Key updates from NZ Health Survey results 2020/21

The following are key findings:

• There was progress in several domains.
• Unmet needs in healthcare seems to have reduced for disabled people across several indicators, including:
• Unmet need for GP due to cost for disabled people reduced from 22% in 2019 to 16% in 2020
• Unmet need for GP due to lack of transport for disabled people reduced from 11% in 2019 to 8% in 2020.
• Unmet need for primary healthcare for disabled people reduced from 48% in 2019 to 42% in 2020
• Smoking cessation has increased among disabled people, from 10% in 2018 to 16% in 2020
• Disabled people seem to be getting more sleep, with 50% meeting recommendations compared to 47% in 2018.
• There has been a reduction in disabled people reporting to have poor or fair self-rated health from 44% in 2018 to 41% in 2020.
• There has been a slight reduction in ED visits for disabled people from 32% in 2018 to 30% in 2020.
  
  
• However, areas of concern do remain.
• Inequities still persist, with NZHS 2020 results indicating:
• Disabled people were almost 12 times as likely to have reported their self-rated health as being poor, compared to non-disabled people.
• Disabled people were seven times as likely to have an unmet need for after-hours due to lack of transport
• Disabled people were almost five times as likely to suffer from psychological distress
• Disabled people were almost four times as likely to have an unfilled prescription due to cost
• 11% of disabled people reported having an unmet need for GP due to COVID-19, compared to 6% of non-disabled people.
• COVID-19 may have further contributed to a decline in mental wellbeing as well as a decline in health promoting behaviours. This includes:
• Increase in mood and/or anxiety disorder among disabled people from 35% in 2019, to 40% in 2020.
• Increase in hazardous drinking among disabled people, from 25% in 2019 to 27% in 2020.
• Increase in use of e-cigarettes among disabled people, from 5% in 2018 to 9% in 2020.
• Reduction in disabled people meeting vegetable and fruit intake recommendations, from 30% in 2018 to 26% in 2020.
• Slight reduction in disabled people meeting physical activity recommendations, from 30% in 2019 to 28% in 2020.

 More info found here: https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/annual-update-key-results-2020-21-new-zealand-health-survey