Embargoed to 12 noon, 3 September 2009

Public Health Association conference

Maori team produce new ethical guidelines for research

PuTai Ora Maori ethics researchers have produced a set of ethical guidelines for anyone undertaking research with Maori.

“The model uses Maori concepts to build a framework,” Drs Khyla Russell, Stephanie Palmer and Poly Atatoa-Carr told delegates at the Public Health Association’s annual conference in Dunedin today.

The group of three co-presented more than eighteen months of work, developing guidelines and challenging researchers to more meaningfully engage with those being researched.

“We started with the concept of whakapapa, recognising that every research project has a genesis, and that it relies on the quality of its relationships.

“So we were very concerned with the quality of relationships and outcomes within a research project, the inclusion of local perspectives and of course Maori governance of projects.”

The other concepts which underpin the new ethical framework are ‘mana’, ’tika’ and ‘manaakitanga’. The concepts are linked to more traditional research understandings such as ‘risks’, ‘benefits’ and outcomes.

“The design process of any research project is a critical determinant. Will this research benefit Maori? Is there adequate participation, partnership and protection?”

“Throughout this process we have been consciously determining what is best practice for Maori. There is always a Treaty compliance aspect. We want to know whether researchers are including Maori and if not why not.”

ENDS