HEALTH STUDY OF ROTORUA MAORIS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30201, 5 August 1963, Page 8

HEALTH STUDY OF ROTORUA MAORIS

(Neu> Zealand Press Association)

ROTORUA. August 3

A health survey of Rotorua urban Maori* will be undertaken in November by a Wellington Hospital medical unit led by Dr. L Prior. Bettween 300 and 350 adult® who are half-casts or more and who have lived in an urban area for 10 years will be surveyed. Information from the surveys will be correlated with the findings of surveys conducted among rural Maoris

living in Ruatahuna. Tikitiki and Tekara. Towards the end of August, two local residents. Messrs G. Paraire and S. Brady, will take a census to find out those eligible for the purvey Dr. Prior, who has taken the previous surveys, will lead a unit of 10 in toe month-long project. Rotorua has been chosen because the people indicated close cooperation when an earlier meeting was held and because the city of Rotorua has grown up around two closelysettled villages. Whakarewarewa arid Ohmemutu. It is estimated there are about 5000 Maoris in the city. The surveys have produced important information abo.-t problems of heart diseases, diabetes, gout and related disorders. Mid Dr Prior •The surveys have so far been of Maori groups but later European groups will be studied in the same way. “Similar work is go ng on oversea*, particularly in relationship to heart disease Japanese people have been studied in Japan and in Hawaii and on the west coast of the United States. “TYiis study has revealed that those living m the United States have a verymuch higher incidence erf heart disease than those living at home," said Dr Prior. “Thi* type of study can produce important information about the way in which environmental factors, such as diet and living conditions, can influence the development of diaeasee.” he Mid.