DOCUMENT

Headlines 17 “Funding from the Neurological Foundation provided us with an opportunity to be the first research group to investigate the types of epilepsy, causes and any associated disorders in Māori children with epilepsy and compare these to non-Māori children with epilepsy,” She is partway through a doctoral study at the University of Otago investigating why tamaraki Māori have increased rates of epilepsy, and whether this is preventable due to inequities in our health system. Her PhD is funded by the Health Research Council and is based on a Neurological Foundation funded-study, led by her supervisor Professor Lynette Sadlier to establish the prevalence of epilepsy in Māori children in New Zealand. “Funding from the Neurological Foundation provided us with an opportunity to be the first research group to investigate the types of epilepsy, causes and any associated disorders in Māori children with epilepsy and compare these to non- Māori children with epilepsy,” Ngaire says. “This is important because research shows that the burden of epilepsy is higher in Māori compared to non-Māori children and adults. Māori have higher death rates and are more likely to go to hospital for their epilepsy.” Ngaire’s research will involve reviewing all the clinical notes of children with epilepsy in the Wellington, Auckland and Northland regions. She is particularly struck by the rates of epilepsy in the Wellington region, where Māori children are four times more likely to have epilepsy than non-Māori children with rates similar to low income countries. “We plan to answer a range of different questions including whether tamariki Māori have access to the necessary investigations in the diagnosis of epilepsy and are tamariki Māori as likely to see an epilepsy specialist as non-Māori children,” Ngaire says. “If inequities in the type, cause, or treatment of Māori children with epilepsy are identified, then we can focus on health initiatives that reduce these disparities and advocate for health equity within Aotearoa.” Ngaire practised as a paediatric registrar and worked primarily on the paediatric wards in Wellington and Hutt Valley Hospitals, where she developed her interest in epilepsy. Her PhD is part of her journey to becoming a Paediatric Neurologist. “This research has the potential to improve epilepsy care in Aotearoa on a larger scale. Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological disorder of childhood and although children may live normal lives, 30% have seizures that are not treatable. If we identify differences in the types, causes or management of epilepsy in Māori children, a focus on prevention can be implemented to reduce the burden of epilepsy and therefore improve the quality of life in Māori children with epilepsy and their whanau.” Ngaire’s primary supervisor is Professor Lynette Sadleir and she is also supervised by Associate Professor James Stanley and Jeannine Stairmand. As a Māori doctor (Ngāti Te Whiti, Te Ātiawa ki Taranaki), hauora Māori and achieving health equity has been a longstanding passion for Ngaire Keenan.