Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 - A comprehensive look at New Zealand's health and wellbeing
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Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 A comprehensive look at New Zealand’s health and wellbeing
Shining a light on New Zealand’s health and wellbeing Southern Cross gives care and attention to over a million New Zealanders and is committed to inspiring Kiwis to advance their health and wellbeing. The Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report The Southern Cross Healthy Futures has been designed to explore what’s on the study was able to capture a glimpse minds of New Zealanders at a time when of New Zealand’s psyche before the understanding health and wellbeing has outbreak of the coronavirus and then never been more important. tracked the attitude and behaviour shifts that took place during Alert Together with research partner Colmar Level 4 and 3. Brunton, Southern Cross spoke to more than 3,000 Kiwis to get insights into how they see These insights offer a unique and value different aspects of their lives opportunity to see the world through when it comes to health and wellbeing. the eyes of a diverse New Zealand. When the outbreak of COVID-19 sent New Zealand into lockdown, it impacted the way Kiwis perceive the world and their outlook on life at home in a way never seen before in their lifetimes.
How New Zealanders Physical health Emotional health think about their and wellbeing is about being visibly and wellbeing Health & health and wellbeing is about people’s healthy and what outlook and how they they are doing with their body to wellbeing carry themselves through life. When Southern Cross set out to uncover achieve this. in NZ perceptions about health and wellbeing, Kiwis said they see it as being interconnected in three ways – physical, emotional and social. is all about feeling connected Social health and having a relationship with and wellbeing people and the community. Other aspects such as financial, spiritual, environmental and academic wellbeing are viewed as influencing factors to people’s overall health and wellbeing rather than standalone categories in their own right. Financial Spiritual Environmental Academic
Delving deeper into health and wellbeing Physical health Emotional health Social health and wellbeing and wellbeing and wellbeing This is the most clear cut of the dimensions New Zealanders see emotional health and For New Zealanders, their sense of social - everyone feels like they know what they wellbeing as something that needs to be health and wellbeing acts as a source of need to do to be physically healthy and well. actively pursued and maintained, but there’s feedback and validation for how they are However it also carries the greatest amount not a lot of clarity around how best to do this. doing in life (their social status). It's a of guilt and frustration when people don’t Mostly people approach this in a reactive measure of what they believe has been live up to these ideals because they feel like way - when something goes wrong. given back to them based on what they they should know better. have put out into the world. Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 4
Getting personal For the most part, Kiwis are on the same page about what good health and wellbeing looks like. However there is no one version of health and wellbeing in New Zealand as it manifests differently depending on… how people life stage outlook prioritise it Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 5
University students Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) For students, health and wellbeing Health and wellbeing is about living a at its best is just as much about full life, leading by example and providing a looking the part as it is about good family future. feeling the part. Retirees The many SINKS (single income, no kids) / Their health and wellbeing is best when DINKS (double income, no kids) staying positive, appreciating the good faces of Their approach to health and things and staying fully involved in life. They wellbeing is about living their best tend to look to their younger, more able and New Zealand life. They measure their health and energetic selves as the benchmark for their wellbeing against doing well at an current health and wellbeing. This can be individual level and doing good for disheartening – accepting their mortality the world. and living for today is key. Parents with young kids (0-9yrs) Living with disability / illness Their health and wellbeing is best For people living with a disability or illness, when achieving balance and the gold standard in health and wellbeing is simplicity while coping with the about improvement rather than demands of a young family. These deterioration. Their ability to live their life as parents put themselves last with successfully and as independently as their attitude being “if the kids feel possible without being a burden on those good, then I feel good”. they love is the main factor in how they track their health and wellbeing. 6
Issues concerning Kiwis most The top health and wellbeing concerns reflect a broad range of physical, emotional and social issues. General Mental / emotional Physical 86% 85% 84% 83% 80% 79% 79% 79% 79% 77% The cost Violence Mental Suicide Drugs / alcohol Not having Obesity and Not having Physical The impact of of living in society health rates addiction / access to good, its impact on access to health food and drinks abuse affordable people’s health cancer that are high in healthcare treatment sugar on services people’s health
Seeking Looking at where Kiwis get their health advice, there is some interesting demographic differences. Retirees rely heavily on health professionals while more university students health advice consult social media. The majority of Kiwis look to digital channels for information. Retirees University (81%) students (42%) 65% 63% 46% 45% 29% 20% Health Online articles / Friends TV shows / Social media Books / professional websites and family documentaries e.g. Facebook groups / Library e.g. your doctor / GP influencers 1% 20% 16% 9% 8% 7% Magazines Work resources / Seminars / Blogs Podcasts Fitness group / training events gym / personal trainer
Timely health treatment 10% 10% I usually don’t seek I go immediately Almost half of Kiwis will seek treatment within professional advice / treatment a day or two after starting to feel unwell. University One in 10 take steps as soon as they feel sick, but students When (26%) unwell, when the same amount don’t seek any treatment at all. do you seek This figure is even higher for university students. treatment? 37% 43% The timeliness of people seeking medical Within a More than day or two treatment stays fairly static by income two days level, apart from a slightly higher number of low-income earners BY INCOME LEVEL looking for immediate treatment. Low Medium High income income income 11% 14% 11% 10% 8% 9% $50K or $50,001 $100,001 under – $100K or above 34% 35% 39% 44% 44% 42%
Visiting the When unwell… doctor and With dental pain… dentist General Practitioner (GP) 74% Dentist 73% While almost three I didn’t seek medical treatment 13% quarters of Kiwis see an I didn’t seek medical treatment 19% appropriate medical Pharmacist 6% specialist when feeling General Practitioner (GP) 4% Nurse 5% unwell (74 per cent) or experiencing dental pain Accident and Emergency (A&E) 2% Accident and Emergency (A&E) 5% (73 per cent), nearly one Other specialist in five do not seek any Nurse 1% (e.g. physio, chiropractor, podiatrist) 5% medical treatment, Medical specialist especially among those (e.g. cardiologist, dermatologist) 3% Pharmacist 1% with dental pain. Alternative Practitioners (e.g. naturopath, acupuncturist) 3% Medical specialist (e.g. orthodontist) 1%
Barriers to Cost / it’s too expensive 38% healthcare No one is available at the time I want 18% I can treat it myself 16% Cost is by far the main barrier to Kiwis seeking Usually passes quickly without need for the doctor 16% medical treatment when No time 13% feeling unwell, followed by a lack of convenience and Wait time is too long 11% choosing to self-treat. I can self-diagnose via the internet 6% A high number of people indicate they would wait it Too embarrassed to go 5% out rather than seeing a health professional. Not covered by my health insurance 4% Don’t trust the doctor / health system 4% I don’t know who to go to 3% I have no way of getting to someone 2% There is no one close to me 2%
What physical health There is an overall pattern to what New Zealanders strongly associate with physical wellbeing. A number of these factors means to Kiwis are emphasised especially strongly amongst older retirees. 39% 34% 47% 44% 57% 53% 65% 63% 61% 71% 70% 77% 56% 48% 51% 46% 42% 35% 40% 31% 35% 16% 27% 28% 2% 2% 2% 3% 7% 8% 9% 10% 7% 4% 4% 5% Avoiding Eating a Getting Absence of Maintaining Drinking Physically Having good Longevity / Limiting Healthy Physical smoking and balanced enough sleep disease / a healthy enough fit teeth living for a alcohol appearance strength tobacco diet avoiding weight water long time illness Strongly associate Slightly associate Don’t associate Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 12
Physical health concerns Not being as fit as I should be 64% Families with Kiwis are most concerned about not being Making sure my 62% young kids kids eat healthy food 81% as fit as they should be and whether they are doing right by their children when it Finding the time / Families with 60% young kids comes to diet and exercise – particularly energy to get / stay fit 70% those with young children at home. Experiencing or developing an illness / disease 59% Not getting enough sleep 58% Not being able to afford to be healthy 54% Dealing with ageing / getting older 54% Getting physical injuries / conditions 54% Making sure my kids get enough exercise 53%
Focus on fitness Getting enough exercise Only a third of Kiwis feel they are 37% 41% getting enough exercise. On average YES YES Kiwis are putting in three sessions of 30 minutes of exercise a week. Pre- During lockdown lockdown During lockdown, both of these (L4/L3) measures improved. 63% 59% NO NO Average times per week – minimum of 30 minutes (mean) 3.22 Pre-lockdown 3.52 During lockdown (L4/L3)
34% Hurdles to Not enough time Not motivated 34% staying active Too tired Work commitments 25% 33% Being time-poor, feeling Bad weather 23% unmotivated and lack of Family commitments 19% energy are the biggest barriers Health issues 17% to people being more active. Too expensive 14% Family commitments and I am already active enough 14% time constraints pose more Not confident enough to exercise in public 11% of a challenge to families Don’t enjoy it / don’t want to 11% with young children. Physical disabilities 10% Shift work, especially nights or overtime 7% Not encouraged to 7% Lack of facilities in my area 5% Study commitments 4% Not having a safe place to exercise 4% None of these 8%
Moving Moving more often 4% 14% 27% 14% 41% more often Prioritising exercise 2% 12% 32% 20% 34% Despite these challenges, many Kiwis are displaying Setting health / fitness goals 2% 20% 30% 19% 28% positive attitudes and behaviours towards their Utilising fitness technology physical health. (e.g. fitness tracker, apps) 7% 39% 18% 12% 24% Looking at their behaviour Not applicable Not Considering Have done in the Already to me considering it doing this past but not currently doing this regarding exercise in the past six months, more than 40 per cent of Kiwis are moving more often and a third are prioritising exercise and setting health and fitness goals.
Keeping active 19% 17% 23% 22% 25% with tidy homes Male (30%) 38% 5% 13% 16% 11% 14% Kiwis are using a number of ways to get Female 16% (47%) their exercise in. The most popular 15% 14% 9% 24% method is through 'energetic exercise', but there is a distinct difference 25% 17% between genders. 30% A quarter of Kiwis are considering 47% exercising with friends and family. 45% 34% 31% 31% Already doing this 27% Have done in the past but not currently 10% 4% 5% 6% 6% Considering doing this Energetic Exercising Use a Flexible Planning Being part housework with others fitness work outdoor family of a gym (friends / family) tracking hours activities Not considering it device Not applicable to me Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020
A weighty issue Kiwis are generally happy with the weight of their children and partner 44 % Own but are more critical about their own. weight 69 % 62 % Child’s Partner’s weight weight Happy Unhappy
Relationships with food The majority of Kiwis say they are knowledgeable when it comes to understanding what is or isn’t healthy food. Three quarters would like to lose weight, however they find this difficult and eating healthy food expensive. Stress also contributes to less healthy eating for two thirds of New Zealanders. 89% 75% 72% 66% 64% 60% 50% 41% 39% 31% 20% I am I would like Healthy eating It is difficult to I tend to eat I always I’m always looking I still haven’t Preparing Healthy eating I don’t know knowledgeable to lose weight is expensive lose weight unhealthy food plan meals in for new ways to found a diet healthy food is boring how to prepare about what when stressed advance manage my that works takes too long healthy meals healthy food is weight for me
Cooking more from scratch / going back to basics 2% 14% 21% 8% 54% Knowledge is power Reducing amount of processed food 4% 18% 37% 7% 33% in the kitchen Reducing portion size / calorie counting 4% 29% 29% 13% 25% Reducing amount of meat 5% 43% 23% 5% 23% New Zealanders are using their knowledge about 5% 50% 25% 5% 16% Moving to a more plant-based diet healthy food to make better nutrition choices. Sugar free 4% 46% 26% 9% 15% Over half are cooking more from scratch and going back to basics, and a third are already reducing the Intermittent fasting 7% 54% 17% 12% 11% amount of processed food they are consuming. Reducing carbs (including Atkins) 9% 60% 15% 8% 7% The global trends to reduce meat intake and move to more plant-based diets is also apparent in Dairy free 6% 69% 11% 6% 8% New Zealand. University students and younger Not applicable to me 11% 66% 10% 6% 7% singles / couples are significantly more likely to Gluten free Not endorse plant-based diets. considering it Vegetarian 7% 62% 15% 8% 7% Considering doing this Keto 10% 66% 13% 7% 4% Have done in the past but not currently Vegan 10% 75% 8% 4% 3% Already doing this Raw food only 7% 76% 9% 5% 3% Weight loss programs e.g. Weight Watchers 11% 67% 10% 10% 3% Paleo 11% 72% 9% 5% 2%
Those unhappy Waiting more than two days to with their health seek medical treatment Compared to those happy Not getting with their health, Kiwis who rate enough sleep themselves as unhappy are… AND are not prioritising it Experiencing Indicating poor work-life they have been balance stressed in the last month Not getting More likely enough exercise to consider nurturing/ Less likely AND not maintaining relationships Less likely to spend time considering it and spending time with to keep their family, but are not doing outdoors brain these already stimulated
Role of mental and emotional wellbeing in overall health Kiwis strongly associate mental and emotional wellbeing with being healthy. One in 10 New Zealanders is unhappy with their current mental state. 12% Unhappy 73% Strongly associate 70% 24% Mental Content wellbeing 25% Slightly associate 28% 64% 2% Don’t associate 2% Happy Mental Emotional wellbeing wellbeing
Emotional Concerns about money, children’s resilience and global issues are personally affecting the wellbeing worries emotional health and wellbeing of Kiwis. 57% 55% 50% 50% 49% 49% 47% Not having enough Whether Our planet’s Global events / Not being happy My parents / Missing out money to support my kids will cope future e.g. climate issues in myself / feeling relatives getting on the fun myself / my family with the pressures change good enough elderly and side of life of life needing care 46% 45% 41% 41% 40% 38% 36% 29% Not having Feeling over Whether I Being a Having a mental Being alone Not getting How I compare a plan for worked / am a good burden to health issue / loneliness a job / good to other the future burnt out parent others or condition enough job people
Looking at Feeling less stressed stress levels NOT AT ALL STRESSED TOTALLY STRESSED OUT A high proportion of people associate low stress with being healthy. Before COVID-19 a quarter of Kiwis had felt stressed in the past month. During the lockdown New Zealanders reported feeling less stressed overall despite uncertainty about the potential Pre-lockdown impact of the pandemic with regard to health, job security, family pressures 46% 31% 24% and the economy. During lockdown (L4/L3) 48% 31% 21%
Kiwis feeling stressed Less likely to get enough Less likely to nurture / maintain in the past month sleep relationships Compared to those who were not feeling stressed in the past month before the outbreak of COVID-19, people feeling stressed were… Less likely to help others Less likely to or give back to get enough the community exercise More likely to have poor More likely to Taking longer work-life seek professional to seek medical balance support such as treatment counselling
Sleep deprived Kiwis 67% of those with young kids 54% Over half of Kiwis feel that say they don’t get NO enough sleep they are not getting enough Get sleep. This is even higher enough sleep among those with young kids. 46% A third of Kiwis are getting YES below the recommended seven to nine hours 6.97 mean of sleep a night. 36% 23% 24% 8% 6% 2% 2% Less than 5 5 6 7 8 9 More than 9 AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 26
Keeping Kiwis up at night The main reasons people aren’t getting sleep are having too much to think about, being anxious or stressed and going to bed too late. SINKS/ SINKS/ DINKS Retirees DINKS (32%) (30%) (25%) 52% University Living with Living with students disability older kids Living with 41% 40% (40%) (44%) (33%) young kids (38%) 24% 23% 20% 19% 17% 14% 11% 7% Having too Being anxious / Going to bed Being a light Being on a Physical issues Work Other people Working Children Shift work / much to think stressed too late sleeper device / e.g. restless leg pressures snoring long hours interrupting no set about watching TV syndrome your sleep schedule before bed
Worries about General concerns of Kiwis: social health and wellbeing keeping socially HIGHEST CONCERN LOWEST CONCERN connected There are many factors affecting people’s emotional wellbeing with 61% regards to being socially connected. 50% 51% 50% 49% 44% 41% 38% As COVID-19 started impacting 34% 30% 29% 25% New Zealanders personally, global events and issues became the biggest concern. Our planet’s Global events / My parents / Being a burden Being alone / How I future e.g. issues relatives getting to others loneliness compare to At the same time, despite people climate change elderly and other people needing care being isolated physically from friends University students concerned and family, feelings of loneliness and about being lonely decreased from (58% to 42%) being a burden on others decreased. University students (52% vs 41%) and people living with an illness / disability (56% vs 67%) were the most concerned about being a burden on others before and during lockdown Men and women reported Retirees concerned about similar concerns about being lonely decreased being alone / loneliness (27% to 24%) before lockdown (38%) but men had a bigger decrease during lockdown (down to 28% vs. 32% for women) Pre-lockdown During lockdown (L4/L3)
Value of personal 10% relationships Most Kiwis are happy in their personal 29% Social life / relationships with family, friends friendships Happy 61% Content and romantic partners. Unhappy 6% 16% 21% Romantic relationships Family life 25% 73% 58%
Connecting with Felt happier with connectedness in the community communities Fewer than half of Kiwis feel happy about the connection they have to 14% 12% their community although this improved during lockdown. Pre- 44% During Many people got behind widely lockdown lockdown reported initiatives such as putting (L4/L3) 49% teddy bears in windows for children 39% to spot on neighbourhood walks, 42% donating much-needed funds to food banks and the launch of SINKS/DINKS felt the least Retirees felt the most the support local / shop connected (41%) connected during the lockdown (69%) local campaign. Happy Content Unhappy
Lack of Would like to quality Quality time with children spend… family time per week 3% Less 6% More than 40 hours Two thirds of Kiwi 4% 31-40 hours parents spend less than 9% 21-30 hours 11 quality hours with their 17% children each week. 11-20 hours 42% Same More than half want to amount spend more time with their kids. This figure is 55% More time even higher for parents 64% 0-10 hours aged 30-39 and 40-49. …with them.
Getting in the What gets in the way of spending more time with them? way of family time Work, household tasks and other family responsibilities are the main reasons parents don’t spend 60% 49% 35% as much more time with their Work Household tasks Sport (e.g. cooking, cleaning) commitments children as they would like. 13% 10% 3% Distance Other family They spend time responsibilities with friends / doing own things other than with family Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 32
Getting the balance right Most Kiwis agree that finding a good work / life balance is important, but over half feel that their current balance is only fair (42 per cent), poor (12 per cent) or very poor (3 per cent). 3% VERY POOR 10% 88% EXCELLENT 12% POOR find work / life balance important Work / life balance satisfaction 42% 33% FAIR GOOD
Good work / Putting the Bad work / life balance… right steps life balance… in place I have flexible working hours 42% Flexible working My workload is high 63% hours and switching I leave work at work / off from work help Financial pressures 42% I switch off from work when I leave 39% with maintaining a I don’t have flexible working hours 41% good work / life balance. I have set work hours and I stick to them 34% Conversely high Not enough energy 30% I prioritise making time for my personal workload, financial wellbeing e.g. exercise, socialising, meditation 28% Family responsibilities 22% pressures and a lack of My workplace promotes wellness / flexible working hours Shift work 21% encourages me to be healthy 18% tend to add pressure I have specific activities with friends on achieving a healthy Work commute takes a long time 16% and family that I never miss (e.g. kids’ sports on the weekend) 17% work / life balance. Health issues 11% 34
Pets are part 46% of the family NO Kiwis have high rates of pet Own a ownership (especially cats) pet and the majority agree that pets make great companions and offer health benefits. 54% YES 89% 87% 87% 86% 85% A pet is great Pets are good for the Pets are members Pets help you remain Pets help relieve companionship health and wellbeing of of the family / be active stress their owners
Digital and device behaviour Most Kiwis recognise the benefits of technology, but there are concerns about time spent on devices. 72% 65% 62% 61% 57% 51% 43% 36% 34% 33% 29% Technology has Computer games Devices help I worry about I spend too Technology helps I worry about the The time I Social media The internet I compare brought me and devices can me connect with the impact time much time on my me look after my impact time on spend online has a negative and apps add myself to others closer to distant help children learn others through on devices is having devices in my health and wellness devices is having on negatively effect on how to my daily based on social family / friends problem-solving social media on my children’s free time through online my health impacts my I feel about stress level media and connect to and give me a sense health programmes and real-life myself others of community apps (e.g. fitness / relationships diet tracking / meditation / brain exercises)
Holidays are important to health Holidays are viewed as expensive but worthwhile to save for, because most Kiwis feel less stressed after a trip. 82% 78% 77% 71% 67% 67% 53% 50% 49% 38% Holidays require I feel less Holidays are Holidays Holidays are about I prefer to Having a Planning a Having a pre- I would enjoy a significant stressed after a way to connect are about getting away from save money for pre-existing holiday is existing illness / a wellness financial sacrifice a holiday to other cultures seeing family the noise of the holidays and illness / condition stressful condition retreat I’m not or friends city and getting experiences rather excludes people excludes people (e.g. yoga, familiar with back to nature than objects / from travel from travelling meditation) items insurance overseas Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 37
Keeping your brain stimulated 1 6% 16% 16% 61% Investing in future health Spending time outdoors 2 4 17% 17% 59% Nurturing / maintaining relationships 4 9% 17% 16% 54% Kiwis have a variety of ways to look after their emotional health and Spending more time with family 5 9% 17% 15% 54% wellbeing, which include both physical and social activities. 21% 18% 53% Taking time out for yourself 3 5 Many are keeping their brain stimulated, spending time outdoors, Being physically active 2 5 22% 19% 52% nurturing relationships and making time for themselves a priority. Talking to someone (e.g. a friend or family) 4 15% 14% 19% 48% During lockdown, people found Gardening 4 20% 14% 15% 48% more time to focus on more positive changes. These included minimising Spending time with animals / pets 9% 22% 12% 15% 43% things and decluttering, practicing positive thinking, gardening, Practicing positive thinking 4 14% 21% 19% 41% practicing mindfulness and being in the moment. Social/ Community Not applicable Not Considering Have done in the Already Emotional to me considering it doing this past but not currently doing this Physical 38
Methodology A total of 3068 people from across New Zealand Desktop and qualitative research gave us an in-depth understanding of the current situation in New Zealand regarding health, lifestyle, activity levels and wellbeing. 54 life-streaming discussions: Seven in-home immersions: 2.5 hour four-day online forum with n=54 immersive / empathy discussion with people from across New Zealand all New Zealanders at different life stages logging in for 30 minutes daily to join to understand their world. discussion and complete tasks. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Online survey of New Zealanders a separate online survey was from across the country who undertaken to measure the impact on completed a 25 minute survey about behaviour and attitudes of the their attitudes and behaviours. lockdown in New Zealand. Fieldwork was completed during Alert Level 4 • Wave 1 – fieldwork: and the first few days of Alert Level 3. 4 – 30 October 2019 (Spring) n=1000 • Wave 3 – fieldwork: 22 – 28 April 2020 • Wave 2 – fieldwork: (COVID-19 lockdown dip) n = 1000 2 – 15 March 2020 (Autumn) n = 1007
For more information about the Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report visit: www.southerncrosss.co.nz/healthy-futures
Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 A comprehensive look at New Zealand’s health and wellbeing
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