Lay summary
While there is evidence for Māori having increased prevalence and worse outcomes with bipolar disorder, little is known about the factors contributing to these disparities or strategies to reduce them. This project aims to utilise routinely collected national data to identify detailed patterns of health service use for Māori with bipolar disorder as well as potential factors leading to disparities in outcomes. Māori patient and whānau experience with bipolar disorder and healthcare will be investigated in a range of settings to ensure the spectrum of severity and support needs are included. Focus groups with healthcare providers will discuss these patterns of health service use and Māori patient experiences to develop guidelines for best practice for Māori with bipolar disorder and generate strategies for change to address areas of unmet need.