People from around New Zealand have been in Rotorua to attend the Maori Death and Dying Research Symposium.
The Lakes District Health Board's Palliative Care Working Group and the Maori Health team co-hosted the symposium last week, with the aim of improving understanding about Maori death and dying for people
working in the field.
Four Maori researchers presented the key points of their research projects. They included Dr Nina Scott (Ngati Whatua and Waikato), who is a public health physician involved in cancer research and providing Maori cancer control advice to the Ministry of Health.
Dr Jacquie Kidd (Nga Puhi), who also spoke, had led a range of research projects for the Ministry of Health, Health Research Foundation joint initiative, Mental Health Commission and Mental Health Foundation. She spoke about health literacy.
Rangimahora Reddy (Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Maniapoto and Ngati Rangiwewehi) is chief executive of the Rauawaawa Kaumatua Charitable Trust in Hamilton and spoke about Maori health literacy and communication in palliative care, with specific reference to kaumatua-led models.