Characteristics of Pacific Island People Admitted to a New Zealand Inpatient Forensic Service.

This study describes the characteristics of Pacific Island patients admitted to the Auckland Regional Forensic Psychiatry Service, at Mason Clinic, the largest of five forensic hospitals in New Zealand. Sixty-nine Pacific Island patients admitted over a 9-year period (2009--2017) are described in terms of their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, access to community mental health care prior to arrest, and their legal history. The majority were men, born in New Zealand, who were single, with poor educational achievement, unemployed, with minimal religious and cultural affiliations, and still living with family prior to the index offense. Almost all had a major psychotic illness, with a mean duration of untreated psychosis of 2.5 years. Most used alcohol and cannabis, and almost half used methamphetamine. The majority of index offenses were violent in nature. These findings identified a disadvantaged and vulnerable group with multiple diagnoses and limited access to mental health services. Culture is fundamental to the causes, course, and care of mental illness. The design and delivery of services that are responsive to the mental health needs of this culturally diverse group may lead to better health outcomes and reduced inequities.

Medical students: where have they come from; where are they going?

AIMS: There remain shortages of doctors in rural areas. This study aimed to describe the location and size of New Zealand medical students' hometowns over the past decade; to document changes in intended practice location between entry and graduation; and to explore the relationship between background and intended location of practice. METHODS: All commencing and graduating students from one New Zealand medical programme from 2006-2015 were invited to complete a career intention survey. Students' reported background and practice location intention at entry were compared with intention at exit. RESULTS: Response rates were 92% for entry and 84% for exit surveys. On average, 21% of medical students were from regional-rural (RR) backgrounds, with no significant change over time (p= 0.4036). Most were admitted via a designated rural entry pathway. Students from RR backgrounds were four times more likely at entry, and nearly three times more likely at exit, to have an RR intention than urban students. Those with an RR intention at entry were three times more likely to have an RR intention at exit than students with an urban intention. CONCLUSION: Medical students from an RR background, or with RR intention at entry to medical school, are more likely to indicate a RR intention upon graduating. Yet students of an urban background with an RR career intention are important to consider. Future research might explore factors which help consolidate RR career choices in both groups.