Poverty Increasing the Risk of Dementia w/ the University of Auckland’s Etuini Ma’u: 9 September 2024

Dementia is expected to double in the next 20 years in Aotearoa, but for Pasifika and Māori, it’s expected to triple. 

New research shows the risk of developing dementia is 60% higher for people living in the most deprived areas of NZ compared to those in the least deprived areas.

Because of the disproportionate representation of Māori and Pasifika in lower socio-economic groups, the risk of those developing dementia also sits at a disproportionately high level. 

Senior lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland, Etuini Ma’u led the public health expert briefing that took a deep dive into the research. 

Producer Evie spoke to Ma’u about the factors of poverty that lead to this increased dementia risk, and how these can be combated on both an individual and wider structural level.