Disproportionate Cardiovascular Disease Burden Identified Among Indigenous Māori and Pacific Women

Article Impact Level: HIGH
Data Quality: STRONG
Summary of  N Z Med J doi: 10.26635/6965.7501 
Dr. Bussey K Short et al.

Points

University of Canterbury researchers conducted a systematic review analyzing twenty five years of cardiovascular research literature published across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Data extraction established a major gender research gap demonstrating that only twenty six percent of evaluated studies specifically examined sex or gender differences.
Findings confirmed that female cardiac patients experience systematic underdiagnosis and undertreatment leading to demonstrably poorer cardiovascular health outcomes nationwide.
Subgroup analysis identified severe compounding disparities showing that Indigenous Māori and Pacific women suffer the highest long term cardiovascular disease burdens.
Authors concluded that establishing collaborative gender specific and culturally sensitive research strategies is crucial to eliminate health inequities and improve clinical outcomes.

Summary

This systematic review evaluated a quarter-century of cardiovascular literature in Aotearoa New Zealand to characterize gender equity in clinical research, diagnostic accuracy, and treatment outcomes for female cardiac patients. Published in the New Zealand Medical Journal by a research team co-led by Dr. Kylie Short of Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury, the investigation addressed systemic gaps in sex- and gender-specific cardiology. Given that cardiovascular disease has historically been researched through male-centric paradigms, the review sought to quantify female representation across 25 years of local health data and identify disparities in clinical care and long-term prognosis.

The comprehensive synthesis revealed a profound gender data deficit in cardiovascular research, establishing that only 26% of published studies specifically examined or reported sex- and gender-differentiated clinical findings. The review documented consistent patterns of underdiagnosis and undertreatment among female patients, which directly correlated with worse cardiovascular outcomes compared to male cohorts. Notably, the data demonstrated disproportionately severe health disparities and long-term disease burden among Indigenous Māori and Pacific women, who experienced the poorest clinical prognosis and highest rate of adverse cardiovascular outcomes across the national health system.

The authors conclude that systemic underrepresentation of women in 25 years of New Zealand cardiovascular research has perpetuated diagnostic and therapeutic inequities in clinical practice. To mitigate these disparities, the authors advocate for collaborative, culturally sensitive research frameworks and gender-specific clinical practice guidelines. Prioritizing targeted cardiovascular research for high-risk cohorts, particularly Māori and Pacific women, is essential to improve clinical management, optimize health equity, and alleviate systemic healthcare burdens.

Link to the article: https://nzmj.org.nz/journal/vol-139-no-1645/women-s-cardiovascular-health-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-insights-from-a-systematic-literature-review

References

Short K, Bussey CT, Crabtree SM, Shanks J. Women’s cardiovascular health in Aotearoa New Zealand: insights from a systematic literature review. N Z Med J. 2026 Nov 6;139(1645):68-106. doi: 10.26635/6965.7501