Publications

A key piece of work over the past two years for Te Hiringa Hauora has been the development of a Te Tiriti o Waitangi-aligned National Alcohol Harm Minimisation Framework. It is structured around the two pillars of policy change and culture change, with the aspiration of Aotearoa free from alcohol-related harm.   Download the Alcohol Harm Minimisation Framework below.

The Health and Lifestyles Survey (HLS) is a biennial monitor of the health behaviour and attitudes of New Zealand adults aged 16 years and over, first carried out in 2008.

In 2019/20, 1 in 5 New Zealanders (aged 15+) drank alcohol in ways that were especially harmful to their wellbeing or the wellbeing of others. There is strong evidence that lower alcohol prices lead to higher alcohol consumption, thereby increasing the risk of alcohol-related harm.

Individuals’ social norms, beliefs and attitudes towards a behaviour predict their intentions and behaviours. Several studies have found that smoking behaviour is greatly influenced by individuals’ perceptions of social norms about smoking. There is substantial evidence that the perceived smoking prevalence rate is a strong predictor for actual smoking behaviour among young people.

The relationship between alcohol and mental wellbeing is complicated. Not least because both exist on a spectrum, from the occasional glass of wine to alcohol dependence, and from low mood to severe mental distress.