NZ Ministry of Health Web Page
Printed 11/26/2009 03:51:02 AM  Back   Print   


Health & Disability Intelligence

New Zealand Health Survey


The Ministry repeats the New Zealand Health Survey at regular intervals to monitor people’s health, measure access to health services and to help develop health policies, programmes and services that better meet the needs of New Zealanders. The 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey is the fourth such survey, with previous surveys conducted in 1992/93, 1996/97 and 2002/03.

For the 2006/07 Survey comprehensive health information was collected from more than 17,000 New Zealanders – 12,488 adults and 4922 children – from October 2006 to November 2007. This included more than 5000 Māori, 1800 Pacific peoples and more than 2000 Asian people of all ages, making it the largest survey of New Zealanders’ health to date.

A wide range of topics was included in the survey, covering health behaviours and risk factors, health conditions, health status and health service use.

Data was collected face-to-face via trained interviewers in the participants’ homes. This included an interview and measurements of height, weight and waist circumference.

The Ministry of Health is confident the survey results accurately reflect the health of New Zealanders. Best-practice survey techniques were employed throughout the survey and numerous steps taken to ensure that the data collected are as high quality and robust as possible.

Confidentialised unit record files (CURFs) of the survey will be made available to bona fide researchers in September this year. Researchers can apply for access by completing the Microdata Access Application Form (available on the Data Access page).

View also:
Back to the Population Surveys page

Page last updated: 19 June 2008