Refugee Mental Health Services Utilization in New Zealand Differing from General Population

A recent study published in BMC Health Services Research has investigated the utilization rates of specialist mental health and addiction services among different refugee groups in New Zealand, compared to the general population. The research used linked data from the Integrated Data Infrastructure at Statistics NZ and identified 23,709 individuals with an asylum seeker or refugee visa who stayed in New Zealand for at least six months. The study found that asylum seekers, family, and convention refugees were less likely to utilize mental health services than quota refugees, while females and those living in more deprived neighborhoods were more likely to use these services.

Key Takeaways:

• Asylum seekers, family, and convention refugees were less likely to utilize mental health services than quota refugees.
• The use of mental health services differed between refugee groups, with quota refugees being more likely to utilize services from non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
• Women and those living in more deprived neighborhoods were more likely to use mental health services.
• Quota refugees' primary source of mental health service use was NGOs, whereas for other refugee sub-groups, it was District Health Boards.
• The study highlights the need for improved early service accessibility for all refugee sub-groups.

Statistics:

• 23,709 individuals with an asylum seeker or refugee visa stayed in New Zealand for at least six months.
• Asylum seekers, family, and convention refugees were less likely to utilize mental health services (HR = 0.82, 0.54, and 0.71, respectively).
• Women were more likely to use mental health services than males (OR = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.35, 1.59).
• Those living in more deprived neighborhoods were more likely to use mental health services (OR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.18, 1.38).

Sources:

• BMC Health Services Research
• Utilisation of specialist mental health and addiction services in New Zealand: a comparative analysis of refugees with the general population (BMC Health Services Research, 2025;25(1):1308)
• Barry Milne, Faculty of Arts and Education, COMPASS, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
• NewsRx. Researchers from University of Auckland Report Findings in Mental Health Diseases and Conditions (Utilisation of specialist mental health and addiction services in New Zealand: a comparative analysis of refugees with the general population). Mental Health Weekly Digest. October 20, 2025; p 985.