Is parent education a factor in identifying autism/takiwātanga in an ethnic cohort of Pacific children in Aotearoa, New Zealand? A national cross-sectional study using linked administrative data.

Previous studies of autism in Aotearoa, New Zealand, suggest that fewer Pacific children receive an autism diagnosis compared to European children. This study aimed to explore if formal education qualification of parents is related to receiving an autism diagnosis for their Pacific child. Our findings show that autism was identified in 1.1% of Pacific children compared with 1.6% among non-Māori, non-Pacific children. Parents with higher levels of education were more likely to receive an autism diagnosis for their Pacific child. While the study findings indicate education plays a positive role in receiving a diagnosis for autistic children, they suggest a systemic failure of supporting Pacific parents and communities to navigate the health and education systems that exist in Aotearoa, New Zealand.