Lay summary
Cardiovascular and associated metabolic conditions are major preventable causes of health-expectancy gaps, particularly for Māori and Pacific people. Combined population-level and individualised interventions can halve cardiovascular-metabolic risk. We have already developed and implemented cardiovascular risk prediction algorithms so New Zealand clinicians and policymakers can target at-risk patients and populations. We will now establish the VAREANZ Register, which will include up-to-date anonymised cardiovascular-metabolic risk information on every adult New Zealander, and establish sub-registers for cardiovascular-metabolic conditions responsible for significant equity gaps (diabetes, gout, obesity, heart failure and atrial fibrillation). We will risk assess each person to identify individual-level and population-level cardiovascular-metabolic risk management equity gaps nationwide. We will facilitate improvements in risk management equity by developing direct pathways to share actionable evidence with patients, providers and policymakers. A data science expert group will provide advanced statistical and artificial intelligence methodological support. The programme will be governed by a Māori-led, equity-focused data sovereignty group, overseeing all research.