Whakauae Research Services Limited is honoured to take the ‘Rukua ki te rēkōtanga o te wai: Stemming the tide of HIV inequity in Aotearoa’ three-year research project forward, with funding from the Health Research Council (HRC) announced last week.
The project will investigate and document the experiences of Māori sexual health and HIV prevention uptake, particularly the use of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (or PrEP). Project lead and Whakauae senior researcher, Dr Tanya Allport, says it’s a timely commitment to address this health inequity.
“Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand are more likely to present with advanced HIV and less likely to access prevention services such as testing and PrEP, an effective medication that prevents new HIV infections,” says Dr Allport.
“This project will investigate why Māori are not accessing HIV prevention, particularly PrEP, at the same rate as non-Māori, and develop strategies to help lift Māori access and participation rates in HIV prevention measures."
Director of Whakauae Research Services, Dr Amohia Boulton, says the research will include collaborative strategies to address these care gaps, working in partnership with sexual health providers.
“By understanding the barriers associated with accessing PrEP and other therapies, we will work with our community partners to improve health service delivery and ultimately Māori health outcomes,” says Dr Boulton.
In 2022 the Government expanded PrEP access through Pharmac and announced a goal to eliminate HIV transmission by 2032 through the HIV Action Plan. At the inaugural World AIDS Day Parliamentary Breakfast held in December 2024, Minister Matt Doocey outlined the Government’s ongoing commitment to the HIV Action Plan and reaffirmed that reducing stigma and advancing health equity for Māori and other underserved groups remain central priorities.
Dr Boulton says this research will contribute to the broader programme of work set out in the HIV Action Plan, giving voice to previously unseen Māori experiences and subsequent needs.
“The findings will support national HIV goals while promoting a more effective and sustainable public health system for everyone.”
Access barriers for Māori to existing HIV prevention strategies create real health inequities. National data shows that while HIV diagnoses for non-Māori almost halved between 2019 and 2023 to 28, diagnoses among Māori increased over the same period.
Co-investigator of Rukua ki te rēkōtanga o te wai, Associate Professor Clive Aspin, says the main barrier for Māori is a lack of information and care that resonates with Māori, upholding the mana of individuals and whānau while avoiding stigmatisation.
“People still feel whakamā about seeking sexual health services. They’re worried about being judged, misunderstood, or even outed. That’s not good enough in 2025,” says Associate Professor Aspin.
“When Māori can access care and information that reflects who we are, we all stand to benefit.”
Dr Allport and project researcher Mr Ben Barton presented on this issue at the 46th Annual New Zealand Sexual Health Society Inc. Conference 2025 hosted by the University of Auckland on Saturday 16 August. With the theme 'Equity Through Action: Mana Enhancing Strategies for Sexual Health’, attendees from across the sector were uniform in their need for information and support strategies to engage more Māori in HIV prevention.
“One of the goals of the study is to co-create resources to be used by study partners in the community, to enable a better understanding and application of Māori-specific health delivery in HIV prevention,” says Dr Allport.
Last week the Health Research Council (HRC) announced $71.4 million has been invested in ‘excellent and innovative research’ to tackle a range of pressing issues affecting New Zealand’s health system.
HRC Director of Investments, Mr Stacey Pene, said three Programme Grants and 37 Project Grants, including the Whakauae-led PrEP study, account for most of the funding investment.
“These funding rounds support health research in areas of importance and priority for New Zealand, and which can tangibly contribute to improved health outcomes for all New Zealanders,” said Mr Pene.
The Rukua ki te rēkōtanga o te wai: Stemming the tide of HIV inequity in Aotearoa study will begin in October of this year, supported by a diverse group of practitioners and advocates working in Māori sexual health spaces.
Whakauae Research Services Limited is honoured to take the ‘Rukua ki te rēkōtanga o te wai: Stemming the tide of HIV inequity in Aotearoa’ three-year research project forward, with funding from the Health Research Council (HRC) announced last week.
The project will investigate and document the experiences of Māori sexual health and HIV prevention uptake, particularly the use of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (or PrEP). Project lead and Whakauae senior researcher, Dr Tanya Allport, says it’s a timely commitment to address this health inequity.
“Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand are more likely to present with advanced HIV and less likely to access prevention services such as testing and PrEP, an effective medication that prevents new HIV infections,” says Dr Allport.
“This project will investigate why Māori are not accessing HIV prevention, particularly PrEP, at the same rate as non-Māori, and develop strategies to help lift Māori access and participation rates in HIV prevention measures."
Director of Whakauae Research Services, Dr Amohia Boulton, says the research will include collaborative strategies to address these care gaps, working in partnership with sexual health providers.
“By understanding the barriers associated with accessing PrEP and other therapies, we will work with our community partners to improve health service delivery and ultimately Māori health outcomes,” says Dr Boulton.
In 2022 the Government expanded PrEP access through Pharmac and announced a goal to eliminate HIV transmission by 2032 through the HIV Action Plan. At the inaugural World AIDS Day Parliamentary Breakfast held in December 2024, Minister Matt Doocey outlined the Government’s ongoing commitment to the HIV Action Plan and reaffirmed that reducing stigma and advancing health equity for Māori and other underserved groups remain central priorities.
Dr Boulton says this research will contribute to the broader programme of work set out in the HIV Action Plan, giving voice to previously unseen Māori experiences and subsequent needs.
“The findings will support national HIV goals while promoting a more effective and sustainable public health system for everyone.”
Access barriers for Māori to existing HIV prevention strategies create real health inequities. National data shows that while HIV diagnoses for non-Māori almost halved between 2019 and 2023 to 28, diagnoses among Māori increased over the same period.
Co-investigator of Rukua ki te rēkōtanga o te wai, Associate Professor Clive Aspin, says the main barrier for Māori is a lack of information and care that resonates with Māori, upholding the mana of individuals and whānau while avoiding stigmatisation.
“People still feel whakamā about seeking sexual health services. They’re worried about being judged, misunderstood, or even outed. That’s not good enough in 2025,” says Associate Professor Aspin.
“When Māori can access care and information that reflects who we are, we all stand to benefit.”
Dr Allport and project researcher Mr Ben Barton presented on this issue at the 46th Annual New Zealand Sexual Health Society Inc. Conference 2025 hosted by the University of Auckland on Saturday 16 August. With the theme 'Equity Through Action: Mana Enhancing Strategies for Sexual Health’, attendees from across the sector were uniform in their need for information and support strategies to engage more Māori in HIV prevention.
“One of the goals of the study is to co-create resources to be used by study partners in the community, to enable a better understanding and application of Māori-specific health delivery in HIV prevention,” says Dr Allport.
Last week the Health Research Council (HRC) announced $71.4 million has been invested in ‘excellent and innovative research’ to tackle a range of pressing issues affecting New Zealand’s health system.
HRC Director of Investments, Mr Stacey Pene, said three Programme Grants and 37 Project Grants, including the Whakauae-led PrEP study, account for most of the funding investment.
“These funding rounds support health research in areas of importance and priority for New Zealand, and which can tangibly contribute to improved health outcomes for all New Zealanders,” said Mr Pene.
The Rukua ki te rēkōtanga o te wai: Stemming the tide of HIV inequity in Aotearoa study will begin in October of this year, supported by a diverse group of practitioners and advocates working in Māori sexual health spaces.
