Māori work-related fatal injury in Aotearoa-New Zealand, 2005-2014: a decade of continued inequities for Indigenous Māori.

Abstract

Objectives: Using Coronial data, this observational study describes and compares the characteristics of work-related fatal injury (WRFI) in Indigenous Māori and non-Māori workers to identify disparities in WRFI in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) for the period 2005-2014.

Methods: A population-level WRFI dataset was created by coding Coronial case files for the period 1995-2014. WRFI frequencies and rates were calculated by age, sex, socioeconomic deprivation, occupation and industry, stratified for Māori and non-Māori. Standardisation of rates was used to examine possible reasons for differences.

Results: The crude rate of WRFI in Māori workers was 7.6 fatalities per 100 000 workers over the decade: almost double that for non-Māori workers (incident rate ratio (IRR) 1.9, 95% CI 1.6, 2.3). Of variables considered in standardisation, occupation made the biggest difference to the crude IRR (SIRR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2, 1.7). The largest equity gaps occurred in the transport sector (IRR 2.1, 95% CI 1.6, 2.9) and for machinery operators (IRR 2.2, 95% CI 1.6, 3.2). Vehicle crashes accounted for 33% of Māori WRFI compared with 25% of non-Māori (difference 8%, 95% CI 2%, 16%).

Conclusions: WRFI continues to be a significant and systemic source of inequity for Indigenous Māori in NZ. Consistent with previous decades, Māori workers experience disproportionately higher rates of WRFI in NZ, largely explained by the higher representation of Māori workers in high-risk occupations and industries. Future efforts to address inequities in WRFI for Māori workers should focus on high-risk industries and occupations, as well as address the inequitable distribution of WRFI risks.