Social Capital
Emotional support
Emotional support refers to support from people in one’s social network in the form of love, caring, acceptance, sympathy, understanding, encouragement, and/or esteem or value [14]. Emotional support is commonly understood to be a part of the wider concept of social support (along with instrumental support or help with practical things; and advice on expert matters, typically from professionals). Easy access to emotional support (or support that is perceived to be readily available) [15] can have a positive influence on physical and psychological wellbeing [16-18]. These positive effects probably accrue via buffering stress and/or by influencing health-related behaviours [19,20]. Early social experiences tend to influence physical health and mental wellbeing across the lifespan, making emotional support a particularly important resource for young people [20] and for those experiencing life transitions [21].
This indicator presents the proportion of those aged 18 years and over who would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down or a bit depressed and wanted to talk with someone about it, as reported in the Canterbury Wellbeing Survey.
The figure shows the proportion of those aged 18 years and over who would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down, in greater Christchurch, as reported in the 2019, 2020, and 2022 Canterbury Wellbeing Surveys. The figure shows that in 2022, 14.8% of respondents indicated that they would find it hard or very hard to access emotional support in times of need. The increase from the 2020 result is statistically significant (12%, 2020 to 14.8% 2022).
The figure shows the proportion of those aged 18 years and over who would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down, in greater Christchurch, by ethnicity, in 2019, 2020, and 2022. The figure shows similar levels of emotional support (the proportion who would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down) for European, Māori, and Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents (14.6%, 12.5%, and 14.9%, respectively, in 2022).
The figure shows the proportion of those aged 18 years and over who would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down, for greater Christchurch, by age group, in 2019, 2020, and 2022. The figure shows a clear picture of greater difficulty accessing emotional support for young people aged 18 to 24 (a statistically significantly higher proportion reporting that they would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down, compared with the 65-74 years and 75 years and over age groups: 17.9%, 9.7%, and 5.5%, respectively, in 2020, with some convergence to non-significant differences in 2022). The data suggest that access to emotional support may generally improve over the life course (i.e., an age gradient: 18–24 years, 18.8%; 25–34 years, 16.6%; 35–49 years, 14.1%; 50–64 years, 13.7%; 65-74 years, 12.9%, and 75 years+,13.1% in 2022).
The figure shows the proportion of those aged 18 years and over who would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down, in greater Christchurch, by gender, in 2019, 2020, and 2022. The figure shows differing levels of emotional support (the proportion who would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down) for female and male respondents from 2020 (statistically significantly different in 2022; 12% and 17.2%, respectively).
The figure shows the proportion of respondents reporting that they would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down, by income group, in 2019, 2020, and 2022. The figure shows a general pattern of higher levels of difficulty in accessing emotional support in the lower income groups (<$30,000, 19.4%; $30,001-$60,000, 18%; $60,001-$100,000, 13.3%; $100,000+ group, 13.1%, in 2022). The difference between the lowest income group and the highest income group was statistically significant in 2019 and 2020 but not in 2022.
The figure shows statistically significantly higher proportions of respondents who would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone if they were feeling down, for those aged under 65 years with a long-term health condition or disability, compared with those without a long-term health condition or disability, in greater Christchurch, 2019, 2020, and 2022 (21.2% and 13.4%, respectively, in 2022). Respondents with a long-term health condition or disability who were aged 65 years and over, had a similar proportion indicating they would find it hard or very hard to talk to someone, compared with the under-65 years disability group and those without a long-term health condition or disability, in greater Christchurch, in 2022 (19%, in 2020).
Data Sources
Source: Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury - formerly the Canterbury District Health Board.
Survey/data set: Canterbury Wellbeing Survey 2022. Access publicly available data from Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health website www.cph.co.nz/your-health/wellbeing-survey/
Source data frequency: Annually.