"This research explores whether differences between local health systems could explain the district-level variations in the risk of people dying from potentially avoidable causes. These include deaths among people aged 75 years and below from conditions such as stomach cancer, complications of pregnancy, diabetes, heart failure, and asthma that effective interventions and access to good-quality healthcare services could avert.

"The study looked at data from 2008 to 2018 across 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) in New Zealand, which includes 51,469 registered deaths. 

"The findings showed significant differences in the risk of people dying from potentially avoidable causes across the different DHBs. Some areas had much higher rates of preventable deaths than others. The study found that factors like ethnicity and socioeconomic status are likely to influence these variations more. For example, the risk is three times higher for a person identifying as Māori than for people who are not non-Māori non-or Pacific. Additionally, people living in more deprived areas were more likely to die from preventable causes.

"The study concluded that while local health system factors play a role in these variations, they only explain a small part of the differences. Other factors that are considered beyond the control of a local health system unit, such as the socioeconomic conditions of the population, also have a significant impact.

"Overall, the study highlights the need for targeted health policies to address disparities in health outcomes. By focusing on these areas, New Zealand can work towards reducing the number of preventable deaths and improving overall health equity."