Outcomes for Pacific families during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cohort study of Pacific Whānau Ora data

Abstract

Introduction: This national cohort study investigated Pacific families’ levels of wellbeing and engagement with Pasifika Futures and levels of need for Whānau Ora (WO) services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: 11,760 Pacific families who engaged with Pasifika Futures were linked with data on those who received care packages. Regression analyses were used to examine needs scores in four domains, namely, finances, education, health and culture with levels of need and distribution of care packages for families who engaged with Pasifika Futures prior to December 2023.

Findings: During the pandemic there was a significant increase in overall reported levels of needs compared to pre–COVID-19 levels, particularly in the financial freedom domain. However, following the COVID-19 pandemic, scores were significantly lower, across all four domains, and less than pre–COVID-19 levels. Families requiring food parcels were more likely to include young families, Auckland residents, those who began receiving WO support during COVID-19, those who were employed, those with longer WO service histories and those with higher numbers of wellbeing assessments. Those who received COVID-19 support, other than food packages, had significantly lower needs scores.

Conclusion: WO provided essential services during the difficult pandemic periods for Pacific families, identifying those who were most likely to need support. These findings will help WO plan for future disease outbreaks to respond to the needs of specific underserved Pacific families to ensure they can sustain positive financial, health and social outcomes that match or better levels set prior to the pandemic.