Subjective Wellbeing

The figure shows that survey respondents living in Selwyn District have generally had the highest WHO-5 mean scores across the time-series from 2013 to 2018. While the WHO-5 mean scores for Selwyn and Waimakariri districts were statistically significantly higher than those for Christchurch City, from April 2013 to September 2015, there appears to have been convergence between the three districts’ WHO-5 Wellbeing Index mean scores since early 2016. In November 2022 the mean score for Christchurch City is stable at 14.8 (having dropped from 15.2 in June 2019).

The figure shows statistically similar WHO-5 Wellbeing Index mean scores for European respondents (14.8) and Māori respondents (14.3), in November 2022. The mean score for Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents (15.6) was statistically significantly higher than for European respondents in November 2020 but not 2022. While the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index mean scores were generally lower for Māori respondents compared with European and Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents from 2013 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, the majority of these differences were not statistically significant.

The figure shows a pattern of generally similar WHO-5 Wellbeing Index mean scores for the age groups 18 to 24 years, 25 to 34 years, 35 to 49 years, and 50 to 64 years, over the period 2013 to 2022. For the 65 to 74 years, and 75 and over age group, a different pattern is seen. Both of these older age groups have had higher mean WHO-5 scores than all other age groups since 2017. For respondents aged 65 to 74 years, the difference in mean WHO-5 scores is statistically significant (compared with the three youngest age groups) for all years since 2017, and for those aged 75+ years, since 2018.

The figure shows a pattern of higher WHO-5 Wellbeing Index mean scores for male respondents compared with female respondents, over the period from 2012 to 2020 (statistically significant differences are evident at the 09/2013, 09/2014, 09/2016, 06/2017, 06/2019, and 11/2022 time-points).

The figure shows a positive relationship between income and emotional wellbeing (WHO-5 Wellbeing Index mean scores) for greater Christchurch, with higher income groups having higher emotional wellbeing. The differences shown between the highest income group ($100,000+ annual household income) and the lowest income group (<$30,000) have been statistically significant at all time-points (for 2022, mean WHO-5 scores 15.2 and 13.8, respectively). The differences between the middle-income groups are not statistically significant.

The figure shows that respondents with a disability or long-term health condition, had statistically significantly lower WHO-5 Wellbeing Index mean scores compared with respondents without a disability or long-term health condition, across the time-series from 2013 to 2022. The difference between those with and those without a disability or long-term health condition is both substantial and statistically significant throughout the time-series. Mean WHO-5 scores are consistently lower for the younger group with a disability or long-term health condition, compared to the older group, a difference that is statistically significant at a number of time-points. Between 2018 and 2022 the mean raw WHO-5 score for people with a disability or long-term health condition aged 65 years and over decreased from 14.8 to 13.6, however this change was not statistically significant.