Category: Health

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Pacific Islands Families Study: Young Adult Gambling Behaviours and Associated Risk Factors

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Summary

In 2000, a cohort of 1,398 Pacific infants, born in South Auckland, was recruited into the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) longitudinal study. In this study, the PIF cohort, aged 22 years, was surveyed about their gambling behaviours. This study follows previous surveys (at ages 9, 14 and 17 years) to examine gambling behaviour across time.

The Pacific Islands Families Study involved 470 22-year-old Pacific youth and found that their gambling participation was low and generally infrequent. 

The most popular activity was informal betting with family and friends, followed by gaming machines. For those that gambled the prevalence of risky gambling and experiencing gambling harms was high. 

Daily or weekly online gaming at age 14 significantly predicted gambling harms at age 22, so did engaging in multiple gambling activities and drinking alcohol at age 17. Few gender or ethnic differences were noted.

Associations with mental health and risk factors for risky gambling and gambling harms were the same as for the general population. 

Key findings included:

Gambling participation

  1. about one-third of participants had gambled in the past year on an average of three gambling activities, and the gambling was generally infrequent. This was similar to when participants were aged 17 years old.
  2. casino gaming machines, club gaming machines, and casino table games had the highest average monthly spending ($55.2, $51.1, and $50.4 respectively).
  3. at age 22, while still most commonly gambling with friends (50%) or family (46.7%), more of them are gambling alone (21.3%) compared to at age 17 (5.2%)
  4. at age 22, 13.2% of all participants gambled in a risky manner (this was 37.7% of those who gambled). The percentage of participants classified as problem gamblers increased with increasing age (4.7% at age 17, 6.8% at age 22), though results are not directly comparable due to different screens used in the surveys.

Gambling harm

  1. about one-third of participants who gambled experienced between one and eight different harms from their gambling, mostly commonly feeling of regret.
  2. about one-third of participants who gambled were worried about their gambling and two-fifths sought informal help from someone close to them. The percentage who had a lot of worry about their gambling doubled from 4.4% (age 17) to 8.6% (age 22).
  3. risky gambling was statistically associated with less perceived quality of life and increased problematic behaviours such as aggression, intrusion1, and rule breaking2.  Gambling harms were statistically associated with rule breaking behaviour and depression.
  4. 8.7% experienced negative consequences (mainly occasional worry) due to someone else’s gambling, with more than half of the ‘someone else’ being parents.

Predictors of gambling harm

  1. daily or weekly online gaming at age 14 significantly predicted gambling harms at age 22, so did engaging in multiple gambling activities and drinking alcohol at age 17. 

Read the report

Pacific Islands Families Study: Young Adult Gambling Behaviours and Associated Risk Factors (PDF, 2 MB)

Note: The report is published on the AUT Gambling & Addictions Research Centre website.

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Special Patients and Restricted Patients: Guidelines for Regional Forensic Mental Health Services

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Regional forensic mental health services are responsible for the care and treatment of special patients and restricted patients within the legislative framework of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 and the Criminal Procedure (Mentally Impaired Persons) Act 2003. Regional forensic mental health services have a focus on recovery and rehabilitation, but also need to maintain safety and security for tāngata whaiora and the public.

New Zealand legislation specifically allows for people who have been charged with or convicted of an offence, and who meet certain criteria in terms of their mental illness, to be treated for that condition in hospital. Treatment of mental illness can be an important step in helping an individual to acknowledge and address the reasons for their offending, and in doing so reduce the chances of future offending and significantly improve their wellbeing.

When managing special patients, forensic mental health services are required to balance the rights, treatment and rehabilitative needs of the individual patient against the safety of the public and the concerns of victims.

The clinical management of special patients lies with the patient’s responsible clinician. However, leave and change of legal status require consideration and approval by the Director of Mental Health and (depending on the legal status of the patient) the Minister of Health and/or the Attorney-General. This level of decision-making reflects the seriousness of special patients’ status and the need to ensure that a wide range of factors are considered when making decisions about such patients.

These guidelines are intended to foster consistent decision-making by clinicians, facilitate the administration of matters relating to special patient leave, and provide transparency around the processes used in reaching decisions about special patients.

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Unlocking the Potential of Active Ageing

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Submissions close Monday, 2 December 2024 5:00pm.

This document is your first opportunity to contribute to the Ministry’s Long-term Insights Briefing.

Feedback we receive will help us better shape the topic and questions we explore during the drafting process for the briefing, which will be published in 2025.

How to have your say

Public consultation closes at 5pm on Monday 2 December.  You can make a submission in any of the following ways:

Complete the consultation online

  • Email [email protected] with your completed submission form (docx, 35 KB), including your response to the consultation questions for feedback. 
  • Write your response and mail it to:
    Strategy Group
    Ministry of Health
    PO Box 5013 
    Wellington 6140 
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Meremere Wildfire, North Waikato

Source: Waikato District Health Board

The large vegetation fire near Meremere, which includes the Whangamarino wetlands is now under control. Fire and Emergency New Zealand said the fire may take some time to fully extinguish due to where it is burning in peat and wetland.

Although under control, Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora says there is potential that people who are sensitive to smoke – such as those with heart or lung conditions, people who are pregnant, young children and the elderly – may experience symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath or eye, nose and throat irritation.

Dr Richard Wall, Medical Officer of Health for the National Public Health Service says exposure to smoke can worsen pre-existing health conditions such as heart and lung disease.

“People affected by the smoke should close windows and doors and reduce outdoor exercise”.

Dr Wall said residents on a roof water tank supply were advised to disconnect the pipe to their tank if a lot of ash and debris was falling to avoid water becoming contaminated.

“Only reconnect the water supply after the next heavy rain (discarding the ‘first flush’), to avoid getting ash in your drinking water.”

The experience of being exposed to an event like a fire can be distressing and it’s normal to feel anxious in situations like this. If you are feeling anxious or just need someone to talk to, you can call or text 1737 any time and you can speak to (or text) a trained counsellor free of charge or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

If you see or smell smoke outside, you should stay inside if it is safe to do so.

Remember to:

  • Keep your windows and doors shut
  • Switch your air conditioning to ‘recirculate’
  • Air out your house when the smoke clears
  • Look out for children, older people, and others at risk
  • Keep pets inside with clean water and food. Keep pets’ bedding inside if possible.
  • Roof water supply: Disconnect the pipe to your tank if there is ash and debris on your roof, and only reconnect after the next heavy rain to avoid getting ash in your drinking water.

For information about the fire visit the Fire and Emergency New Zealand website

Media contact: hnzmedia@health.govt.nz

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Ministry of Health Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2024

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Summary

The Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 sets out who we are and what we do, how we manage our business, our financial statements and statement of service performance as specified in Vote Health – Main Estimates of Appropriation 2023/24 and (where updated) in Vote Health – Supplementary Estimates of Appropriation 2023/24.

It provides a detailed breakdown of our achievements for the 2023/24 financial year and the progress made towards our six strategic objectives:

  • Provide system-level leadership
  • Drive system strategy and performance
  • Be the Government’s primary advisor on health
  • Future-proof our health system 
  • Be the regulator of the health system 
  • Transform ourselves.

Disclaimer: The graph for Figure 10, ‘Percentage of kaimahi who believe te ao Māori perspectives are relevant to their work’, differs from the print version of the Te Aho o Te Kahu 2023/23 Annual Report. This was due to an error where the graph for Figure 9, ‘Explain kaupapa Māori concepts’, was duplicated for both Figure 9 and Figure 10.

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Strategic Intentions 2024–2028

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Summary

The Strategic Intentions 2024–2028 is how the Ministry informs Parliament and the public about:

  1. the strategic objectives that the Ministry intends to achieve or contribute to over the medium term
  2. what the Ministry intends to achieve with appropriations
  3. the nature and scope of the Ministry’s functions and operations to achieve or contribute to the strategic objectives.

There are three main sections.

  • Section one – introduction, including our purpose, functions and responsibilities, and our context
  • Section two – our strategic direction, which includes our strategic priorities and priority activities
  • Section three – how we operate as an organisation to achieve our strategic intentions. 

The document sets out the Ministry’s own strategic focus, functions and priorities aligned and contributing to, but distinct from those of the Government. 

The Ministry is responsible for reporting annually on progress against the Strategic Intentions 2024–2028 and what has been achieved with appropriations. Parliament sees information on performance reporting in the Ministry’s annual reports and information supporting the Estimates.

The Ministry’s Strategic Intentions 2024–2028 also includes the strategic intentions of Te Aho o Te Kahu – Cancer Control Agency. The agency is a departmental agency hosted by the Ministry and is operating within the Ministry’s strategic and policy framework.

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Health National Adaptation Plan 2024 – 2027

Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

Our climate is changing. These changes are affecting what we value most in our lives, including our health and wellbeing.

This first Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) is an important step towards placing health considerations at the forefront of the climate response of Aotearoa New Zealand. It sets the strategic direction and provides national-level priority actions for health-focused adaptation to climate change. 

The vision for the HNAP is ‘to protect the health and wellbeing of people and communities from the effects of climate change to achieve pae ora – healthy futures for all New Zealanders’. The aim of this deliberately broad scope is to ensure the health system can provide climate-resilient health services, while also addressing the broader direct and indirect effects of climate change on the health of communities, including those effects that sectors outside the health system contribute to.

The Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora has developed the HNAP as an action arising from New Zealand’s first National Adaptation Plan. The HNAP also reflects the health system’s own mandate to respond to climate change, most recently reiterated in the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Health 2024 – 2027.   

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Health warning of extreme risk for Lake Rotoroa (Hamilton Lake) lifted, though a health warning remains in place

Source: Waikato District Health Board

The Public Health warning of extreme risk for Lake Rotorua issued on 19th July 2024 has now been lifted. This is due to significant reductions in the concentration of cyanobacterial biovolumes, which earlier prompted the increased level of risk and vigilance. Please note a health warning still remains in place at Lake Rotoroa (Hamilton Lake), as cyanobacterial levels continue to be above the warning levels.

Lakes Hakanoa, Waikare, Rotokauri, Whangape and Kainui also continue to have a cyanobacterial health warning in place.

Dr Richard Vipond, Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Medical Officer of Health for Waikato recommends that where cyanobacteria health warnings are in place, lakes should not be used for any activity that involves skin contact with the affected water.

“Swallowing water from lakes affected by blooms should also be avoided,” said Dr Vipond.

“Cyanobacteria can release toxins which can trigger asthma and hayfever symptoms, and can cause skin rashes, stomach upsets, and in some cases neurological effects such as tingling around the mouth, headaches, breathing difficulties and visual problems.

“These symptoms may not appear until some time after contact with the affected water.

“Scums are a particular risk because they contain a high level of toxins.  If contact with scum does occur, skin should be rinsed clean and clothing changed as soon as possible. This warning is particularly important for children.

“If people do come into contact with the lake when warnings are in place, or any other lake where there are visible changes to water colour, they should shower and change their clothing as soon as possible afterwards, even if no symptoms are noticeable,” he said.

Dog owners should prevent their dogs from drinking or swimming in the water, as dogs are particularly sensitive to cyanobacteria.

Up-to-date information on cyanobacterial cell counts is available by visiting the Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website at https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/waikato-region/

National Public Health Service – Waikato would like to be informed about health problems that develop after exposure to any of the lakes with health warnings in place. Please contact on (07) 838 2569.