Doctors warn New Zealanders’ health is declining, call for action on social factors

A new report from the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says New Zealanders’ overall health is deteriorating, with working-age adults reporting “excellent” health nearly halving since 2011 and psychological distress rising across all groups.

Hutt Hospital emergency specialist Dr Tanya Wilton said the findings reflect what doctors are seeing daily with more complex illnesses and growing demand for care.

She attributed the decline mainly to “social determinants of health”, low income, insecure housing, and poor access to healthy food, which she said make it difficult for many to stay well.

“It’s really hard to eat and stay healthy when you don’t have the money to do so,” Wilton told Newstalk ZB. She said food deserts and the cost of living leave families few good options, and that even those working hard “do their best, but it’s not easy.”

Psychiatrist Dr Mark Lawrence said mental distress has grown as well, driven by long-term social and economic stressors. “No government has made a sustained investment in addressing the determinants of those stresses,” he said, adding that short-term spending has failed to produce lasting change.

Both doctors said reversing the trend will require long-term commitment to better housing, stable incomes, and community health support.

Editor’s note: While we cannot speculate on whether the impact of mass COVID vaccinations may have contributed to these outcomes here and overseas, given the ongoing public debate on these issues, the absence of discussion in official reports may deepen public mistrust in the broader health narrative.

Centrist Ltd.