title: The relationship between socially-assigned ethnicity, health and experience of racial discrimination for Māori: analysis of the 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In New Zealand, there are significant and long-standing inequalities in a range of health outcomes, risk factors and healthcare measures between Māori (indigenous peoples) and Pākehā (European). This study expands our understanding of racism as a determinant of such inequalities to examine the concept of socially-assigned ethnicity (how an individual is classified by others ethnically/racially) and its relationship to health and racism for Māori. There is some evidence internationally that being socially-assigned as the dominant ethnic group (in this case European) offers health advantage.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed data from the 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey for adult participants who self-identified their ethnicity as Māori (n = 3160). The association between socially-assigned ethnicity and individual experience of racial discrimination, and socially-assigned ethnicity and health (self-rated health, psychological distress [Kessler 10-item scale]) was assessed using logistic and linear regression analyses, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Māori who were socially-assigned as European-only had significantly lower experience of racial discrimination (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.44, 0.78) than Māori who were socially-assigned as non-European. Being socially-assigned as European-only was also associated with health advantage compared to being socially-assigned non-European: more likely to respond with self-rated very good/excellent health (age, sex adjusted OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.10, 1.74), and lower Kessler 10 scores (age, sex adjusted mean difference = -0.66, 95% C I = -1.22, -0.10). These results were attenuated following adjustment for socioeconomic measures and experience of racial discrimination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that, in a race conscious society, the way people's ethnicities are viewed by others is associated with tangible health risk or advantage, and this is consistent with an understanding of racism as a health determinant.
authors.affiliation: University of Otago, PO Box 7343, Wellington, Wellington South 6242, New Zealand. ricci.harris@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Ricci B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cormack
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stanley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009520:New Zealand; D016017:Odds Ratio; D063505:Racism; D012923:Social Class; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
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