Policy‐induced changes in Maori mortality patterns in the New Zealand economic reform period

New Zealand's pro‐market reform process commencing in 1984, while generally popular, did not represent a net social benefit for all socio‐economic, cultural and ethnic groups. The reforms imposed hardships on groups heavily dependent on manual jobs in the manufacturing sector, on groups experiencing above average rates of unemployment, and on groups dependent on social programmes for stability in income flows. One group possessing all three characteristics, and adversely affected, was New Zealand's aboriginal population—the Maori. Previous statistical analyses have established that the Maori are a low income group that suffered a substantial decline in relative income from 1984 to 1987. The statistical research in this study establishes that Maori aged 30–79 years also experienced an increase in mortality ratios relative to the rest of the population, commencing in 1987. It is postulated that the decline in economic stability was a source of stress for middle‐aged Maori, and that this was a contributing factor to the increase in observed relative mortality. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.