Current knowledge regarding the association between occupation and ischaemic heart disease may not be generalisable across different population groups, according to a study which analysed Māori vs non-Māori and males vs females. Surveys of the New Zealand adult population (NZ Workforce Survey [NZWS]; 2004-2006; n = 3003) and the New Zealand Māori population (NZWS Māori; 2009-2010; n = 2107) were linked with routinely collected health data and followed-up until December 2018. Associations with ischaemic heart disease differed significantly across occupational groups and were not consistent across males and females or for Māori and the general population, even within the same occupational groups. In female Māori, ‘plant/machine operators and assemblers’ (hazard ratio 2.2; 95% CI 1.2-4.1), ‘elementary occupations’ (hazard ratio 2.0; 95% CI 1.1-3.8) and working in the ‘manufacturing’ industry (hazard ratio 1.9; 95% CI 1.1-3.7) were all positively associated with ischaemic heart disease. Though NZWS males employed as ‘clerks’ showed a positive association with ischaemic heart disease (hazard ratio 1.8; 95% CI 1.2-2.7), Māori females showed an inverse association (hazard ratio 0.4; 95% CI 0.2-0.8).
