Stark Differences In COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Between Māori And Non-Māori, Research Finds

A new study analysing COVID-19 vaccine uptake has found
markedly lower vaccination rates among Māori, which
researchers link to existing inequities in healthcare
access.

The study
looked at vaccination rates from December 2020 to May 2023,
finding 28.4 percent of Māori were unvaccinated during this
period, compared with 14.7 percent of
non-Māori.

“Based on these numbers, we estimate
78,880 fewer Māori were fully vaccinated than would have
been the case if vaccination rates were the same for both
groups,” said Dr James Mbinta, lead author of the study
and a research fellow at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria
University of Wellington.

The study also found marked
differences in rates of partial vaccination, with Māori
more likely to receive only the first dose of the COVID-19
vaccine and not go on to get the second
dose.

Enrolment in a primary health organisation (PHO)
was flagged as a key factor influencing whether Māori
received at least one dose of the vaccine. The study also
found those living in lower-income households and in
lower-quality and crowded housing were less likely to be
vaccinated.

“For Māori, the likelihood of being
partially or fully vaccinated was higher among those
enrolled in a PHO. This highlights the need for vaccination
strategies that include improving PHO enrolment, especially
for populations that have a known higher risk of severe
health outcomes from COVID-19,” said co-author Andrew
Sporle (Ngāti Apa, Rangitāne, Te Rarawa), an honorary
academic in the Department of Statistics at Auckland
University and managing director of research firm iNZight
Analytics.

Previous research has shown Māori have
higher rates of both hospitalisation and death from COVID-19
compared with the general population.

“Our findings
highlight the crucial need to ensure vulnerable populations
can access healthcare. Targeted approaches, using evidence
from data generated by rigorous studies such as this, are
needed to address health disparities and ensure equitable
access to healthcare resources,” said co-author Professor
Colin Simpson, a senior adviser in the School of Health at
Te Herenga Waka and professor in the Faculty of Medical and
Health Sciences at Auckland University.

Results of the
study are published in the Journal
of the Royal Society of New Zealand. The research
was funded by the Ministry of
Health.

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