What Are Health Fact Sheets and Where Can You Find Trusted Ones in New Zealand?

Updated

A health fact sheet is a short, plain-language summary of one health topic — a condition, medicine, test or self-care step — written for patients and whānau rather than clinicians. In New Zealand, the most direct starting point is Healthify (healthify.nz), a registered charity that describes itself as "Aotearoa New Zealand's trusted, independent home for health, medicines and wellbeing topics, self-care resources and tools." Use a fact sheet when you need a quick, reliable overview; go to a full article, your GP or a clinical guideline when you need diagnosis or treatment decisions.

What a fact sheet is — and what it isn't

Format Purpose Typical length Who it's for
Health fact sheet Quick overview of one topic, key actions, when to get help 1–3 pages Patients, whānau, caregivers
Full health article Explains mechanisms, options and context in depth Several pages People researching a topic
Clinical guideline Sets standards for diagnosis and treatment Long, technical Health professionals

A fact sheet should tell you what the condition or medicine is, what to do next, and when to seek help. It should not replace a consultation — it gives you enough grounding to ask better questions.

What makes a fact sheet trustworthy

Check these before you rely on one:

  • Independent source. Look for a publisher that isn't selling you a product or treatment. Healthify states it is a registered charity, which is a useful signal of independence.
  • Local relevance. New Zealand fact sheets reflect NZ medicine names, funding rules, helplines and health services. Overseas sheets may describe drugs or pathways that don't apply here.
  • Review and update dates. Healthify's homepage highlights "new and updated topics" (for example, an updated long COVID topic), which shows the site maintains its content. A sheet with no date, or one several years old, deserves more caution.
  • Named author or reviewer and references. Good sheets say who wrote or reviewed them and where the evidence comes from.
  • Plain-language fit. If you can't understand it, it isn't doing its job — look for a simpler version or a translated resource.

Where to find trusted NZ fact sheets

Healthify (healthify.nz) is the main entry point. Its homepage organises content into:

  • Health A-Z — conditions and symptoms
  • Medicines A-Z — medicine information
  • Quick links — including "Find healthcare in a hurry," hundreds of health and wellbeing videos, a healthcare provider section, FAQs, newsletters and the ability to order printed Healthify resources
  • Featured topics — such as long COVID, hearing tests for babies, panic disorder, and alcohol harm reduction (Ngā Pou Oranga)

Healthify also hosts practical, action-oriented resources beyond standard fact sheets, including free St John CPR and defibrillator sessions and a free online gout mini-course available in te reo Māori, Gagana Sāmoa and lea faka-Tonga. If you want Healthify to appear first in your search results, the site offers an option to add it as a preferred source.

Other places to check: your GP practice's website and patient portal, Te Whatu Ora / Health New Zealand public resources, Pharmac for medicine funding information, and condition-specific charities (for example, gout or Parkinson's support organisations). Healthify's provider section and resource-ordering service are useful if you want printed sheets for whānau or a community group.

How to check a fact sheet fits your situation

Before acting on a sheet, run through these questions:

  1. Is it about my exact issue? A sheet on "gout" may not cover your specific medicine or flare-up pattern.
  2. Is it current? Check the update date against when guidance may have changed.
  3. Does it match NZ practice? Confirm medicine names, funding and helplines are NZ-specific.
  4. Is it written for me? Look for a version in your language or a simpler format — Healthify offers some topics in te reo Māori, Gagana Sāmoa and lea faka-Tonga.
  5. Does it tell me when to seek help? A trustworthy sheet is clear about red flags and next steps.

Putting fact sheets to work

  • For self-care: follow the sheet's practical steps and note the "when to get help" section so you know your limits.
  • For appointments: bring the sheet or note its key points, and use it to frame questions ("The fact sheet says X — does that apply to me?").
  • For whānau: share printed or digital sheets — Healthify lets you order resources, which suits community groups and households supporting someone with a condition.
  • For learning skills: pair reading with action, such as booking a free CPR session or starting the gout mini-course.

If a fact sheet raises something urgent — chest pain, severe breathlessness, sudden weakness — don't wait on reading. Contact emergency services or your GP immediately.