Ascending the Poutama: culturally responsive diabetes care for Māori communities.

INTRODUCTION

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) significantly impacts Māori populations in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) who experience health disparities including suboptimal disease management.

AIM: To explore culturally responsive approaches to supporting Māori living with T2D from the perspective of healthcare providers.

METHODS

Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with clinicians from various disciplines (general practitioner, podiatrist, exercise physiologist, three kaiāwhina, dietitian, two pharmacists); five clinicians identify as Māori, four as non-Māori. Kaupapa Māori inductive thematic analysis was used.

RESULTS

Four key themes emerged: empowering patient-centred communication, whānau involvement, interprofessional collaboration, and culturally appropriate analogies.

DISCUSSION: The findings underscore the need for holistic, culturally responsive T2D care that prioritises culturally appropriate communication to improve patient engagement, health outcomes and address Māori health disparities.