New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study – HWR

The New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study (HWR) is a study of people aged 55 years and over who live in New Zealand.

The study aims to provide information on issues relevant to people in this age group such as:

• health
• work
• retirement
• housing.

This research provides New Zealand residents with the opportunity to share their experiences to help inform national and international discussions on these important issues.

Data collection

The research has employed six modes of data collection to assess health and wellbeing among older adults in New Zealand:

• a biennial health survey
• anonymised linkage to national health records
• anonymised linkage to ACC records
• in-depth qualitative interviews on a range of topics
• face to face and telephone interviews asking participants about events of the early, mid and later lives
• face to face cognitive health screens.

Other names

The New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study has also been known as:

• the New Zealand Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NZSLA) and the
• Independence Contribution Connection (ICC) study.

These projects have been led or co-led by the Health and Ageing Research Team (HART). They fall under the broader focus, resources and participant base of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study.

Read more about the Health and Ageing Research Team

Partners & advisers

Our Māori Advisory Group supports our inclusion and protection of data provided by Māori participants under te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Māori Advisory Group

Our Māori Advisory Group comes together during the planning phases of projects that have a focus on Māori populations in New Zealand.

The group provides the following:

• a forum for the discussion of key issues pertaining to project materials, methods and outputs that are relevant to Māori participants and older people as a whole
• advice on the cultural appropriateness of project outputs related to Maori peoples
• advice on the planning and operational elements of the project
• voluntary peer review of academic work explicitly analysing data from Māori participants.

Members are also kept informed about the dissemination of findings of HART projects.

Māori Advisory Group members

The Advisory Group is made up of the convener Mr Brendan Stevenson, Dr Natasha Tassell-Matamua and four community members, including representation by mana whenua.

• Brendan Stevenson - convener (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Pōrou) Senior Consultant, Allen + Clarke Consulting.
• Natasha Tassell-Matamua (Te Atiawa, Ngāti Makea ki Rarotonga) Associate Professor, Massey University.
• Roland Fitzgerald (Ngāti Pōrou, Rangitāne) Māori educator.
• John Waldon (Tuhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Pōrou) Māori Researcher.
• Ruma Karaitiana (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngai Tara, Kāi Tahu) Professional Director.
• Penny Poutu (Ngāti Maniapoto) Māori educator.