Latest news with #SandraSmith
Scoop
3 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Study Finds Māori, Pacific Communities Can Reshape Media Narratives
Article – RNZ The success of Brown Buttabean Motivation shows how initiatives can use media stereotypes to create their own narrative. , Māori News Journalist A new study shows Māori and Pasifika community initiatives can use media stereotypes to create their own narrative. The University of Auckland study, 'Taking the mic: Māori and Pacific voices in the media' examined the success of Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM), New Zealand's largest community-based fitness and well-being organisation throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the study's lead author Dr Sandra Smith, senior marketing lecturer at the University of Auckland, over time, and especially during lockdowns, BBM became 'much more than just a bootcamp and how to eat healthy'. 'It became an extension of whānau and a safe space where support could be provided to members in need. This finding echoes the notion that Māori and Pacific people are likely to seek help from family and community rather than from formal health providers,' she said. Structural inequities and media framing Outlined in the report, Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa face entrenched socio-economic and health gaps, including lower life expectancy and higher obesity rates. 'Māori have experienced socio-economic deprivation because of colonisation and racism, manifesting in their significantly reduced life expectancy compared to non-Māori. Similarly, Pacific people also experience socio-economic and health inequities,' the study said. 'These health inequities were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring a consideration of the changing experiences and requirements of diverse communities.' Smith said these disparities can be worsened by mainstream media that frame health as an individual's responsibility, rather than a societal one. 'Media narratives can shape how others view Māori and Pacific people and how Māori and Pacific people view themselves,' Smith said, noting past decades of biased coverage. 'So, we were interested in whether the media was actually reflecting the community in an accurate way, in a truthful way, or in a biased way.' BBM's community, Māori and Pacific led innovation Using the kaupapa Māori framework, Te Whare Tapa Whā and Pacific framework Fonofale, the researchers analysed 102 media articles and interviews (27 before Covid-19, 75 during) via computer-assisted tools and member checks with BBM. They tracked shifts in top media themes, such as Letele, people, weight, life and boxing, food, health, lockdown, children, and community support. 'Covid-19 created different issues for the community. BBM adapted… New themes such as food, lockdown and children are reflective of this adaptation,' Smith said. 'It became more than just a bootcamp, but a community [and] a whānau.' The study found that as gyms shut due to lockdown restrictions, BBM's strong social-media presence which let it livestream workouts, share health information and organise food parcels – became a safe space for whānau. 'That's where they reach out to each other. That's how they perhaps coped when people were being locked down, losing their jobs, not knowing where their next healthy meal was coming from. That was a place where people obviously used those channels to connect.' Smith said from previous research in the health space, specific communities – including Māori and Pacific – will respond better to their own people when it comes to disseminating important information or getting advice. 'They're a lot more trusting of people within their own community. So, I think BBM then became a very important conduit for perhaps some of the health messaging helping people to navigate through some of the confusions around the time of the pandemic.' Despite some lingering stereotypes, media coverage of BBM was 'reasonably friendly… and reasonably accurate', the researchers found. 'It's good to see that the media was reasonably friendly towards this community and was reasonably accurate. It wasn't perfect, but that was one of the key findings,' Smith said. Creating your own narrative Letele's ability to co-create his own media narrative was a stand out finding, Smith said. 'Dave's own celebrity status… he was quite proactive and quite good at co-creating the narrative with the media rather than just having the media telling his story.' Smith hopes this study will inspire other community-based groups to pick up the mic and tell their own stories. 'I saw that Dave was very proactive in actually reaching out to the media, ensuring that the community's story was told accurately… I think communities can take a more proactive stance,' she said. 'Not necessarily waiting for mainstream media to create your narrative, but using the media channels that they're using themselves to tell their story.' She said this specific study is a great way of learning about how Māori and Pacific people benefited from having a community like BBM. 'I think we can all take something out of this story.' The paper is published in the Pacific Health dialogue – a journal dedicated to health issues in the Pacific region – and is connected to a larger post-doctoral research project led by co-author, Dr Fa'asisila Savila (Pacific Health) and funded by the Health Research Council.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Study Finds Māori, Pacific Communities Can Reshape Media Narratives
A new study shows Māori and Pasifika community initiatives can use media stereotypes to create their own narrative. The University of Auckland study, 'Taking the mic: Māori and Pacific voices in the media' examined the success of Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM), New Zealand's largest community-based fitness and well-being organisation throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the study's lead author Dr Sandra Smith, senior marketing lecturer at the University of Auckland, over time, and especially during lockdowns, BBM became 'much more than just a bootcamp and how to eat healthy'. 'It became an extension of whānau and a safe space where support could be provided to members in need. This finding echoes the notion that Māori and Pacific people are likely to seek help from family and community rather than from formal health providers,' she said. Structural inequities and media framing Outlined in the report, Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa face entrenched socio-economic and health gaps, including lower life expectancy and higher obesity rates. 'Māori have experienced socio-economic deprivation because of colonisation and racism, manifesting in their significantly reduced life expectancy compared to non-Māori. Similarly, Pacific people also experience socio-economic and health inequities,' the study said. 'These health inequities were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring a consideration of the changing experiences and requirements of diverse communities.' Smith said these disparities can be worsened by mainstream media that frame health as an individual's responsibility, rather than a societal one. 'Media narratives can shape how others view Māori and Pacific people and how Māori and Pacific people view themselves,' Smith said, noting past decades of biased coverage. 'So, we were interested in whether the media was actually reflecting the community in an accurate way, in a truthful way, or in a biased way.' BBM's community, Māori and Pacific led innovation Using the kaupapa Māori framework, Te Whare Tapa Whā and Pacific framework Fonofale, the researchers analysed 102 media articles and interviews (27 before Covid-19, 75 during) via computer-assisted tools and member checks with BBM. They tracked shifts in top media themes, such as Letele, people, weight, life and boxing, food, health, lockdown, children, and community support. 'Covid-19 created different issues for the community. BBM adapted… New themes such as food, lockdown and children are reflective of this adaptation,' Smith said. 'It became more than just a bootcamp, but a community [and] a whānau.' The study found that as gyms shut due to lockdown restrictions, BBM's strong social-media presence which let it livestream workouts, share health information and organise food parcels – became a safe space for whānau. 'That's where they reach out to each other. That's how they perhaps coped when people were being locked down, losing their jobs, not knowing where their next healthy meal was coming from. That was a place where people obviously used those channels to connect.' Smith said from previous research in the health space, specific communities – including Māori and Pacific – will respond better to their own people when it comes to disseminating important information or getting advice. 'They're a lot more trusting of people within their own community. So, I think BBM then became a very important conduit for perhaps some of the health messaging helping people to navigate through some of the confusions around the time of the pandemic.' Despite some lingering stereotypes, media coverage of BBM was 'reasonably friendly… and reasonably accurate', the researchers found. 'It's good to see that the media was reasonably friendly towards this community and was reasonably accurate. It wasn't perfect, but that was one of the key findings,' Smith said. Creating your own narrative Letele's ability to co-create his own media narrative was a stand out finding, Smith said. 'Dave's own celebrity status… he was quite proactive and quite good at co-creating the narrative with the media rather than just having the media telling his story.' Smith hopes this study will inspire other community-based groups to pick up the mic and tell their own stories. 'I saw that Dave was very proactive in actually reaching out to the media, ensuring that the community's story was told accurately… I think communities can take a more proactive stance,' she said. 'Not necessarily waiting for mainstream media to create your narrative, but using the media channels that they're using themselves to tell their story.' She said this specific study is a great way of learning about how Māori and Pacific people benefited from having a community like BBM. 'I think we can all take something out of this story.' The paper is published in the Pacific Health dialogue – a journal dedicated to health issues in the Pacific region – and is connected to a larger post-doctoral research project led by co-author, Dr Fa'asisila Savila (Pacific Health) and funded by the Health Research Council.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Health
- Scoop
Study Finds Māori, Pacific Communities Can Reshape Media Narratives
A new study shows Māori and Pasifika community initiatives can use media stereotypes to create their own narrative. The University of Auckland study, 'Taking the mic: Māori and Pacific voices in the media' examined the success of Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM), New Zealand's largest community-based fitness and well-being organisation throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the study's lead author Dr Sandra Smith, senior marketing lecturer at the University of Auckland, over time, and especially during lockdowns, BBM became "much more than just a bootcamp and how to eat healthy". "It became an extension of whānau and a safe space where support could be provided to members in need. This finding echoes the notion that Māori and Pacific people are likely to seek help from family and community rather than from formal health providers," she said. Structural inequities and media framing Outlined in the report, Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa face entrenched socio-economic and health gaps, including lower life expectancy and higher obesity rates. "Māori have experienced socio-economic deprivation because of colonisation and racism, manifesting in their significantly reduced life expectancy compared to non-Māori. Similarly, Pacific people also experience socio-economic and health inequities," the study said. "These health inequities were exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, requiring a consideration of the changing experiences and requirements of diverse communities." Smith said these disparities can be worsened by mainstream media that frame health as an individual's responsibility, rather than a societal one. "Media narratives can shape how others view Māori and Pacific people and how Māori and Pacific people view themselves," Smith said, noting past decades of biased coverage. "So, we were interested in whether the media was actually reflecting the community in an accurate way, in a truthful way, or in a biased way." BBM's community, Māori and Pacific led innovation Using the kaupapa Māori framework, Te Whare Tapa Whā and Pacific framework Fonofale, the researchers analysed 102 media articles and interviews (27 before Covid-19, 75 during) via computer-assisted tools and member checks with BBM. They tracked shifts in top media themes, such as Letele, people, weight, life and boxing, food, health, lockdown, children, and community support. "Covid-19 created different issues for the community. BBM adapted… New themes such as food, lockdown and children are reflective of this adaptation," Smith said. "It became more than just a bootcamp, but a community [and] a whānau." The study found that as gyms shut due to lockdown restrictions, BBM's strong social-media presence which let it livestream workouts, share health information and organise food parcels - became a safe space for whānau. "That's where they reach out to each other. That's how they perhaps coped when people were being locked down, losing their jobs, not knowing where their next healthy meal was coming from. That was a place where people obviously used those channels to connect." Smith said from previous research in the health space, specific communities - including Māori and Pacific - will respond better to their own people when it comes to disseminating important information or getting advice. "They're a lot more trusting of people within their own community. So, I think BBM then became a very important conduit for perhaps some of the health messaging helping people to navigate through some of the confusions around the time of the pandemic." Despite some lingering stereotypes, media coverage of BBM was "reasonably friendly… and reasonably accurate", the researchers found. "It's good to see that the media was reasonably friendly towards this community and was reasonably accurate. It wasn't perfect, but that was one of the key findings," Smith said. Creating your own narrative Letele's ability to co-create his own media narrative was a stand out finding, Smith said. "Dave's own celebrity status… he was quite proactive and quite good at co-creating the narrative with the media rather than just having the media telling his story." Smith hopes this study will inspire other community-based groups to pick up the mic and tell their own stories. "I saw that Dave was very proactive in actually reaching out to the media, ensuring that the community's story was told accurately... I think communities can take a more proactive stance," she said. "Not necessarily waiting for mainstream media to create your narrative, but using the media channels that they're using themselves to tell their story." She said this specific study is a great way of learning about how Māori and Pacific people benefited from having a community like BBM. "I think we can all take something out of this story." The paper is published in the Pacific Health dialogue - a journal dedicated to health issues in the Pacific region - and is connected to a larger post-doctoral research project led by co-author, Dr Fa'asisila Savila (Pacific Health) and funded by the Health Research Council.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
As Republicans in Congress eye sweeping Medicaid cuts, Missouri offers a preview
Sandra Smith and her daughter, Sarah Smith, rely on Medicaid to pay for a nurse to come to their home in Crestwood, Missouri, 13 hours a day because Sarah needs round-the-clock care (Bram Sable-Smith/KFF Health News). CRESTWOOD, Mo. — The prospect of sweeping federal cuts to Medicaid is alarming to some Missourians who remember the last time the public medical insurance program for those with low incomes or disabilities was pressed for cash in the state. In 2005, Missouri adopted some of the strictest eligibility standards in the nation, reduced benefits, and increased patients' copayments for the joint federal-state program due to state budget shortfalls totaling about $2.4 billion over several prior years. More than 100,000 Missourians lost coverage as a result, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that the changes led to increases in credit card borrowing and debt in third-party collections. A woman told NPR that year that her $6.70-an-hour McDonald's job put her over the new income limits and rendered her ineligible, even though she was supporting three children on about $300 a week. A woman receiving $865 a month in disability payments worried at a town hall meeting about not being able to raise her orphaned granddaughter as the state asked her to pay $167 a month to keep her health coverage. Now, Missouri could lose an estimated $2 billion a year in federal funding as congressional Republicans look to cut at least $880 billion over a decade from a pool of funding that includes Medicaid programs nationwide. Medicaid and the closely related Children's Health Insurance Program together insure roughly 79 million people — about 1 in 5 Americans. 'We're looking at a much more significant impact with the loss of federal funds even than what 2005 was,' said Amy Blouin, president of the progressive Missouri Budget Project think tank. 'We're not going to be able to protect kids. We're not going to be able to protect people with disabilities from some sort of impact.' At today's spending levels, a cut of $880 billion to Medicaid could lead to states' losing federal funding ranging from $78 million a year in Wyoming to $13 billion a year in California, according to an analysis from KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News. State lawmakers nationwide would then be left to address the shortfalls, likely through some combination of slashing benefits or eligibility, raising taxes, or finding a different large budget item to cut, such as education spending. Republican lawmakers are floating various proposals to cut Medicaid, including one to reduce the money the federal government sends to states to help cover adults who gained access to the program under the Affordable Care Act's provision known as Medicaid expansion. The 2010 health care law allowed states to expand Medicaid eligibility to cover more adults with low incomes. The federal government is picking up 90% of the tab for that group. About 20 million people nationwide are now covered through that expansion. Missouri expanded Medicaid in 2021. That has meant that a single working-age adult in Missouri can now earn up to $21,597 a year and qualify for coverage, whereas before, nondisabled adults without children couldn't get Medicaid coverage. That portion of the program now covers over 329,000 Missourians, more than a quarter of the state's Medicaid recipients. For every percentage point that the federal portion of the funding for that group decreases, Missouri's Medicaid director estimated, the state could lose $30 million to $35 million a year. But the equation is even more complicated given that Missouri expanded access via a constitutional amendment. Voters approved the expansion in 2020 after the state's Republican leadership resisted doing so for a decade. That means changes to Medicaid expansion in Missouri would require voters to amend the state constitution again. The same is true in South Dakota and Oklahoma. So even if Congress attempted to narrowly target cuts to the nation's Medicaid expansion population, Washington University in St. Louis health economist Timothy McBride said, Missouri's expansion program would likely stay in place. 'Then you would just have to find the money elsewhere, which would be brutal in Missouri,' McBride said. I'm not ready to think that Congress is going to willingly put us on the path of making every state go cut their benefits for the most vulnerable. – Elias Tsapelas, director of fiscal policy at the conservative Show-Me Institute In Crestwood, a suburb of St. Louis, Sandra Smith worries her daughter's in-home nursing care would be on the chopping block. Nearly all in-home services are an optional part of Medicaid that states are not required to include in their programs. But the services have been critical for Sandra and her 24-year-old daughter, Sarah. Sarah Smith has been disabled for most of her life due to seizures from a rare genetic disorder called Dravet syndrome. She has been covered by Medicaid in various ways since she was 3. She needs intensive, 24-hour care, and Medicaid pays for a nurse to come to their home 13 hours a day. Her mother serves as the overnight caregiver and covers when the nurses are sick — work Sandra Smith is not allowed to be compensated for and that doesn't count toward the 63-year-old's Social Security. Having nursing help allows Sandra Smith to work as an independent podcast producer and gives her a break from being the go-to-person for providing care 24 hours a day, day after day, year after year. 'I really and truly don't know what I would do if we lost the Medicaid home care. I have no plan whatsoever,' Sandra Smith said. 'It is not sustainable for anyone to do infinite, 24-hour care without dire physical health, mental health, and financial consequences, especially as we parents get into our elder years.' Elias Tsapelas, director of fiscal policy at the conservative Show-Me Institute, said potential changes to Medicaid programs depend on the extent of any budget cuts that Congress ultimately passes and how much time states have to respond. A large cut implemented immediately, for example, would require state legislators to look for parts of the budget they have the discretion to cut quickly. But if states have time to absorb funding changes, he said, they would have more flexibility. 'I'm not ready to think that Congress is going to willingly put us on the path of making every state go cut their benefits for the most vulnerable,' Tsapelas said. Missouri's congressional delegation split along party lines over the recent budget resolution calling for deep spending cuts, with the Republicans who control six of the eight House seats and both Senate seats all voting for it. But 76% of the public, including 55% of Republicans, say they oppose major federal funding cuts to Medicaid, according to a national KFF poll conducted April 8-15. And Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican, has said that he does not support cutting Medicaid and posted on the social platform X that he was told by President Donald Trump that the House and Senate would not cut Medicaid benefits and that Trump won't sign any benefit cuts. 'I hope congressional leadership will get the message,' Hawley posted. He declined to comment for this article. U.S. House Republicans are aiming to pass a budget by Memorial Day, after many state legislatures, including Missouri's, will have adjourned for the year. Meanwhile, Missouri lawmakers are poised to pass a tax cut that is estimated to reduce state revenue by about $240 million in the first year. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Buyers purchasing new homes with just $10,000
Aussie home buyers have been snapping up brand new homes with just $10,000. As cost of living increases and housing affordability decreases, Aussies are looking for new and reliable ways to get into the market. Australian prop-tech platform Coposit allows buyers to put down a $10,000 deposit and pay off the rest through weekly payments as their homes are being built. An average build time takes about two years, so paying off a $75,000 deposit would cost around $625 over 104 weeks. At Grand Reve Castle Hill in Sydney, 14 buyers have made buying off the plan with Coposit work in their favour by keeping more cash in their accounts while the project was being built. Sandra Smith, 79-year-old downsizer purchased her new home before she sold her larger, existing home. Why old house doubled in value in two years 'I was interested in the apartment but I didn't have the cash ready for a whole deposit,' she said. After her husband had passed away, she had been living off their super and didn't want to withdraw such a large amount from her fund. 'It allowed me to purchase the apartment that I love and take my time with the deposit. Once I sold my house I could pay the rest of it off,' she said. Another owner-occupier, Luke St Heaps, took the coposit option as a way to hang onto his money longer. 'It allowed me to hold on to my money and earn interest, instead of earning half the interest if I paid it in full,' he said. 'I was a bit different to most people, I had the funds to pay the full deposit but wanted to capitalise on the interest I could get from it,' he said. 'There were no cons to using coposit, nothing negative about it.' The platform, founded by Sydney brothers Chris and Daniel Ferris, is already recognised by the Commonwealth Bank, NAB and other lenders as a solution to home ownership and allows buyers to pay the remainder of the deposit in interest-free instalments during the construction period – which means no Lenders Mortgage Insurance and keeps the money with the buyers, for longer. The developers pay a one off payment so it's no extra cost to the buyers. Coposit Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Chris Ferris, said Coposit was a win-win solution for purchasers and developers alike. 'Qualified purchasers who use Coposit often secure their property for less and make even more gains while they pay off their deposit between signing their contract and moving in,' Mr Ferris said. 'Developers who take on Coposit also benefit by securing funds which allows construction to be fast tracked, getting projects off the ground sooner.' McGrath associate director Adam Sparkes said it can also benefit buyers. 'When buying off the plan in a high-quality development, you get the best value when you purchase early, so any uplift in value by the time it's completed is an absolute bonus. The other benefit is being able to choose the best position or apartment type to suit your budget and lifestyle. 'Importantly, lenders look at Coposit users favourably, as it demonstrates a proven track record of putting aside money each week to come up with the full per cent over the off the plan period.'
