Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Cost puts health care further out of reach for poor - Labour

Updated at 7:56 am on 6 July 2012

The Labour Party's health spokesperson says a recent Otago University study which shows that Maori are less likely than Pakeha to put off going to the doctor because of the cost, deserves closer consideration.

However the the research also found that Maori are more likely to defer picking up a prescription because they can't afford it.

The university's pro vice chancellor of health sciences, Peter Crampton, says the study found that, overall, women are more likely than men to delay going to the doctor, buy prescriptions and visit the dentist for financial reasons.

Labour list MP Maryan Street says this compromises the health needs of the rest of the whanau.

She says if women are in fact postponing doctors visits because they can't afford the fees and prescription costs, there are serious implications for children, and other dependants such as the elderly.

Ms Street says women still take the lion's share of caring for the most vulnerable.

She says if GP appointments and prescription costs continue to rise, primary healthcare is put further out of reach for low income families.

The study looked at more than 18,000 adults, of whom 15% were Maori.

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