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A comprehensive look at New Zealand’s health and wellbeing Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

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Page 1: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

A comprehensive look at New Zealand’s health and wellbeing

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020

Page 2: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

The Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report has been designed to explore what’s on the minds of New Zealanders at a time when understanding health and wellbeing has never been more important.

Together with research partner Colmar Brunton, Southern Cross spoke to more than 3,000 Kiwis to get insights into how they see and value different aspects of their lives when it comes to health and wellbeing.

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.

The Southern Cross Healthy Futures study was able to capture a glimpse of New Zealand’s psyche before the outbreak of the coronavirus and then tracked the attitude and behaviour shifts that took place during Alert Level 4 and 3.

These insights offer a unique opportunity to see the world through the eyes of a diverse New Zealand.

Shining a light on New Zealand’s health and wellbeingSouthern Cross gives care and attention to over a million New Zealanders and is committed to inspiring Kiwis to advance their health and wellbeing.

Page 3: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

is all about feeling connected and having a relationship with people and the community.

is about being visibly healthy and what they are doing with their body to achieve this.

is about people’soutlook and how they

carry themselves through life.

Financial AcademicEnvironmentalSpiritual

When Southern Cross set out to uncover perceptions about health and wellbeing, Kiwis said they see it as being interconnected in three ways – physical, emotional and social.

How New Zealanders think about their health and wellbeing Health &

wellbeing in NZ

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.

Physical health and wellbeing

Emotional health and wellbeing

Social health and wellbeing

Page 4: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Delving deeper into health and wellbeing

This is the most clear cut of the dimensions - everyone feels like they know what they need to do to be physically healthy and well. However it also carries the greatest amount of guilt and frustration when people don’t live up to these ideals because they feel like they should know better.

New Zealanders see emotional health and wellbeing as something that needs to be actively pursued and maintained, but there’s not a lot of clarity around how best to do this. Mostly people approach this in a reactive way - when something goes wrong.

For New Zealanders, their sense of social health and wellbeing acts as a source of feedback and validation for how they are doing in life (their social status). It's a measure of what they believe has been given back to them based on what they have put out into the world.

Physical health and wellbeing

Emotional health and wellbeing

Social health and wellbeing

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 4

Page 5: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Getting personalFor 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…

life stage outlook how people prioritise it

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 5

Page 6: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

The many faces of New Zealand

University students

For students, health and wellbeing at its best is just as much about looking the part as it is about feeling the part.

SINKS (single income, no kids) / DINKS (double income, no kids)

Their approach to health and wellbeing is about living their best life. They measure their health and wellbeing against doing well at an individual level and doing good for the world.

Parents with young kids (0-9yrs)

Their health and wellbeing is best when achieving balance and simplicity while coping with the demands of a young family. These parents put themselves last with their attitude being “if the kids feel good, then I feel good”.

Parents with older kids (10-17yrs)

Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and providing a good family future.

Retirees

Their health and wellbeing is best when staying positive, appreciating the good things and staying fully involved in life. They tend to look to their younger, more able and energetic selves as the benchmark for their current health and wellbeing. This can be disheartening – accepting their mortality and living for today is key.

Living with disability / illness

For people living with a disability or illness, the gold standard in health and wellbeing is about improvement rather than deterioration. Their ability to live their life as successfully and as independently as possible without being a burden on those they love is the main factor in how they track their health and wellbeing.

6

Page 7: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Issues concerning Kiwis mostThe top health and wellbeing concerns reflect a broad range of physical, emotional and social issues.

The cost of living

Violence in society

Mental health

Suicide rates

Drugs / alcohol addiction /

abuse

Not having access to good,

affordable healthcare

Obesity and its impact on

people’s health

Not having access to

cancer treatment

services

Physical health

The impact of food and drinks that are high in

sugar on people’s health

79% 79% 79% 79%83%

80% 77%

85% 84%86%

General Mental / emotional Physical

Page 8: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Seeking health advice

Looking at where Kiwis get their health advice, there is some interesting demographic differences. Retirees rely heavily on health professionals while more university students consult social media. The majority of Kiwis look to digital channels for information.

65% 63% 46% 45% 29% 20%

Magazines Work resources / training

Seminars / events

Blogs Podcasts Fitness group / gym / personal trainer

20% 16% 9% 8% 7%

Retirees(81%)

1%

University students

(42%)

Health professional

e.g. your doctor / GP

Online articles / websites

Friends and family

TV shows / documentaries

Social media e.g. Facebook groups /

influencers

Books / Library

Page 9: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Timely health treatment

14%

42%

34%

11% 10%

44%35%

11%

$50,001 – $100K

9%

44%39%

8%

Almost half of Kiwis will seek treatment within a day or two after starting to feel unwell.

One in 10 take steps as soon as they feel sick, but the same amount don’t seek any treatment at all. This figure is even higher for university students.

The timeliness of people seeking medical treatment stays fairly static by income level, apart from a slightly higher number of low-income earners looking for immediate treatment.

$100,001 or above

When unwell, when do you seek treatment?

I usually don’t seek professional advice /

treatment

I go immediately

10%

43%37%

10%

Within a day or twoMore than

two days

University students

(26%)

$50K orunder

Low income

Medium income

High income

B Y I N C O M E L E V E L

Page 10: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Visiting the doctor and dentist

While almost three quarters of Kiwis see an appropriate medical specialist when feeling unwell (74 per cent) or experiencing dental pain (73 per cent), nearly one in five do not seek any medical treatment, especially among those with dental pain.

With dental pain…

73%

19%

4%

2%

1%

1%

1%

Dentist

I didn’t seek medical treatment

General Practitioner (GP)

Accident and Emergency (A&E)

Nurse

Pharmacist

Medical specialist (e.g. orthodontist)

74%

13%

6%

5%

5%

5%

3%

3%

When unwell…

General Practitioner (GP)

I didn’t seek medical treatment

Pharmacist

Nurse

Accident and Emergency (A&E)

Other specialist (e.g. physio, chiropractor, podiatrist)

Medical specialist (e.g. cardiologist, dermatologist)

Alternative Practitioners (e.g. naturopath, acupuncturist)

Page 11: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Barriers to healthcare

38%

18%

16%

16%

13%

11%

6%

5%

4%

4%

3%

2%

2%

Cost / it’s too expensive

No one is available at the time I want

I can treat it myself

Usually passes quickly without need for the doctor

No time

Wait time is too long

I can self-diagnose via the internet

Too embarrassed to go

Not covered by my health insurance

Don’t trust the doctor / health system

I don’t know who to go to

I have no way of getting to someone

There is no one close to me

Cost is by far the main barrier to Kiwis seeking medical treatment when feeling unwell, followed by a lack of convenience and choosing to self-treat.

A high number of people indicate they would wait it out rather than seeing a health professional.

Page 12: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

What physical health means to Kiwis

There is an overall pattern to what New Zealanders strongly associate with physical wellbeing. A number of these factors are emphasised especially strongly amongst older retirees.

7% 2% 2%4% 2% 4%

3%5% 7% 8% 9% 10%

16% 27% 28% 31% 35% 35% 40% 42%46% 48% 51% 56%

77% 71% 70% 65% 63% 61% 57% 53% 47% 44% 39% 34%

Avoiding smoking and

tobacco

Eating a balanced

diet

Gettingenough sleep

Absence of disease / avoiding

illness

Maintaining a healthy

weight

Drinking enough

water

Physicallyfit

Having good teeth

Longevity / living for along time

Limitingalcohol

Healthy appearance

Physical strength

Strongly associate Slightly associate Don’t associate

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 12

Page 13: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

64%

62%

60%

59%

58%

54%

54%

54%

53%

Physical health concernsKiwis are most concerned about not being as fit as they should be and whether they are doing right by their children when it comes to diet and exercise – particularly those with young children at home.

Not being as fit as I should be

Making sure my kids eat healthy food

Finding the time / energy to get / stay fit

Experiencing or developing an illness / disease

Not getting enough sleep

Not being able to afford to be healthy

Dealing with ageing / getting older

Getting physical injuries / conditions

Making sure my kids get enough exercise

Families with young kids

70%

Families with young kids

81%

Page 14: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Focus on fitnessOnly a third of Kiwis feel they are getting enough exercise. On average Kiwis are putting in three sessions of 30 minutes of exercise a week. During lockdown, both of these measures improved.

41%

59%

37%

63%

Getting enough exercise

3.22Average times per week – minimum of 30 minutes (mean)

3.52

Pre-lockdown

During lockdown

(L4/L3)

Pre-lockdown During lockdown (L4/L3)

NO

YES YES

NO

Page 15: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Hurdles to staying activeBeing time-poor, feeling unmotivated and lack of energy are the biggest barriers to people being more active.

Family commitments and time constraints pose more of a challenge to families with young children.

34%

34%

33%

25%

23%

19%

17%

14%

14%

11%

11%

10%

7%

7%

5%

4%

4%

8%

Not enough time

Not motivated

Too tired

Work commitments

Bad weather

Family commitments

Health issues

Too expensive

I am already active enough

Not confident enough to exercise in public

Don’t enjoy it / don’t want to

Physical disabilities

Shift work, especially nights or overtime

Not encouraged to

Lack of facilities in my area

Study commitments

Not having a safe place to exercise

None of these

Page 16: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Moving more oftenDespite these challenges, many Kiwis are displaying positive attitudes and behaviours towards their physical health.

Looking at their behaviour 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.

4%

2%

2%

7%

14%

12%

20%

39%

27%

32%

30%

18%

14%

20%

19%

12%

41%

34%

28%

24%

Moving more often

Prioritising exercise

Setting health / fitness goals

Utilising fitness technology (e.g. fitness tracker, apps)

Not applicable to me

Already doing this

Considering doing this

Not considering it

Have done in the past but not currently

Page 17: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

4% 5% 6%

27%

10%6%

31% 31%

45%

30%

34%47%

17%

25%

15%

16%

24%14%

9%

14%11%

5% 13% 16%

38%

25% 23% 22% 19% 17%

Energetichousework

Exercising with others

(friends / family)

Use a fitness

tracking device

Flexible workhours

Planning outdoor family

activities

Being part of a gym

Keeping active with tidy homesKiwis are using a number of ways to get their exercise in. The most popular method is through 'energetic exercise', but there is a distinct difference between genders.

A quarter of Kiwis are considering exercising with friends and family.

Already doing this

Have done in the past but not currently

Considering doing this

Not considering it

Not applicable to me

Male (30%)

Female(47%)

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020

Page 18: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

A weighty issueKiwis are generally happy with the weight of their children and partner but are more critical about their own.

Child’sweight

44 %

Partner’sweight

Ownweight

69 % 62 %

Happy Unhappy

Page 19: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

I am knowledgeable

about what healthy food is

I would like to lose weight

Healthy eatingis expensive

It is difficult to lose weight

I tend to eat unhealthy food when stressed

I always plan meals in

advance

I’m always looking for new ways to

manage my weight

I still haven’t found a dietthat works

for me

Preparing healthy food

takes too long

Healthy eatingis boring

I don’t knowhow to prepare healthy meals

89%75% 72% 66% 64% 60% 50% 41% 39% 31%

20%

Relationships with foodThe 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.

Page 20: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

14%

18%

29%

43%

50%

46%

54%

60%

69%

66%

62%

66%

75%

76%

67%

72%

21%

37%

29%

23%

25%

26%

17%

15%

11%

10%

15%

13%

8%

9%

10%

9%

4%

4%

5%

5%

4%

7%

9%

6%

11%

7%

10%

10%

7%

11%

11%

8%

7%

13%

5%

5%

9%

12%

8%

6%

6%

8%

7%

4%

5%

10%

5%

54%

33%

25%

23%

16%

15%

11%

7%

8%

7%

7%

4%

3%

3%

3%

2%

Cooking more from scratch / going back to basics

Reducing amount of processed food

Reducing portion size / calorie counting

Reducing amount of meat

Moving to a more plant-based diet

Sugar free

Intermittent fasting

Reducing carbs (including Atkins)

Dairy free

Gluten free

Vegetarian

Keto

Vegan

Raw food only

Weight loss programs e.g. Weight Watchers

Paleo

Not applicable to me

Not considering it

Considering doing this

Have done in the past but not currently

Already doing this

New Zealanders are using their knowledge about healthy food to make better nutrition choices.

Over half are cooking more from scratch and going back to basics, and a third are already reducing the amount of processed food they are consuming.

The global trends to reduce meat intake and move to more plant-based diets is also apparent in New Zealand. University students and younger singles / couples are significantly more likely to endorse plant-based diets.

Knowledge is power in the kitchen

2%

Page 21: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Those unhappy with their healthCompared to those happy with their health, Kiwis who rate themselves as unhappy are…

Less likely to spend time

outdoors

Waiting more than two days to

seek medical treatment

Experiencing poor work-life

balance

Indicating they have been stressed in the

last month

Less likely to keep their

brain stimulated

Not getting enough sleep

AND are not prioritising it

More likely to consider nurturing/

maintaining relationships and spending time with family, but are not doing

these already

Not getting enough exercise

AND not considering it

Page 22: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

2% 2%

25% 28%

73% 70%

Kiwis strongly associate mental and emotional wellbeing with being healthy.

One in 10 New Zealanders is unhappy with their current mental state.

Role of mental and emotional wellbeing in overall health

Strongly associate

Slightly associate

Mental wellbeing

Don’t associate

Emotionalwellbeing

64%

24%

12%

Mentalwellbeing

Happy

Content

Unhappy

Page 23: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Emotional wellbeing worries

Concerns about money, children’s resilience and global issues are personally affecting the emotional health and wellbeing of Kiwis.

Not having enough money to support myself / my family

Whethermy kids will cope

with the pressures of life

Our planet’s future e.g. climate

change

Global events / issues

Not being happy in myself / feeling

good enough

My parents /relatives getting

elderly and needing care

Missing out on the fun side of life

Not havinga plan forthe future

Feeling over worked /

burnt out

Whether I am a good

parent

Being a burden to

others

Having a mental health issueor condition

Being alone/ loneliness

Not gettinga job / good enough job

How I compare to otherpeople

57% 55% 50% 49% 47%50% 49%

46% 45% 41% 41% 40% 38% 36% 29%

Page 24: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Looking at stress levelsA 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 impact of the pandemic with regard to health, job security, family pressures and the economy.

Feeling less stressed

24%

21%

31%

31%

46%

48%

NOT AT ALL STRESSED TOTALLY STRESSED OUT

Pre-lockdown

During lockdown (L4/L3)

Page 25: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Kiwis feeling stressed in the past monthCompared to those who were not feeling stressed in the past month before the outbreak of COVID-19, people feeling stressed were…

Less likely to get enough

sleep

Less likely to get enough

exercise

Taking longer to seek medical

treatment

More likely to have poor

work-life balance

Less likely to nurture / maintain

relationships

More likely to seek professional

support such as counselling

Less likely to help others

or give back to the community

Page 26: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Sleep deprived KiwisOver half of Kiwis feel that they are not getting enough sleep. This is even higher among those with young kids.

A third of Kiwis are getting below the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night.

Get enough

sleep

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 26

2%8%

23%

36%

24%

6%2%

Less than 5 5 6 7 8 9 More than 9

YES

NO

46%

54%

6.97mean

AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP

67% of those with young kids

say they don’t get enough sleep

Page 27: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

52%

41% 40%

24% 23% 20% 19% 17% 14% 11%7%

Having too much to think

about

Being anxious / stressed

Going to bed too late

Being a light sleeper

Being on a device /

watching TV before bed

Physical issues e.g. restless leg

syndrome

Work pressures

Other people snoring

Working long hours

Children interrupting

your sleep

Shift work / no set

schedule

Living with young kids

(38%)

SINKS/DINKS (25%)

Living with older kids

(33%)

SINKS/DINKS (32%)

University students

(40%)

Retirees (30%)

Living with disability

(44%)

Keeping Kiwis up at nightThe main reasons people aren’t getting sleep are having too much to think about, being anxious or stressed and going to bed too late.

Page 28: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Worries about keeping socially connectedThere are many factors affecting people’s emotional wellbeing with regards to being socially connected.

As COVID-19 started impacting New Zealanders personally, global events and issues became the biggest concern.

At the same time, despite people being isolated physically from friends and family, feelings of loneliness and being a burden on others decreased.

General concerns of Kiwis: social health and wellbeing

50% 50% 49%41% 38%

29%

51%61%

44%34% 30% 25%

Our planet’s future e.g.

climate change

Global events / issues

My parents / relatives getting

elderly and needing care

Being a burden to others

Being alone / loneliness

How I compare to

other people

HIGHEST CONCERN LOWEST CONCERN

Pre-lockdown During lockdown (L4/L3)

Retirees concerned about being lonely decreased

(27% to 24%)

Men and women reported similar concerns about being alone / loneliness

before lockdown (38%) but men had a bigger decrease during lockdown (down to 28% vs. 32% for women)

University students concerned about being lonely decreased

from (58% to 42%)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

Page 29: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Value of personal relationshipsMost Kiwis are happy in their personal relationships with family, friends and romantic partners.

Romantic relationshipsFamily life

73%

21%

6%

HappyContentUnhappy

61%

29%

10%

58%

25%

16%

Social life / friendships

Page 30: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Connecting with communitiesFewer than half of Kiwis feel happy about the connection they have to their community although this improved during lockdown.

Many people got behind widely reported initiatives such as putting teddy bears in windows for children to spot on neighbourhood walks, donating much-needed funds to food banks and the launch of the support local / shop local campaign.

Felt happier with connectedness in the community

Pre-lockdown

During lockdown

(L4/L3)

Happy Content Unhappy

14%

42%

44%

12%

39%49%

SINKS/DINKS felt the least

connected (41%) Retirees felt the most connected during the

lockdown (69%)

Page 31: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Lack of quality family timeTwo thirds of Kiwi parents spend less than 11 quality hours with their children each week.

More than half want to spend more time with their kids. This figure is even higher for parents aged 30-39 and 40-49.

Quality time with children

per week

6%4%

9%

17%

64%

More than 40 hours

31-40 hours

21-30 hours

11-20 hours

0-10 hours

Would like to spend…

55%

42%

3%

Same amount

More time

Less

…with them.

Page 32: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Getting in the way of family time Work, household tasks and other family responsibilities are the main reasons parents don’t spend as much more time with their children as they would like.

What gets in the way of spending more time with them?

60% 49% 35%

13% 10% 3%

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 32

Work Household tasks (e.g. cooking, cleaning)

Sport commitments

Distance Other family responsibilities

They spend time with friends / doing

own things other than with family

Page 33: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Getting the balance rightMost 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).

find work / life balance important

88% EXCELLENT

GOODFAIR

POOR

VERY POOR

Work / life balance

satisfaction

10%

33%42%

12%

3%

Page 34: Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020...good, then I feel good”. Parents with older kids (10-17yrs) Health and wellbeing is about living a full life, leading by example and

Bad work / life balance…

Putting the right steps in place

63%

42%

41%

30%

22%

21%

16%

11%

My workload is high

Financial pressures

I don’t have flexible working hours

Not enough energy

Family responsibilities

Shift work

Work commute takes a long time

Health issues

42%

39%

34%

28%

18%

17%

34

Good work / life balance…

I have flexible working hours

I leave work at work / I switch off from work when I leave

I have set work hours and I stick to them

I prioritise making time for my personal wellbeing e.g. exercise, socialising, meditation

My workplace promotes wellness / encourages me to be healthy

I have specific activities with friends and family that I never miss

(e.g. kids’ sports on the weekend)

Flexible working hours and switching off from work help with maintaining agood work / life balance.

Conversely high workload, financial pressures and a lack offlexible working hours tend to add pressure on achieving a healthy work / life balance.

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Pets are part of the familyKiwis have high rates of pet ownership (especially cats) and the majority agree that pets make great companions and offer health benefits.

54%

46%

Own apet

YES

NO

89%87% 87%

86%85%

A pet is greatcompanionship

Pets are good for thehealth and wellbeing of

their owners

Pets are membersof the family

Pets help you remain/ be active

Pets help relievestress

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Digital and device behaviourMost 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 brought me

closer to distant family / friends

Computer games and devices can

help children learn problem-solving and connect to

others

Devices help me connect with

others through social media

and give me a sense of community

I worry aboutthe impact time

on devices is having on my children’s

health

I spend too much time on my

devices in myfree time

Technology helps me look after my

health and wellness through online

programmes and apps (e.g. fitness /

diet tracking / meditation / brain

exercises)

I worry about the impact time on

devices is having on my health

The time Ispend online

negativelyimpacts my

real-life relationships

Social mediahas a negative effect on how

I feel aboutmyself

The internetand apps add

to my dailystress level

I comparemyself to others based on social

media

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Holidays are important to healthHolidays are viewed as expensive but worthwhile to save for, because most Kiwis feel less stressed after a trip.

Holidays require a significant

financial sacrifice

I feel less stressed after

a holiday

Holidays are a way to connect to other cultures

I’m not familiar with

Holidays are about

seeing family or friends

Holidays are about getting away from

the noise of the city and getting back to nature

I prefer to save money for

holidays and experiences rather

than objects / items

Having a pre-existing

illness / condition excludes people

from travel insurance

Planning a holiday is stressful

Having a pre-existing illness /

condition excludes people

from travelling overseas

I would enjoy a wellness

retreat (e.g. yoga,

meditation)

82% 78% 77% 71% 67% 67% 53% 50% 49% 38%

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020 37

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Investing in future healthKiwis have a variety of ways to look after their emotional health and wellbeing, which include both physical and social activities.

Many are keeping their brain stimulated, spending time outdoors, nurturing relationships and making time for themselves a priority.

During lockdown, people found more time to focus on more positive changes. These included minimising things and decluttering, practicing positive thinking, gardening, practicing mindfulness and being in the moment.

1

2

4

5

3

2

4

4

9%

4

6%

4

9%

9%

5

5

15%

20%

22%

14%

16%

17%

17%

17%

21%

22%

14%

14%

12%

21%

16%

17%

16%

15%

18%

19%

19%

15%

15%

19%

61%

59%

54%

54%

53%

52%

48%

48%

43%

41%

Not applicable to me

Already doing this

Have done in the past but not currently

Considering doing this

Not considering it

Keeping your brain stimulated

Spending time outdoors

Nurturing / maintaining relationships

Spending more time with family

Taking time out for yourself

Being physically active

Talking to someone (e.g. a friend or family)

Gardening

Spending time with animals / pets

Practicing positive thinking

Physical 38

Social/ Community

Emotional

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MethodologyDesktop and qualitative research gave us an in-depth understanding of the current situation in New Zealand regarding health, lifestyle, activity levels and wellbeing.

Online survey of New Zealanders from across the country who completed a 25 minute survey about their attitudes and behaviours.

• Wave 1 – fieldwork: 4 – 30 October 2019 (Spring) n=1000

• Wave 2 – fieldwork: 2 – 15 March 2020 (Autumn) n = 1007

A total of 3068 peoplefrom across New Zealand

Seven in-home immersions: 2.5 hour immersive / empathy discussion with New Zealanders at different life stages to understand their world.

54 life-streaming discussions: four-day online forum with n=54 people from across New Zealand all logging in for 30 minutes daily to join discussion and complete tasks.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, a separate online survey was undertaken to measure the impact on behaviour and attitudes of the lockdown in New Zealand. Fieldwork was completed during Alert Level 4 and the first few days of Alert Level 3.

• Wave 3 – fieldwork:22 – 28 April 2020 (COVID-19 lockdown dip) n = 1000

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www.southerncrosss.co.nz/healthy-futures

For more information about the Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report visit:

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A comprehensive look at New Zealand’s health and wellbeing

Southern Cross Healthy Futures Report 2020