Te Wai O Rona
Tena koe, e te Rangatira
Te Wai O Rona: Diabetes Prevention Strategy has been created to address diabetes in Maori communities; including matawaka, throughout te rohe o Tainui nui tonu and Ngati Túwharetoa.
Why are we doing this?
The main aim of this kaupapa Maori strategy is to prevent diabetes in partnership with families and the community by changes in eating and activity.
By participating in this strategy, you will contribute to working out ways of reducing the number of people with diabetes. If the strategy is shown to be effective we expect it to be used across New Zealand.
Who does this kaupapa belong to?
The strategy has been developed as a partnership among Maori, health service providers and researchers. All Maori Health Providers and local doctor groups are part of this kaupapa.
What is being asked of us?
All Maori and their whanau aged 28 and over, without know diabetes, in all communities, are invited to come to a local marae or other venue to be tested for diabetes and related health issues and to join in with ways to help prevent diabetes through changes in lifestyle. The testing will be repeated in 18 months and 30 months. You are asked to come in the morning and, if at all possible, not to have eaten or drunk anything (except water) since the night before. For those who come fasting, breakfast will be provided.
So what does testing involve?
Your participation is entirely voluntary. If you agree to take part in the study, you are free to withdraw at any time and this will not disadvantage you in any way or affect your future health care. You do not have to answer all the questions and you may stop the interview at any time. It will not cost you anything to take part in this study. The first appointment with your doctor will be cost free if new diabetes is discovered, and for some other conditions.
- Registering and signing your consent to participate
- Completing a questionnaire about what you eat, your health, your family and how much activity you do.
- Having your weight, height, waist, hips and blood pressure measured. We will also use a small instrument called a bioimpedance meter to measure your fat content. This involves you lying down for five minutes and the measurement is made by putting four stickers on your right hand and foot
- Having your fitness measured by seeing the maximum distance you can walk over 6 minutes, and then measuring your pulse
- Having fifteen millilitres (3 teaspoons) of blood taken from your arm, at the elbow. This can cause mild discomfort. The sample will be used to test for your blood sugar, blood fats, kidney waste products and if you agree a sample for storage for new diabetes related test as they become available. Only tests approved by the Kaitiaki Roopu will be used.
- A fingerprick sample will be used to decide whether you need to have an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) immediately. This involves drinking some glucose water and then to have another blood sample two hours after this drink. If you were not fasting, you may be contacted after the test results come back for more testing to make sure you do not have diabetes at this time. Only the OGTT can absolutely say whether you have diabetes or not unless the blood sugar is very high.
This will take no longer than 3 hours including the 2 blood tests and the fingerprick test.
At the end of the testing, breakfast will be provided at no charge.
Te Wai O Rona Staff
Tristan Masame
tristan@terunanga.org.nz