Doctor seeks answers on epilepsy in Ma¯ori
Ma¯ori with epilepsy are more likely to turn up at hospital emergency departments, more likely to have longer, more severe seizures, and a higher mortality rate.
The thing is, no-one knows why.
So, Dr Ngaire Keenan, 34, is trying to find out, and she has received a $173,333 grant over 24 months to help fund the research.
Originally from New Plymouth, Keenan (Nga¯ ti Te Whiti, Te A¯ tiawa ki Taranaki) is in the second year of a PhD with the University of Otago in Wellington and has received a Health Research Council clinical research training fellowship to look into epilepsy relating to Ma¯ ori and Ma¯ ori children.
‘‘I really enjoy the subject. I’m training to be a neurologist and l can bring the two things together and create positive change in the future.’’
There’s not much known about epilepsy in New Zealand, Keenan, a paediatric registrar at Wellington Hospital, said.
‘‘There are very few researchers interested in epilepsy and even less who are interested in epilepsy in children and epilepsy in Ma¯ ori. Nobody has done much work on Ma¯ori and epilepsy full stop.’’
Ma¯ ori are more likely to present to ED, more likely to have longer, severe seizures and a higher mortality rate, she said.
‘‘So, we’re trying to ask the why questions. Why is this happening? No-one has thought about looking at this before,’’ she said.
‘‘Because if we can figure out and describe the types of epilepsy and why is this happening to Ma¯ori then obviously we can work towards advocating for and implementing pathways that would help improve outcome for Ma¯ ori children with epilepsy.’’
Epilepsy affects about 4000 children in New Zealand.
Why tamariki Ma¯ ori are overrepresented is one of the questions she is trying to answer.
Keenan is studying the health records of Ma¯ ori children treated for epilepsy in 2015 under the Wellington, Wairarapa, Hutt Valley, Auckland and Northland district health boards as she works to piece together the causes of the children’s epilepsy.
She is also looking at care – do Ma¯ori get to see a specialist as much as non-Ma¯ ori? Do Ma¯ ori get access to the same tests and treatments as everyone else?
‘‘Because we know with a lot of other diseases two people may have the exact same condition, but for some reason Ma¯ ori aren’t getting the same care.’’
Hopefully, the data would start coming in early next year, she said.
‘‘And then we will be able to analyse it and try and find out where these possible inequalities are in the healthcare of Ma¯ori with epilepsy.
‘‘That’s when it will be important to work with Ma¯ ori to try and create these health pathways and advocate for change in services that will benefit Ma¯ ori.’’