More funding is needed for research to explore the impact of racism toward Maori in the health system, a senior medical lecturer says.
The kaupapa was discussed at the Health Research Council Maori focussed hui in Auckland on Thursday.
Dr Elana Taipapaki Curtis, from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland, said not enough study was done on racism in Aotearoa.
But research was vital for Maori to get the best out of the health system, as there were ongoing problems such as access to services.
People are scared of the word research, as it was a contested space and was difficult to get funding to explore the kaupapa, Dr Curtis said.
But she the concept did not fit in with biomedical science, which was where a lot of putea (funding) for health research was going.
