What do Māori want for palliative pain management?

Pain is one of the most common symptoms people experience at the end of life and is one of the main symptoms that community-based palliative care services aim to address. Community-based palliative care services understanding of pain at end of life is framed by a western understanding of pain and is largely centred on addressing physical pain. Little is understood about Māori experiences of palliative pain and preferences for palliative pain management. This kaupapa Māori study seeks to understand from a Māori perspective what Māori want for palliative pain management. It also aims to understand what can be done to bridge the gap between what community-based palliative care services provide and Māori preferences for palliative pain management.

We also think that this information will be useful for health services and health professionals who provide palliative care to whānau.

We would like to hold whānau hui with Māori who have palliative care needs as well as whānau who are caring for them, or with whānau who have cared for whānau members with palliative care needs. Whānau hui will only include members of your whānau and any whānau or support networks you or other members of your whānau who are participating may wish to be present. The whānau hui will take between one and two hours to complete at a time and place that is suitable for you and your whānau. Provision will also be made for whānau hui to be conducted by telephone or online using Zoom should the need arise.

Māori over the age of 16 years from the Tairāwhiti region who have experienced community-based palliative care services. This may include Māori with palliative care needs and whānau members who care for them, or bereaved whānau members whose loved one had palliative care needs

Dr Joanna Hikaka
Research supervisor
Email: j.hikaka@auckland.ac.nz

Kat Mason
Researcher and Masters student
Email: k.mason@auckland.ac.nz