Maori at increased risk from AIDS

An Auckland University researcher says there are changes in the HIV epidemic that may place Maori at increased risk. Dr Clive Aspin will be presenting his findings to the Pan Pacific HIV/AIDS conference in Auckland today.

He says Maori rates of AIDS diagnosis are hovering around 15 to 20 per cent, well above the 14 per cent population threshold.

Dr Aspin says one warning sign is that a higher proportion of Maori women were diagnosed with HIV, which means the country can expect to see higher rates of AIDS in the future among Maori women as opposed to Maori men.

He says factors identified include lower socioeconomic status, lack of access to culturally appropriate services and lack of health resources such as condoms.

He says AIDS has gone off people's radars and it needs to be put back, because the disease is still a major problem in the community. He says most people do not realise that last year New Zealand had the highest rate of HIV diagnosis ever.

The conference is discussing ways of tackling the spread of the disease in the Pacific.

- NEWSTALK ZB