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Study reveals how the cost of living has impacted on people’s health and wellbeing

Access to quality healthcare services has become a top concern for New Zealanders this year, according to the latest Southern Cross Healthy Futures report, which was released today.

Southern Cross’ research partner, Kantar, has spoken to more than 7,000 New Zealanders since 2019 to inform the biennial Healthy Futures survey. The survey shines a light on the physical, mental, and social health and wellbeing of people across Aotearoa.

According to the latest results 84% of New Zealanders were concerned about not having access to quality affordable healthcare – a figure that’s up six per cent from the 2022 Healthy Futures survey.

Nick Astwick, Chief Executive Officer of Southern Cross Health Society said it’s no surprise health and wellbeing have become a top priority for New Zealanders.

“According to our Healthy Futures findings, a staggering two thirds of New Zealanders believe they’ve experienced a long-term impact to their physical and mental health from Covid-19. Against this backdrop, there’s growing pressure on our healthcare system to manage increasing demand and costs, while continuing to maintain a high standard of care for all New Zealanders.

“We’ve seen a surge in demand firsthand. Southern Cross members are claiming more this year. On average, the current value of claims made every business day is $6 million, which is up from $5.2 million last year.

“However, the report showed many people encountered barriers to accessing medical treatment. While cost was perceived as the main blocker, significantly more people said long wait times and the unavailability of healthcare professionals were the reasons they delayed or didn’t receive treatment when unwell.

“Telehealth services have emerged to connect people with care when they need it, like online GP consultation services such as CareHQ. These alternative care models have shown a lot of promise to improve New Zealanders’ access to quality healthcare, and to complement and reduce pressure on the primary healthcare sector,” says Astwick.

Further Healthy Futures results showed that the cost of living was a concern for 91% of New Zealanders – an ongoing trend from the 2022 report.

Dr Stephen Child, Chief Medical Officer for Southern Cross Health Society explains how sustained financial pressures have impacted New Zealanders’ physical and mental health and wellbeing.

“The number of people unhappy about their financial situation is the highest it’s been since we started Healthy Futures in 2019. Although this isn’t unexpected, it’s still concerning.

“Financial insecurities have impacted New Zealander’s health and wellbeing in many ways. More people lost sleep in 2024 than in previous years. A high mental load, going to bed late and feeling anxious or stressed were among the main reasons for losing sleep. But working long hours was also mentioned as a reason for not getting enough sleep.

“Work/life balance and job security are particularly important for New Zealanders. Significantly more New Zealanders were worried about job security. Fewer than half of those surveyed described their current work/life balance positively, with high workloads and financial pressures to blame.”

Dr Child says it was clear accessing basic needs, like affordable housing and healthy food was getting even harder, particularly for younger people. But he was quick to point out more positive findings.

“Encouragingly, the majority of New Zealanders are taking steps to look after their mental health, despite these challenges. They’re doing this by keeping their brains stimulated, spending time outdoors and nurturing relationships. Just 12% of adult New Zealanders are unhappy about their mental wellbeing at present, which is comparable to the 2022 Healthy Futures findings.”

Dr Child rounds out the results by concluding, “Southern Cross believes all New Zealanders should have ongoing access to health and wellbeing options which work for them, no matter what life stage they are in, or how far along their health and wellbeing journey they are.

“We hope that by highlighting the issues New Zealanders are experiencing and using insights to inform our decisions, we can help empower people to build a healthier future for themselves and their whānau.”

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2024 - Key Insights

Changing health views and behaviours

• Around two thirds of New Zealanders believe there has been a long-term impact of the pandemic on their physical and mental health. Despite this, there is a potential apathy towards Covid-19 and cold/flu vaccinations, as significantly fewer New Zealanders were concerned about contracting Covid-19 than in 2022 (down 17 percentage points to 43% in 2024)
• Concern around access to affordable healthcare rose significantly – moving up to be the third highest concern for New Zealanders from ninth position in 2020 and 2022. This was particularly true for women and older people. Concerns around accessing cancer treatment services also increased by six percentage points from 2022, with 82% of New Zealanders now worried about this issue
• While half of New Zealanders surveyed sought medical attention within a day or two of feeling unwell, there was an increase among NZ Māori (up to 14%) choosing not to seek professional advice or treatment
• The majority of New Zealanders surveyed felt they did not get enough exercise. The average person exercised for 30 minutes, three times a week. Fewer people exercised with a pet, perhaps reflecting a decrease in pet ownership since 2022
• Energetic housework remained as the most popular type of exercise, and more New Zealanders were considering joining a gym this year.

Sustained financial hardship

• Financial pressures were felt across all demographic groups amidst a recession and rising unemployment
• Concerns about the economic and health impacts of Covid-19 reduced from 2022, however the cost of living continues to be the greatest worry for 91% of New Zealanders
• Although more people believe holidays require a significant financial sacrifice, just over half of New Zealanders are planning to travel overseas in the next year
• Accessing basic needs, like affordable housing was a concern for 82% of New Zealanders.

Shifting health and societal concerns

• New Zealanders reverted to pre-pandemic concerns about violence in society, which was the second highest concern, and more people were worried about climate change this year
• Vaping overtook smoking as a major concern, particularly among parents, women and those serving in the community, such as teachers, nurses and the police force
• Alcohol consumption patterns continued to shift, with more New Zealanders saying that low or no alcohol was the way to go. A quarter of New Zealanders reduced their alcohol consumption in the last six months to look after their health and wellbeing.

Technology remains a double-edged sword

• Concerns about social media increased to the highest level since 2019. Parents were particularly worried about the amount of time their children spent on devices, and there was an increase in the number of people concerned about the impact of social media on self-esteem
• On the flipside, technology helped New Zealanders to connect with those living far away and helped more people to monitor our health and wellness through online programmes and apps.

 

^{[1] Southern Cross Medical Care Society and Southern Cross Healthcare Limited funded the 2024 Healthy Futures survey}

^{[1] Healthy Futures Report 2024. Fieldwork was conducted by Kantar in March 2024 with a sample size of 2,000. A total of 7,007 people from across New Zealand have taken part in the Healthy Futures study since 2019.}