A commitment to health equity: Reflections on why; One journey toward how.

Many health care practitioners and educators feel stymied as to how to address the pervasive and persistent problem of health care disparities between racial and ethnic groups. The closing plenary for the 37th Forum for Behavioral Science in Family Medicine held in September 2016 reminded participants of the urgent need to attend to health inequities and provided both a theoretical framework as well as some sample resources for where to begin.

Beyond Chapter 4.7.

Chapter 4.7 of the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research refers specifically to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. It lays out the points at which researchers working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders must consider their approach, and the engagement with individuals, communities or groups who are involved in or affected by their research. History, of Australia and of research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, has informed this approach. The response to that history has been a rational, institutionalised, systematic demand for a different perception of what should direct research and research processes to ensure engagement with and service to the community with whom the researchers wish to do the work. This paper considers whether these principles could inform the approach to other research work.

Navigation: process of building relationships with kaumatua (Maori leaders).

In the article the authors depict relations in sociocultural navigation by Maori researchers conducting research embedded in mutual trust; rather than instrumental navigation in linear time. A longitudinal study of Maori and non Maori men and women ageing successfully was planned; this feasibility stage tested whether engaging with koroua/older Maori men and kuia/older Maori women was possible. We document the process undertaken with Nga Pae o te Maramatanga New Zealand's Indigenous Centre of Research Excellence (hosted by the University of Auckland) to involve Maori people in the research, engaging with koroua and kuia aged 75 to 79 years old, developing focus groups to discuss questions specific to te reo Maori me nga tikanga/Maori language and culture, and building research capacity in Maori tribal and primary health organisations in the Bay of Plenty. In addition, engaging with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori/ Maori Language Commission to translate the questions; recruiting the RopuKaitiaki o Nga Tikanga Maori/Protectors of Principles of Conduct in Maori Research, and naming the study will be discussed. The involvement of the kaumatua/older Maori people has been fundamental in laying the foundation of the Life and Living in Advanced Age: A Cohort Study in New Zealand (LiLACS NZ), Te Puawaitanga o Nga Tapuwae Kia Ora Tonu to study a group of Maori aged 80 to 90 years old.