Maori Visit Wins Hearts and Minds at the
RCGP
9th November
2009
The Royal College of General Practitioners
(RCGP) last week welcomed a delegation of Maoris and their ‘One
Heart Many Lives’ campaign to this year’s annual
conference in Glasgow.
One Heart Many Lives is a cardiovascular disease
primary prevention programme, which targets Maori and Pacific
Island men over the age of 35. Cardiovascular disease (including
heart attack and stroke) is the number one cause of death in New
Zealand and a Government health priority.
The aim of the One Heart Many Lives campaign is to
raise awareness of heart disease and its causes, while working to
decrease the level of cardiovascular risk among men over 35.
The average life expectancy for Maori men is similar that of men
in the West of Scotland, and the campaign focuses not only on the
impact that cardiovascular disease has on the patient, but also the
far-reaching implications it can have on the patient’s family.
Commenting on the visit and presentation, RCGP Honorary
Secretary Dr Maureen Baker said: It is fantastic that our Maori
visitors have travelled so far to help us learn about their
brilliant community work in tackling heart disease. We have a
lot to learn from their approach. I would urge all GPs to have a
look at their website and see how they can use some of their
ideas."
The campaign employs a three-step programme to encourage heart
health among Maori and Pacific Island men:
1. Get your heart checked
2. Get healthy through diet and
exercise
3. Stay healthy
The campaign is working to change existing
attitudes among many Maori and Pacific Island men surrounding their
health, commenting on the fact that while many of these men are
quick to encourage family members to live well, and seek medical
attention when needed, they are reluctant to do so for
themselves.
FURTHER INFORMATION
RCGP Press office – 020 7344 3136
Out of hours: 07885 958 632
press@rcgp.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Royal College of General Practitioners is
a network of over 37,000 family doctors working to improve care for
patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards
of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on
education, training, research and clinical standards.