The latest New Zealand Health Survey has painted a grim picture of health outcomes for Pasifika communities compared to the general population.
Covering the period from July 2023 to July 2024, the survey highlights worsening trends in food insecurity, mental health, and access to medical care.
It found that 54% of Pacific children live in food-insecure homes, compared to 27% across all children—a stark increase from 21% last year. Additionally, 22.3% of Pasifika adults reported avoiding GP visits due to cost, impacting an estimated 65,000 people.
Mental health indicators were equally concerning. Around 20% of Pasifika adults experienced high psychological distress in the past four weeks, and 12.7% had unmet needs for mental health or addiction services over the past year.
Obesity rates among Pasifika remain the highest nationally, at 65%.
Health Minister Dr. Shane Reti acknowledged the challenges, emphasizing the government’s commitment to improving health outcomes. “We want people to be able to access primary care, so they’re not having to visit emergency departments in the first place,” he said.
Despite the disparities, 81.9% of Pasifika adults reported their general health as good or better. Dr. Reti pledged ongoing efforts to strengthen the health workforce and address economic barriers affecting healthcare access.
Source: RNZ