Trevor Clark

Citation

Thesis Title
Health changes that occur in Maori males after retirement from participation in rugby league

Read article at Massey Research Online:

Mr Clark carried out the first exploratory health study of Māori men retired from rugby league in New Zealand using mixed-methods within a Māori-centered approach. Māori participation in rugby league is prolific in New Zealand with a high incidence of injury. Players are required to be fit, strong, and healthy during their playing careers. To understand if any health advantages remain once retired from participation, four key findings emerged from the study. Firstly, the health disadvantage for Māori males was also seen in retired rugby league players, in particular weight gain and bodily pain. Secondly, positive changes including reductions in body mass provided encouraging evidence. Thirdly, telling personal stories contributed significantly to the research - Whānau featured strongly in their stories showing potential for intervention to improve and maintain health status for retiring and retired players. Lastly, the presence of a Māori researcher can positively influence engagement with Māori-centered research.

Supervisors
Professor Chris Cunningham
Dr Doug King
Mr Te Kani Kingi