Ethnicity Data

About us

This project aimed to identify ethnicity data issues (current and future), and to examine the potential implications on the Māori health sector of changes within the broader context of ethnicity data policies and practices in Aotearoa/New Zealand. There is an ongoing need for high quality, standardised ethnicity data in the health sector. This data is essential for measuring, monitoring, and addressing health inequalities in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It is also important in developing policies and programmes that are responsive, relevant to, and in line with Māori priorities. As part of the project, a series of discussion papers were produced, and several forums and presentations were held to discuss relevant issues and disseminate findings.

Funder

Funded by Te Kete Hauora, Ministry of Health

Publications

The discussion papers are available on this website and below: www.ethnicity.maori.nz

• The politics and practice of counting: ethnicity in official statistics in Aotearoa/New Zealand
• Issues in monitoring Māori health and ethnic disparities: an update
• Classification and output of multiple ethnicities: issues for monitoring Maori health
• Ethnicity, national identity and 'New Zealanders': considerations for monitoring Maori health and ethnic inequalities
• Improving and maintaining quality in ethnicity data collections in the health and disability sector

Primary Care Ethnicity Data Audit Toolkit

The Primary Care Ethnicity Data Audit Toolkit provides a resource for assessing the quality of ethnicity data in New Zealand primary health care settings and supporting quality improvement. Ethnicity refers to the ethnic group or groups that individuals identify with or feel that they belong to. Ethnicity data have been collected in the New Zealand health sector for a number of years. However, variations in ethnicity data policies and practices have limited the quality and completeness of the data and, therefore, its usefulness.

The toolkit includes three practice-administered tools to assess the quality of ethnicity data and systems for data collection, recording and output within primary health care settings, and provides guidance on quality improvement activities.

This Toolkit was developed for Harbour Health PHO as a part of a Ministry of Health and Waitemata DHB-funded project.

The authors are Melissa McLeod and Donna Cormack - http://www.health.govt.nz/publication/primary-care-ethnicity-data-audit-toolkit

Our people

• Bridget Robson