Maori more likely to catch Aids

Media Release

23 October 2005

Maori more likely to catch Aids

Auckland researcher and academic Dr Clive Aspin will tell the Pan Pacific HIV/AIDS conference in Auckland tomorrow that we are seeing changes in the AIDS epidemic that may place Maori at increased risk of HIV.

“When we compare rates of those people who are likely to have been infected in New Zealand, Maori rates are disproportionately high,” Dr Aspin said.

“In recent years, Maori rates of AIDS diagnois have hovered around 15 to 20%, well above the 14% population threshold.”

Dr Aspin also said that the infection rates amongst Maori women are especially concerning.

“Since 1995, there have been regular notifications of Maori women with HIV, something that we did not see in the early days of the epidemic.”

“For some years, government reports have said that Maori are vulnerable and at increased risk of HIV infection. Now is the time to do something tangible to ensure that rates don’t escalate”

ENDS

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