Whare Tukutuku and Te Rau Ora are excited to launch a new report on Māori experiences of alcohol screening, brief intervention and treatment referrals. The research sought to understand why Māori were screened less frequently than non-Māori, the effectiveness of current screening tools and how culturally appropriate approaches could be developed. Click here to read the report.
Key findings from the report include:
- Relationships matter most: Building trust and explaining questions helps whānau answer honestly.
- Tools don’t always fit Māori culture: Mainstream screening tools can feel irrelevant or reductionist.
- Flexibility works best: Using a mix of Māori-led and adapted Western tools meets different needs.
- System issues affect care: Māori services are sometimes treated as a backup, and policies or workload can limit effective screening.
- Co-design improves tools: Involving whānau and staff makes tools more practical and culturally safe.
- Review and adapt: Regularly checking and updating tools keeps them useful and effective.
Whare Tukutuku have developed Te Whare Whakamana, which is a model to guide a different way of seeing screening. We would encourage kaimahi and practitioners to consider incorporating this model as part of their engagement with whānau Māori.
