February 04, 2014
New suicide campaign to be launched
A symposium in Wellington next week hopes to inspire new approaches to Maori, Pacific and indigenous suicide prevention.
Researcher Keri Lawson-Te Aho, a Maori public health lecturer at the University of Otago in Wellington, says New Zealand’s suicide rates in the 15-24 age group for both males and females are the second highest in the OECD, and Maori youth suicide rates are 2.4 times higher than for non-Maori youth.
The total Maori suicide rate is 1.8 times higher than for non- Maori.
Dr Lawson-Te Aho says building whanau resilience and capacity as well as recognising the integrity of whanau and cultural values and identity is vital for Maori suicide prevention.
A new national suicide prevention programme for Maori and Pacific communities will be launched during the symposium.
Copyright © 2014, UMA Broadcasting Ltd