He mana tō te mātauranga – knowledge is power: a qualitative study of sexual and reproductive healthcare experiences of wāhine Māori

Chelsea Harris; Susan Bidwell; Ben Hudson; Maira Patu; Christina McKerchar; Ibrahim S. Al-Busaidi

doi:10.1071/HC24103

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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He mana tō te mātauranga – knowledge is power: a qualitative study of sexual and reproductive healthcare experiences of wāhine Māori

Chelsea Harris

¹ ^* , Susan Bidwell ² , Ben Hudson

¹ , Maira Patu ³ , Christina McKerchar

² , Ibrahim S. Al-Busaidi

¹

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

¹ Department of Primary Care and Clinical Simulation, University of Otago, PO Box 4345, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.

² Department of Population Health, University of Otago, PO Box 4345, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.

³ Māori/Indigenous Health Innovation, University of Otago, PO Box 4345, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.

^* Correspondence to: Chelsea.harris@otago.ac.nz

Handling Editor: Tim Stokes

Journal of Primary Health Care https://doi.org/10.1071/HC24103

Submitted: 30 July 2024 Accepted: 8 November 2024 Published: 3 December 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Introduction

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is important for well-being, yet Indigenous peoples, including Māori, have poorer SRH outcomes than non-Indigenous peoples. Healthcare providers (HCPs) play a critical role in enhancing patients’ health literacy, directly impacting health outcomes by providing clear, accessible information and guidance. Therefore, it is important to explore the experiences that wāhine Māori (Māori women) have when interacting with HCPs and how they learn about SRH. Such research could guide interventions to improve dissemination of SRH knowledge to Māori.

Aim

This study aimed to explore the experiences wāhine Māori have of sexual health care and accessing SRH knowledge.

Methods

Wāhine were interviewed in this Kaupapa Māori study. Interviews were transcribed and coded, and thematic analysis was performed.

Results

Twelve wāhine were interviewed. An overarching theme, He mana tō te mātauranga (knowledge is power), was identified. There were four subthemes: being informed about contraceptive options is empowering, informed consent is important, high-stress situations call for better communication and improved dissemination of SRH knowledge is needed. The wāhine valued being well-informed about their health and options, however, their experiences of receiving information varied.

Discussion

Wāhine Māori want to be told more about their health and options when encountering HCPs regarding SRH. Being informed is empowering, while feeling uninformed results in a breakdown in trust in the healthcare system and inability to exercise mana motuhake (autonomy). Facilitating improved dissemination of knowledge about SRH may help improve SRH outcomes for Māori by supporting health literacy, so that Māori can make informed decisions about their health.

Keywords: equity, health literacy, informed consent, Kaupapa Māori, Māori health, reproductive health, sexual health, women’s health.

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