Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Pacific people are almost twice as likely to suffer a stroke, compared to New Zealand Europeans, and are having them eight years earlier.

A study of ethnic differences showed Pasifika have worse post-stroke outcomes, and face inequities in accessing medication.

A Pacific physiotherapist hopes to bridge “huge gaps” in academic research and is calling for Samoans to share how they keep active following a stroke.

Physiotherapist Eliana Viali was surprised and concerned by the lack of research on Samoan people who have had a stroke, and she is conducting a study for her masters degree at Otago University.

“It seems that there are questions that have no answers in the research.”

When trying to research ways to support clients, Viali said there were “huge gaps” in targeted academic literature, and some of the techniques she was taught in New Zealand “didn’t gel” with the Samoan population.

“In New Zealand, when I’m asking people to do physical activity in a certain way, it makes sense to them … then I would try to talk to Samoan stroke survivors or Samoan people in general about physical activity, and it just felt like there was a bit of a mismatch.”

The research aims to understand exercise and movement for Samoan people who have experienced a stroke.

“To us as Samoan people, we understand our ways of being and knowing and doing, but for the people who are providing services for us, they don't know how we operate, why we operate, those kinds of things.

“So that's basically what my research is, it's asking Samoan stroke survivors what they think, how they feel about physical activity, and about how stroke has affected them.”

After graduating with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 2019, Viali got to work with a range of cases in private practice and hospital patients in Samoa.

“So from day one or day two of their stroke or amputation to about three weeks later, that was the period where I was seeing them, but then in private, I would see people who might have had strokes two or three years ago, and they wanted help because they didn’t know where else to go.”

Otago University research fellow Tony Ruhe said this study would be the first of its kind.

“This research begins an avenue of a nuanced and culturally specific approach to stroke recovery.

“It also provides Eliana with an opportunity to co-create meaningful solutions with her Samoan community.”

Part of the study will look at physical activity or movement following a stroke.

Viali said this did not have to be sports or going to the gym, but she would want to hear from the Samoan community about what worked for them.

“Other physical activity programs that I've seen where Pacific people are more engaged, they often are run by Pacific people, they often really value prayer and faith as a core value in physical activity programs, and there's almost always a cup of tea or food afterwards.”

Health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, being overweight, and diabetes all increase the risk of a stroke, as well as family history.

(Source: pmn.co.au)