Vulnerability is not limited by ethnicity

*** Trigger alert warning. If this post seems like I’m challenging you, rest assured that I am definitely doing that.

With all of the current ‘noise’ about prioritising Maori and Pacifika health interventions, I thought I’d add my two cents worth – and as usual, it’s slightly off the main thread.

Firstly let me just say, we absolutely need to improve the health outcomes for those groups. Despite throwing resource and desire at it for years, we’re still not making a real difference so something needs to change. Personally I would favour more work at the primary health level but that’s a topic for another day.

What really concerns me is that yet again we’re talking about poor health outcomes and seemingly only focused on ethnicity. There is a vulnerable group within our community that has a much shorter life expectancy and overall poorer health outcomes than Maori and Pacifika yet they never get talked about. No other group would incur this neglect without people raising a hue and cry, yet health professionals, politicians, advocates and the general population remain mute – almost as if they don’t care.

People on all sides of the current debate are sitting on their high horses, oblivious to who may be trampled beneath them.

If you know me, you’ll be aware that I’m talking about our intellectually disabled community. That small group that gets tagged onto the description of vulnerable communities and then forgotten about.

Just for the record, ask yourself what other groups in our community would you allow to receive such poor health outcomes before you spoke up?

and how much more likely are people with an intellectual disability to need care and treatment compared to people without?

Condition	People with an intellectual disability
Cancer	1.5 times more likely
Heart disease	2 times more likely
Diabetes	2 times more likely
Mental health	3 times more likely
Cervical screening	less than half as likely
Use emergency department	2.5 times as likely
Dental	15 times more likely