A Youth19 Brief: Pacific young people with a disability or chronic condition

Most Pacific young people with a disability or chronic condition reported positive family and school environments, high levels of volunteering and moderate or good health. However, members of this group also reported major inequities compared to others, including significantly higher food and housing insecurity and poorer healthcare access than Pākehā young people and higher levels of discrimination by healthcare providers than all comparison groups. They also reported lower rates of feeling safe at school, lower wellbeing and higher levels of mental health concerns than Pacific or Pākehā young people without disabilities or chronic conditions. We can improve wellbeing for Pacific young people with disabilities or chronic conditons by ensuring that they are heard and included in all environments, and that they and their aiga/kopu tangata/kāinga/magafaoa/matavuvale/kāiga (family), are free from discrimination and have access to the resources they need. We must also ensure that Pacific young people with disabilities or chronic conditions feel safe at school and that they have equitable access to high quality health, mental health and social supports.