March 09, 2016
Social problems making tane sicker
Mana Tane Ora o Aotearoa, the National Maori Mens Health Coalition, is holding its third national maori men's conference in Blenheim this week.
Rhys Jones says Maori men are over-represented in all the major negative health statistics and have poorer outcomes than other men.
Some of that comes down to social determinants like poverty and unemployment, and it shows up in the Maori men dying younger than other men.
"What we also see behind that is huge mental health issues, things like depression and a range of other mental health problems often resulting in substance abuse and all the problems that go with that and sometimes it can get a little overwhelming and you wonder where we should be focusing our efforts," Dr Jones says.
The conference will discuss the role of whanau in supporting Maori men's health.
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