Youth2000 national youth health and wellbeing survey series: overview and methods

The Youth2000 surveys collect information from large representative samples of New Zealand secondary school students about a wide range of things that contribute to young people's health and wellbeing, including ethnicity and culture, physical health, food and activities, substance use, sexual health, injuries and violence, home and family health, school achievement and participation, neighbourhood environment, spirituality and access to healthcare. Using this comprehensive questionnaire, the AHRG can take an ecological approach to identifying the risks and protective factors in young people's lives.

We have a very wide range of publications, reports and infographics about young people's lives in New Zealand.

Youth19 builds on this data and adds new research questions. For the latest publications, visit the Youth19 website.

How are schools and students chosen to participate?

The AHRG follows a well-established methodology to gather representative and accurate information. We invite a randomly selected sample of secondary schools to take part. In 2007 and 2019 we also included wharekura in our school samples. From each school that consents to take part, we invite a randomly selected sample of year 9-13 students to participate.

In 2001, 2007 and 2012 we surveyed 8,500 students from throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand. In 2019 we surveyed 7,721 students from the greater Waikato, Auckland and Northland regions.

Click here for more detailed information about the survey sampling and methodology.

How was the survey done and what topics did the survey cover?

Students use small handheld computers or tablets to answer survey questions in Te Reo Māori or English. They can read questions off the screen and/or hear them read aloud through headphones and answer by selecting the appropriate box on the screen.

Our surveys ask a wide range of questions that affect the lives of youth, including questions about their whānau/homes, schools, communities and their personal behaviours and feelings. Questions are private and anonymous. Students were not asked about sensitive topics that do not apply to them. For example, all students are asked if they have ever smoked a cigarette, but only those who answer ‘yes’ are asked further questions about smoking (those who answer ‘no’ skip to the next topic). This means that students were not asked detailed questions about things outside their direct experience.

Has the survey been done with other youth not in secondary schools?

We have also conducted the Youth2000 survey with young people in alternative education and teen parent units. In 2019 we also included some young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).