Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health
The New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS) included a module on mental health and problematic substance use (including tobacco, alcohol and illicit substance use) in 2016/17, 2021/22 and 2022/23.
This report presents information and key results from the mental health and problematic substance use module. It does so in two main sections: first, results for adults aged 15 years and over; and second, results for children aged 2–14 years.
Because of smaller achieved sample sizes in 2021/22 and 2022/23, data from these years have been pooled (combined) to produce more precise estimates. The combined data is referred to as 2021–23 data and has a slightly smaller sample size compared to 2016/17: 10,256 adults and 2,628 children in 2021–2023, compared with 12,929 adults and 3,733 children in 2016/17.
The module used screening tools to collect self-reported data about the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms and risk of problematic substance use in adults, as well as emotional and behavioural problems in children. The module also included questions about the use of mental health and addiction services and other types of support as well as unmet need for professional help with emotions, stress, mental health or substance use.
This report is accompanied by a data explorer, which is an interactive online tool, that includes a wider range of indicators, and presents disaggregated data by gender, age, ethnicity, disability status and neighbourhood deprivation.
Access the Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Data Explorer.
As mental health is a sensitive topic, and individuals may not be comfortable disclosing information about their use of illicit substances, respondents were able to self-complete the module on a tablet provided using computer-assisted-self-interviewing. The module for children was completed by the child’s primary parent or caregiver.
The 2021–23 data from the NZHS mental health and problematic substance use module shows mental health outcomes in Aotearoa New Zealand after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings can then be used to inform a more nuanced approach to preventing and managing poor mental health and problematic substance use.
Key findings
- The prevalence of adults experiencing mild or greater anxiety and/or depression symptoms in the two weeks before the survey has increased from 25.0% in 2016/17 to 34.8% in 2021–23. Moderate or greater symptoms of anxiety and/or depression increased at a greater rate than mild symptoms over the period.
- The prevalence of moderate or high risk of problematic substance use decreased between 2016/17 and 2021–23 (from 32.6% to 27.0%). The prevalence of moderate or high risk of problematic use of both tobacco and alcohol decreased over the same period (from 20.7% to 14.6% for tobacco and 15.8% to 13.0% for alcohol). However, the prevalence of moderate or high risk of problematic use of illicit substances increased over the same period (from 10.1% to 11.2%).
- Increases in the prevalences of mild or greater anxiety and/or depression symptoms and moderate or high risk of problematic illicit substance use were greater for young adults aged 15-24 years.
- Overall, women were more likely to experience depression and/or anxiety symptoms than men. Conversely, men were more likely to experience moderate or high risk of problematic substance use than women.
- Some population groups, such as Māori and disabled adults, were more likely to experience anxiety and/or depression symptoms and to be at risk of problematic substance use than those not in the population group.
- In 2021–23, 41.1% of adults used some type of service, such as primary health care, or support for concerns about their emotions, stress, mental health or substance use in the 12 months before the survey. This is an increase from 35.3% in 2016/17.
- Unmet need for mental health and addiction services also increased over the same period. In 2021–23, 8.4% of adults felt that, in the 12 months before the survey, they needed professional help for their emotions, stress, mental health or substance use, but did not receive that help, up from 4.9% in 2016/17.
- The prevalence of children aged 2–14 years likely to have emotional symptoms increased from 9.2% in 2016/17 to 13.0% in 2021–23.
- Use of services and support for children remained relatively unchanged between 2016/17 and 2021–23. However, children’s unmet need for mental health and addiction services did increase over this period (from 4.8% to 6.8%).
For an overview of the methodology used in collecting, and preparing results from, the mental health and problematic substance use module, see the methodology page of the Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Data Explorer at: Mental Health and Problematic Substance Use Data Explorer.
If you have any queries about this New Zealand Health Survey report on mental health and problematic substance use, please email: [email protected].
