There does not appear to be notable variation in relative risk terms of socioeconomic differences in child mortality by age or cause of death. Any association of one-parent families with child mortality is due to associated low socioeconomic position.

Māori (Indigenous New Zealand) university graduates are role models for educational success and are critical for the social and economic wellbeing of Māori whānau (extended family) and communities. In this study, Māori graduates ( N = 626) from all eight New Zealand universities participated in the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand between July and December 2011. They were asked to describe factors that they found helpful or challenging to the completion of their qualifications. Graduates described a range of external (e.g. family), institutional (e.g. academic support), and student or personal (e.g. persistence) factors. Describing the experiences of Māori graduates can provide a blueprint for future indigenous success by building an evidence base of the factors that may promote indigenous higher educational achievement in New Zealand and internationally.

Higher education confers significant private and social benefits. Māori and Pacific peoples are under-represented within New Zealand universities and have poorer labour market outcomes (e.g., lower wages, under-represented in skilled professions). A New Zealand tertiary education priority is to boost Māori and Pacific success in an effort to improve outcomes for these graduates, their communities and society in general. Using information collected in the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand, we compared Māori and Pacific university graduate outcomes with outcomes of other New Zealand graduates. Data were collected when the participants were in their final year of study (n=8719) and two years post-graduation (n=6104). Employment outcomes were comparable between Māori, Pacific and other New Zealand graduates at two years post-graduation; however, Māori and Pacific graduates had significantly higher student debt burden and financial strain over time. They were significantly more likely to help others (e.g., family) across a range of situations (e.g., lending money), and reported higher levels of volunteerism compared to their counterparts. Boosting higher education success for Māori and Pacific students has the potential to reduce ethnic inequalities in New Zealand labour market outcomes and may result in significant private benefits for these graduates and social benefits as a result of their contribution to society.

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Objectives: To revise and update the New Zealand Socio‐economic Index (NZSEI) in the light of methodological issues in its construction, and to develop an imputation method for use where occupational information is not available. Methods: Data were drawn from the following New Zealand national surveys: 1996 Population Census; 1996/97 and 1997/98 Household Economic Surveys; 1996/97 Household Health Survey. Three sets of statistical analyses were applied: alternating least squares to generate socioeconomic scores; cluster and discriminant function analyses to identify cut‐points; and regression and logistic regression to develop and test imputation methods. Results: Socio‐economic scores for the full‐time workforce in 1996 showed a different distribution, but much the same occupational ordering, as in 1991. The introduction of part‐time workers and income adjustment multipliers for self‐employed workers significantly affected scores for management and agricultural titles. The application of cluster and discriminant function analyses generated six groupings that were relatively distinct occupationally. An imputation method based on an averaging of scores within age/qualification categories was found to achieve acceptable results. Conclusions: Methodological improvements in the construction of the NZSEI have enhanced its empirical robustness, while a simple imputation technique has widened the potential application of the scale.