Implementation effectiveness of health interventions with Māori communities: a cross-sectional survey of health professional perspectives

Abstract

Objective: To identify factors that New Zealand health professionals rate as important for implementation effectiveness for health interventions with Māori communities. Methods: Health professionals (N=200) participated in an online cross-sectional survey. The survey was organised in three sections: a) participants’ general perceptions of key features for implementation effectiveness; b) participants’ direct experience of implementing health interventions with Māori communities, and c) general demographic information. Results: Paired sample t-tests revealed four levels of importance for implementation effectiveness with teamwork and community autonomy as being most important. Only 24% of participants had experience with a previous health intervention in Māori communities. A multiple regression model identified two key overall factors that were associated with participants’ rating of implementation effectiveness in these previous interventions: process (B=0.29 p<0.01), and community (B=0.14, p<0.05). Conclusions: Key areas of implementation effectiveness were community engagement and participatory process; this contributes to the body of literature that challenges traditional top-down approaches of implementation. Implications for public health: This study provides the perspectives of health professionals on implementation effectiveness when working with Māori/Indigenous communities. These professionals often lead the implementation of health interventions to address health equity. The study supports the inclusion of community voice in implementing community health interventions.