July 13, 2020
Information push highlights asthma inequity
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation is making a push to inform Māori, Pacific and rural communities of the risks of respiratory disease.
Chief executive Letitia Harding says two thirds of deaths in New Zealand from asthma or respiratory conditions are among Māori and Pacific peoples.
Unhealthy living conditions and poverty are major contributing factors, with one in three Māori and Pacific people living in cold, damp and mouldy homes.
She says improving health literacy and access to targeted information whether online, in print, or in-person, is a way to reduce inequities and empower people to manage their own respiratory health.
A grant from the Ministry for Social Development allowed the foundation to send resources to 120 rural, iwi and Pasifika Health Centres, 120 early childhood education providers and 79 Māori medium primary schools.
Resources include asthma self-management plans for both adults and children, Healthy Homes posters, asthma and allergies information booklets, and children’s asthma picture books.
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