groups: for instance, publications on New Zealand’s African populations totalled eight, and Sri Lankan, Middle-Eastern and Latin American groups had fewer than five studies each to report. The study also identified a concentration of research in two key areas, cardiovascular diseases and vitamin deficiencies, and demonstrated a glaring gap in evidence across a broader range of diseases and their treatment and management. There is also little research that focuses on the experiences of these groups within New Zealand’s health system. Among the suggestions to improve health scholarship for these populations include: better prioritisation of Asian and ethnic minority health in research; the targeted availability of resources such as research grants to undertake research on this population group; better support and systems that enable the conversion of research into publications; and urgent improvements in the training, recruitment and retention of Asian and minority ethnic researchers in New Zealand universities and health research agencies.

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