Preferred format and strategies for seeking and trusting online health information: a survey of cardiology outpatient attendees across three New Zealand hospitals.

Introduction The volume and quality of online health information requires consumers to be discerning. Aim This study aimed to explore consumer Internet use for health information, preferred format and what factors helped them to trust the source. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016-2017 with adults attending three cardiology outpatient clinic sites using a short paper-based survey. The survey included questions regarding online health information use and perceived trustworthiness with opportunities for free text responses. Survey data were summarised with key questions adjusted by age group, gender and ethnicity using logistic regression. Results Of the 708 respondents (51% women, 66% aged 45-74 years, 16% Maori, 12% Pacific), 73% had sought health information online (64% in the previous 12 months), commonly for medication side effects, their health condition and self-help. Most (65%) were successful, although Pacific respondents reported a lower likelihood of search success compared to Europeans. Younger age groups were more concerned about information quality. Fact sheets (80%) were the most popular format and for all ethnic groups, followed by short videos (31%) and discussion groups (23%). Trusting online information required many strategies with 72% wanting health professionals to recommend websites. Discussion Online health information seeking is a norm for consumers, with simple fact sheets being the preferred format to build knowledge and skills. With the rising tide of misinformation, health portal providers need to offer accurate and easy-to-read fact sheets in their suite of formats and health professionals need to support consumers guiding them to trusted websites.

E kaua e hoki i te waewae tutuki, a, apa ano hei te upoko pakaru - a systematic review of neurosurgical disease and care for Maori in New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) Te Rautaki Maori cites the need for more research dedicated to health equity in surgery for Maori. However, the gaps in research for Maori in surgery have not yet been highlighted. This review is the first in a series of reviews named Te Ara Pokanga that seeks to identify these gaps over all nine surgical specialties. The aim of this study was to assess neurosurgical disease incidence and perioperative outcomes for Maori at any point from referral through to the postoperative period. METHODS: A systematic review of Maori neurosurgical disease and care for Maori in NZ was performed. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement assisted study selection and reporting. Kaupapa Maori (Maori-centred) research methodology and the Maori Framework were utilized to evaluate Maori research responsiveness. RESULTS: Nine studies were included in this review. All studies were retrospective cohort studies and only two studies had at least one Maori clinical or academic expert named on their research team. Therefore, only one study was deemed responsive to Maori. Studies assessing long-term outcomes from the management of neurosurgical disease for Maori and patient and whanau experiences of neurosurgical care are lacking. CONCLUSION: This study indicates the limited scope of research conducted for Maori in neurosurgery. The broader clinical implications of this review highlight the need for good quality research to investigate access to and long-term outcomes from the management of neurosurgical disease for Maori.

Physicians' perspectives on clinical indicators: systematic review and thematic synthesis.

Clinical indicators are increasingly used to improve the quality of care, particularly with the emergence of 'big data', but physicians' views regarding their utility in practice is unclear. We reviewed the published literature investigating physicians' perspectives, focusing on the following objectives in relation to quality improvement: (1) the role of clinical indicators, (2) what is needed to strengthen them, (3) their key attributes, and (4) the best tool(s) for assessing their quality. A systematic literature search (up to November 2022) was carried out using: Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and Web of Science. Articles that met all of the following inclusion criteria were included: reported on physicians' perspectives on clinical indicators and/or tools for assessing the quality of clinical indicators, addressing at least one of the four review objectives; the clinical indicators related to care at least partially delivered by physicians; and published in a peer-reviewed journal. Data extracted from eligible studies were appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. A thematic synthesis of data was conducted using NVivo software. Descriptive themes were inductively derived from codes, which were grouped into analytical themes answering each objective. A total of 14 studies were included, with 17 analytical themes identified for objectives 1-3 and no data identified for objective 4. Results showed that indicators can play an important motivating role for physicians to improve the quality of care and show where changes need to be made. For indicators to be effective, physicians should be involved in indicator development, recording relevant data should be straightforward, indicator feedback must be meaningful to physicians, and clinical teams need to be adequately resourced to act on findings. Effective indicators need to focus on the most important areas for quality improvement, be consistent with good medical care, and measure aspects of care within the control of physicians. Studies cautioned against using indicators primarily as punitive measures, and there were concerns that an overreliance on indicators can lead to narrowed perspective of quality of care. This review identifies facilitators and barriers to meaningfully engaging physicians in developing and using clinical indicators to improve the quality of healthcare.

A qualitative evaluation of rural and provincial surgery wananga to enhance cultural safety among surgical registrars in Taranaki, New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) recently instituted cultural safety and cultural competency as its 10th competency with formalized cultural safety training yet to be instituted. Wananga are Indigenous Maori teaching institutions that can be used contemporarily for cultural safety training. METHODS: In 2022, surgical registrars based at Taranaki Base Hospital (TBH) held in-hospital wananga ranging from 1 to 3 h focussed on cultural safety, professionalism and wellbeing. This study explores the perspectives of these registrars who attended wananga using a Kaupapa Maori aligned methodological stance and interpretive phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-six wananga were held from March 22nd 2022 to January 30th 2023. Six registrars provided their perspectives with four major themes emerging from their stories including: cultural safety; unity; time, place and person; and a new era. Registrars valued the wananga which was scheduled for Friday afternoons after daily clinical duties. Wananga facilitated unity and understanding with registrars being able to reflect on the context within which they are practicing - describing it as a new era of surgical training. 'Time' was the biggest barrier to attend wananga however, the number of wananga held was testament to the commitment of the registrars. CONCLUSIONS: Regular wananga set up by, and for, surgical registrars cultural safety development is feasible and well subscribed in a rural or provincial NZ setting. We present one coalface method of regular cultural safety training and development for surgical registrars and trainees in NZ.

Short, Medium and Long-Term Cause-Specific Mortality Following First-Ever Heart Failure Hospitalisation in New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is associated with high mortality, but there are limited reports on the underlying cause of death. This study reports short-, medium- and long-term cause-specific mortality following first-ever HF hospitalisation in New Zealand. METHOD: First-ever HF hospitalisations were identified from hospital discharge coding between 2010 and 2013. Mortality outcomes were obtained via anonymised linkage to national datasets. Short (0-30 days), medium (31-364 days), and long-term (1-5 years) mortality rates were identified. Cause of death was identified from death certification coding and classified as cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular. Cox regression analysis was performed to adjust for confounding variables. RESULTS: A cohort of 34,264 individuals with first-ever HF hospitalisation were identified. Mean age was 75.8±13 years and 50.5% were male. A total of 21,637 (63.1%) died within 5 years of hospitalisation; 4,122 (12.0%) within the first 30 days, 6,358 (18.6%) between 31-364 days, and 11,157 (32.6%) between 1 and 5 years. Older age, male gender, Maori ethnicity, higher socioeconomic deprivation and increased comorbidity were independent factors associated with higher all-cause mortality. Cardiovascular causes accounted for 51% of total deaths. Cardiovascular mortality was 6.0%, 9.5%, and 16.7% at 30 days, 31-364 days, and 1-5 years, respectively. The most common causes of non-cardiovascular mortality were neoplasms, chronic respiratory diseases and infections, accounting for 14.6%, 11.0%, and 5.5% of total deaths respectively. Comorbidity was associated with higher non-cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 3.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.16-3.55) but not cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.79; 95% CI 0.72-0.86). CONCLUSIONS: In New Zealand, mortality following first-ever HF hospitalisation is high. Non-cardiovascular death is common and there are ethnic inequities.

ANZACS-QI Heart Failure Registry: a new approach using age-stratified sampling of hospital discharges to guide quality improvement (ANZACS-QI 79).

Heart failure is a major healthcare problem in New Zealand. The Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF) Registry was introduced in 2015, and has identified the need for quality improvement strategies to improve care of patients hospitalised with heart failure. In this paper, we describe the implementation of the revised ANZACS-QI Heart Failure Registry, which has a primary aim to support evidence-based management of and quality improvement measures for patients who are hospitalised with heart failure in New Zealand. Taking the learnings from the initial experience with the ADHF Registry, the revised ANZACS-QI Heart Failure Registry i) utilises age-stratified sampling of hospital discharge coding to identify a representative heart failure cohort, ii) utilises existing ANZACS-QI infrastructure for data-linkage to reduce the burden of manual data entry, iii) receives governance from the Heart Failure Working Group, and iv) focusses on established quality improvement indicators for heart failure management.

Treatment drop-in in a contemporary cohort used to derive cardiovascular risk prediction equations.

BACKGROUND: No routinely recommended cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction equations have adjusted for CVD preventive medications initiated during follow-up (treatment drop-in) in their derivation cohorts. This will lead to underestimation of risk when equations are applied in clinical practice if treatment drop-in is common. We aimed to quantify the treatment drop-in in a large contemporary national cohort to determine whether equations are likely to require adjustment. METHODS: Eight de-identified individual-level national health administrative datasets in Aotearoa New Zealand were linked to establish a cohort of almost all New Zealanders without CVD and aged 30-74 years in 2006. Individuals dispensing blood-pressure-lowering and/or lipid-lowering medications between 1 July 2006 and 31 December 2006 (baseline dispensing), and in each 6-month period during 12 years' follow-up to 31 December 2018 (follow-up dispensing), were identified. Person-years of treatment drop-in were determined. RESULTS: A total of 1 399 348 (80%) out of the 1 746 695 individuals in the cohort were not dispensed CVD medications at baseline. Blood-pressure-lowering and/or lipid-lowering treatment drop-in accounted for 14% of follow-up time in the group untreated at baseline and increased significantly with increasing predicted baseline 5-year CVD risk (12%, 31%, 34% and 37% in <5%, 5-9%, 10-14% and ≥15% risk groups, respectively) and with increasing age (8% in 30-44 year-olds to 30% in 60-74 year-olds). CONCLUSIONS: CVD preventive treatment drop-in accounted for approximately one-third of follow-up time among participants typically eligible for preventive treatment (≥5% 5-year predicted risk). Equations derived from cohorts with long-term follow-up that do not adjust for treatment drop-in effect will underestimate CVD risk in higher risk individuals and lead to undertreatment. Future CVD risk prediction studies need to address this potential flaw.

Cultural safety in paramedic practice: experiences of Maori and their whanau who have received acute pre-hospital care for cardiac symptoms from paramedics.

Background Cardiovascular disease is a major health issue for Maori that requires timely and effective first-response care. Maori report culturally unsafe experiences in health care, resulting in poor health outcomes. Research in the pre-hospital context is lacking. This study aimed to explore experiences of cultural (un)safety for Maori and their whanau who received acute pre-hospital cardiovascular care from paramedics. Methods Utilising a qualitative descriptive methodology and Kaupapa Maori Research (KMR), in-depth semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 10 Maori patients and/or whanau, and a general inductive approach was used for analysis. Results Three key themes were identified: (1) interpersonal workforce skills, (2) access and service factors and (3) active protection of Maori. Participants described paramedics' clinical knowledge and interpersonal skills, including appropriate communication and ability to connect. Barriers to accessing ambulance services included limited personal and community resources and workforce issues. The impact of heart health on communities and desire for better preventative care highlighted the role of ambulance services in heart health. Conclusion Maori experience culturally unsafe pre-hospital care. Systemic and structural barriers were found to be harmful despite there being fewer reports of interpersonal discrimination than in previous research. Efforts to address workforce representation, resource disparities and cultural safety education (focussing on communication, partnership and connection) are warranted to improve experiences and outcomes for Maori.

Health and well-being needs of Indigenous adolescents: a protocol for a scoping review of qualitative studies.

INTRODUCTION: Improving the health of Indigenous adolescents is central to addressing the health inequities faced by Indigenous peoples. To achieve this, it is critical to understand what is needed from the perspectives of Indigenous adolescents themselves. There have been many qualitative studies that capture the perspectives of Indigenous young people, but synthesis of these has been limited to date. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This scoping review seeks to understand the specific health needs and priorities of Indigenous adolescents aged 10-24 years captured via qualitative studies conducted across Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Greenland and Sami populations (Norway and Sweden). A team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers from these nations will systematically search PubMed (including the MEDLINE, PubMed Central and Bookshelf databases), CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, the Informit Indigenous and Health Collections, Google Scholar, Arctic Health, the Circumpolar Health Bibliographic Database, Native Health Database, iPortal and NZresearch.org, as well as specific websites and clearinghouses within each nation for qualitative studies. We will limit our search to articles published in any language during the preceding 5 years given that needs may have changed significantly over time. Two independent reviewers will identify relevant articles using a two-step process, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer and the wider research group. Data will then be extracted from included articles using a standardised form, with descriptive synthesis focussing on key needs and priorities. This scoping review will be conducted and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval was not required for this review. Findings will be disseminated via a peer-reviewed journal article and will inform a broader international collaboration for Indigenous adolescent health to develop evidence-based actions and solutions.

DIGIPREDICT: physiological, behavioural and environmental predictors of asthma attacks-a prospective observational study using digital markers and artificial intelligence-study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Asthma attacks are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality but are preventable in most if detected and treated promptly. However, the changes that occur physiologically and behaviourally in the days and weeks preceding an attack are not always recognised, highlighting a potential role for technology. The aim of this study 'DIGIPREDICT' is to identify early digital markers of asthma attacks using sensors embedded in smart devices including watches and inhalers, and leverage health and environmental datasets and artificial intelligence, to develop a risk prediction model to provide an early, personalised warning of asthma attacks. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A prospective sample of 300 people, 12 years or older, with a history of a moderate or severe asthma attack in the last 12 months will be recruited in New Zealand. Each participant will be given a smart watch (to assess physiological measures such as heart and respiratory rate), peak flow meter, smart inhaler (to assess adherence and inhalation) and a cough monitoring application to use regularly over 6 months with fortnightly questionnaires on asthma control and well-being. Data on sociodemographics, asthma control, lung function, dietary intake, medical history and technology acceptance will be collected at baseline and at 6 months. Asthma attacks will be measured by self-report and confirmed with clinical records. The collected data, along with environmental data on weather and air quality, will be analysed using machine learning to develop a risk prediction model for asthma attacks. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from the New Zealand Health and Disability Ethics Committee (2023 FULL 13541). Enrolment began in August 2023. Results will be presented at local, national and international meetings, including dissemination via community groups, and submission for publication to peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12623000764639; Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry.

Maori and Pacific families' experiences and perspectives of cardiovascular care; A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to understand the reasons behind evidence-practice gaps and inequities in cardiovascular care for Maori and Pacific people, as evidenced by the experiences and perspectives of patients and their families. METHODS: The research was guided by Maori and Pacific worldviews, incorporating Kaupapa Maori Theory and Pacific conceptual frameworks and research methodologies. Template analysis was used to analyse interview data from 61 Maori and Pacific people who had experienced a cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment, acute coronary syndrome, and/or heart failure. RESULTS: The range of experiences relating to participants' heart health journeys are presented in five main themes: Context, Mana (maintaining control and dignity), Condition, People and Journey. CONCLUSIONS: Maori and Pacific people want to take charge of their heart health but face challenges. Participants described important obligations to family, community and tikanga (the culturally correct way of doing things). Participants described times when health care undermined existing responsibilities, their dignity and/or their mana, and they felt excluded from treatment as a result. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: Good reciprocal communication, stemming from a high-quality relationship is essential for successful outcomes. A workforce that is representative of the population it serves and is culturally safe lays the foundation for excellence in care.

Drivers of access to cardiovascular health care for rural Indigenous Peoples: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Māori (the Indigenous Peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand) are disproportionately represented in cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence, morbidity and mortality rates, and are less likely to receive evidence-based CVD health care. Rural Māori experience additional barriers to treatment access, poorer health outcomes and a greater burden of CVD risk factors compared to Non-Māori and Māori living in urban areas. Importantly, these inequities are similarly experienced by Indigenous Peoples in other nations impacted by colonisation. Given the scarcity of available literature, a systematic scoping review was conducted on literature exploring barriers and facilitators in accessing CVD health care for rural Māori and other Indigenous Peoples in nations impacted by colonisation. METHODS: The review was underpinned by Kaupapa Māori Research methodology and was conducted utilising Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) methodological framework. A database search of MEDLINE (OVID), PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, CINAHL Plus, Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre and NZResearch.org was used to explore empirical research literature. A grey literature search was also conducted. Literature based in any healthcare setting providing care to adults for CVD was included. Rural or remote Indigenous Peoples from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the US were included. Literature was included if it addressed cardiovascular conditions and reported barriers and facilitators to healthcare access in any care setting. RESULTS: A total of 363 articles were identified from the database search. An additional 19 reports were identified in the grey literature search. Following screening, 16 articles were included from the database search and 5 articles from the grey literature search. The literature was summarised using the Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) Framework principles: tino rangatiratanga (self-determination), partnership, active protection, equity and options. Themes elucidated from the literature were described as key drivers of CVD healthcare access for rural Indigenous Peoples. Key driver themes included input from rural Indigenous Peoples on healthcare service design and delivery, adequate resourcing and support of indigenous and rural healthcare services, addressing systemic racism and historical trauma, providing culturally appropriate health care, rural Indigenous Peoples' access to family and wellbeing support, rural Indigenous Peoples' differential access to the wider social determinants of health, effective interservice linkages and communication, and equity-driven and congruent data systems. CONCLUSION: The findings are consistent with other literature exploring access to health care for rural Indigenous Peoples. This review offers a novel approach to summarising literature by situating the themes within the context of equity and rights for Indigenous Peoples. This review also highlighted the need for further research in this area to be conducted in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand.

START CARE: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial of step-wise budesonide-formoterol reliever-based treatment in children.

Background: Asthma is the most common chronic childhood respiratory condition globally. Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-formoterol reliever-based regimens reduce the risk of asthma exacerbations compared with conventional short-acting ß2-agonist (SABA) reliever-based regimens in adults and adolescents. The current limited evidence for anti-inflammatory reliever therapy in children means it is unknown whether these findings are also applicable to children. High-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are needed. Objective: The study aim is to determine the efficacy and safety of budesonide-formoterol reliever alone or maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) compared with standard therapy: budesonide or budesonide-formoterol maintenance, both with terbutaline reliever, in children aged 5 to 11 years with mild, moderate and severe asthma. Methods: A 52-week, multicentre, open-label, parallel group, phase III, two-sided superiority RCT will recruit 400 children aged 5 to 11 years with asthma. Participants will be randomised 1:1 to either budesonide-formoterol 100/6 µg Turbuhaler reliever alone or MART; or budesonide or budesonide-formoterol Turbuhaler maintenance, with terbutaline Turbuhaler reliever. The primary outcome is moderate and severe asthma exacerbations as rate per participant per year. Secondary outcomes are asthma control, lung function, exhaled nitric oxide and treatment step change. Assessment of Turbuhaler technique and cost-effectiveness analysis are also planned. Conclusion: This will be the first RCT to compare the efficacy and safety of a step-wise budesonide-formoterol reliever alone or MART regimen with conventional inhaled ICS or ICS-long-acting ß-agonist maintenance plus SABA reliever in children. The results will provide a much-needed evidence base for the treatment of asthma in children.

How have services for diabetes, eye, hearing and foot health been integrated for adults? Protocol for a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: The global population is ageing, and by 2050, there will be almost 2.1 billion people over the age of 60 years. This ageing population means conditions such as diabetes are on the increase, as well as other conditions associated with ageing (and/or diabetes), including those that cause vision impairment, hearing impairment or foot problems. The aim of this scoping review is to identify the extent of the literature describing integration of services for adults of two or more of diabetes, eye, hearing or foot services. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The main database searches are of Medline and Embase, conducted by an information specialist, without language restrictions, for studies published from 1 January 2000 describing the integration of services for two or more of diabetes, eye, hearing and foot health in the private or public sector and at the primary or secondary level of care, primarily targeted to adults aged ≥40 years. A grey literature search will focus on websites of key organisations. Reference lists of all included articles will be reviewed to identify further studies. Screening and data extraction will be undertaken by two reviewers independently and any discrepancies will be resolved by discussion. We will use tables, maps and text to summarise the included studies and findings, including where studies were undertaken, which services tended to be integrated, in which sector and level of the health system, targeting which population groups and whether they were considered effective. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: As our review will be based on published data, ethical approval will not be sought. This review is part of a project in Aotearoa New Zealand that aims to improve access to services for adults with diabetes or eye, hearing or foot conditions. The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant conferences.

Hauora Maori - Maori health: a right to equal outcomes in primary care.

BACKGROUND: For more than a century, Maori have experienced poorer health than non-Maori. In 2019 an independent Tribunal found the Government had breached Te Tiriti o Waitangi by "failing to design and administer the current primary health care system to actively address persistent Maori health inequities". Many Maori (44%) have unmet needs for primary care. Seven models of primary care were identified by the funders and the research team, including Maori-owned practices. We hypothesised patient health outcomes for Maori would differ between models of care. METHODS: Cross-sectional primary care data were analysed at 30 September 2018. National datasets were linked to general practices at patient level, to measure associations between practice characteristics and patient health outcomes. PRIMARY OUTCOMES: polypharmacy (≥ 55 years), HbA1c testing, child immunisations, ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations (0-14, 45-64 years) and emergency department attendances. Regressions include only Maori patients, across all models of care. RESULTS: A total of 660,752 Maori patients were enrolled in 924 practices with 124,854 in 65 Maori-owned practices. Maori practices had: no significant association with HbA1c testing, ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations or ED attendances, and a significant association with lower polypharmacy (3.7% points) and lower childhood immunisations (13.4% points). Maori practices had higher rates of cervical smear and cardiovascular risk assessment, lower rates of HbA1c tests, and more nurse (46%) and doctor (8%) time (FTE) with patients. The average Maori practice had 52% Maori patients compared to 12% across all practices. Maori practices enrolled a higher percentage of children and young people, five times more patients in high deprivation areas, and patients with more multimorbidity. More Maori patients lived rurally (21.5% vs 15%), with a greater distance to the nearest ED. Maori patients were more likely to be dispensed antibiotics or tramadol. CONCLUSIONS: Maori practices are an expression of autonomy in the face of enduring health system failure. Apart from lower immunisation rates, health outcomes were not different from other models of care, despite patients having higher health risk profiles. Across all models, primary care need was unmet for many Maori, despite increased clinical input. Funding must support under-resourced Maori practices and ensure accountability for the health outcomes of Maori patients in all models of general practice.

Incidence of Stroke in Indigenous Populations of Countries With a Very High Human Development Index: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease contributes significantly to disease burden among many Indigenous populations. However, data on stroke incidence in Indigenous populations are sparse. We aimed to investigate what is known of stroke incidence in Indigenous populations of countries with a very high Human Development Index (HDI), locating the research in the broader context of Indigenous health. METHODS: We identified population-based stroke incidence studies published between 1990 and 2022 among Indigenous adult populations of developed countries using PubMed, Embase, and Global Health databases, without language restriction. We excluded non-peer-reviewed sources, studies with fewer than 10 Indigenous people, or not covering a 35- to 64-year minimum age range. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles and extracted data. We assessed quality using "gold standard" criteria for population-based stroke incidence studies, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for risk of bias, and CONSIDER criteria for reporting of Indigenous health research. An Indigenous Advisory Board provided oversight for the study. RESULTS: From 13,041 publications screened, 24 studies (19 full-text articles, 5 abstracts) from 7 countries met the inclusion criteria. Age-standardized stroke incidence rate ratios were greater in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (1.7-3.2), American Indians (1.2), Sámi of Sweden/Norway (1.08-2.14), and Singaporean Malay (1.7-1.9), compared with respective non-Indigenous populations. Studies had substantial heterogeneity in design and risk of bias. Attack rates, male-female rate ratios, and time trends are reported where available. Few investigators reported Indigenous stakeholder involvement, with few studies meeting any of the CONSIDER criteria for research among Indigenous populations. DISCUSSION: In countries with a very high HDI, there are notable, albeit varying, disparities in stroke incidence between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, although there are gaps in data availability and quality. A greater understanding of stroke incidence is imperative for informing effective societal responses to socioeconomic and health disparities in these populations. Future studies into stroke incidence in Indigenous populations should be designed and conducted with Indigenous oversight and governance to facilitate improved outcomes and capacity building. REGISTRATION INFORMATION: PROSPERO registration: CRD42021242367.

Use of the CONSIDER statement by eye health researchers when conducting and reporting research involving Indigenous peoples: an online survey.

BACKGROUND: Indigenous peoples experience worse eye health compared to non-Indigenous peoples. Service providers and researchers must avoid perpetuating this inequity. To help achieve this, researchers can use the CONSolIDated critERia for strengthening the reporting of health research involving Indigenous peoples (CONSIDER) statement. This study aimed to identify the degree to which the CONSIDER statement has been used by eye health researchers when conducting and reporting research with an Indigenous component, and how they perceive its relevance in their future research. METHODS: We used purposive sampling to recruit eye health researchers from any country who have undertaken research with an Indigenous component. The online survey collected quantitative and qualitative data and was analysed using descriptive statistics and reflexive thematic analysis. Responses were gathered on a four-point Likert scale (1 to 4), with four being the most positive statement. RESULTS: Thirty-nine eye health researchers from nine countries completed the survey (Aotearoa New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama, Peru); almost two-thirds (n = 24) undertake epidemiological research. On average, participants disclosed only 'sometimes' previously reporting CONSIDER items (2.26 ± 1.14), but they thought the items were relevant to eye health research and were motivated to use these guidelines in their future research. Some participants requested clarity about how CONSIDER aligned with existing guidelines, and when and how to apply the statement. Others shared rich experiences of the benefits to their research of Indigenous leadership and collaboration. CONCLUSIONS: The CONSIDER statement is perceived as a valuable tool by these eye health researchers, and there are opportunities to maximise uptake and use, including increasing awareness of the statement, clarity about when it applies, and availability of institutional-level support.

Development and validation of cardiovascular risk prediction equations in 76 000 people with known cardiovascular disease.

AIMS: Multiple health administrative databases can be individually linked in Aotearoa New Zealand, using encrypted identifiers. These databases were used to develop cardiovascular risk prediction equations for patients with known cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS AND RESULTS: Administrative health databases were linked to identify all people aged 18-84 years with known CVD, living in Auckland and Northland, Aotearoa New Zealand, on 1 January 2014. The cohort was followed until study outcome, death, or 5 years. The study outcome was death or hospitalization due to ischaemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure, or peripheral vascular disease. Sex-specific 5-year CVD risk prediction equations were developed using multivariable Fine and Gray models. A total of 43 862 men {median age: 67 years [interquartile range (IQR): 59-75]} and 32 724 women [median age: 70 years (IQR: 60-77)] had 14 252 and 9551 cardiovascular events, respectively. Equations were well calibrated with good discrimination. Increasing age and deprivation, recent cardiovascular hospitalization, Mori ethnicity, smoking history, heart failure, diabetes, chronic renal disease, atrial fibrillation, use of blood pressure lowering and anti-thrombotic drugs, haemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol, and creatinine were statistically significant independent predictors of the study outcome. Fourteen per cent of men and 23% of women had predicted 5-year cardiovascular risk <15%, while 28 and 24% had ≥40% risk. CONCLUSION: Robust cardiovascular risk prediction equations were developed from linked routine health databases, a currently underutilized resource worldwide. The marked heterogeneity demonstrated in predicted risk suggests that preventive therapy in people with known CVD would be better informed by risk stratification beyond a one-size-fits-all high-risk categorization.

Using regionwide New Zealand health databases, methods of predicting hospitalization risk in patients with existing heart disease were developed. Using only data from health databases, it was possible to predict the risk accurately.Among patients with existing heart disease, the predicted risk varied markedly which could help improve preventive strategies.

Widening ethnic inequities in heart failure incidence in New Zealand.

OBJECTIVE: Ethnic inequities in heart failure (HF) have been documented in several countries. This study describes New Zealand (NZ) trends in incident HF hospitalisation by ethnicity between 2006 and 2018. METHODS: Incident HF hospitalisations in ≥20-year-old subjects were identified through International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision-coded national hospitalisation records. Incidence was calculated for different ethnic, sex and age groups and were age standardised. Trends were estimated with joinpoint regression. RESULTS: Of 116 113 incident HF hospitalisations, 12.8% were Maori, 5.7% Pacific people, 3.0% Asians and 78.6% Europeans/others. 64% of Maori and Pacific patients were aged <70 years, compared with 37% of Asian and 19% of European/others. In 2018, incidence rate ratios compared with European/others were 6.0 (95% CI 4.9 to 7.3), 7.5 (95% CI 6.0 to 9.4) and 0.5 (95% CI 0.3 to 0.8) for Maori, Pacific people and Asians aged 20-49 years; 3.7 (95% CI 3.4 to 4.0), 3.6 (95% CI 3.2 to 4.1) and 0.5 (95% CI 0.4 to 0.6) for Maori, Pacific people and Asians aged 50-69 years; and 1.5 (95% CI 1.4 to 1.6), 1.5 (95% CI 1.3 to 1.7) and 0.5 (95% CI 0.5 to 0.6) for Maori, Pacific people and Asians aged ≥70 years. Between 2006 and 2018, ethnicity-specific rates diverged in ≥70-year-old subjects due to a decline in European/others (annual percentage change (APC) -2.0%, 95% CI -2.5% to -1.6%) and Asians (APC -3.3%, 95% CI -4.4% to -2.1%), but rates remained unchanged for Maori and Pacific people. In contrast, regardless of ethnicity, rates either increased or remained unchanged in <70-year-old subjects. CONCLUSION: Ethnic inequities in incident HF hospitalisation have widened in NZ over the past 13 years. Urgent action is required to address the predisposing factors that lead to development of HF in Maori and Pacific people.