Health and happiness: cross-sectional household surveys in Finland, Poland and Spain

Marta Miret, Francisco Félix Caballero, Somnath Chatterji, Beatriz Olaya, Beata Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Seppo Koskinen, Matilde Leonardi, Josep Maria Haro, José Luis Ayuso-Mateos, Marta Miret, Francisco Félix Caballero, Somnath Chatterji, Beatriz Olaya, Beata Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Seppo Koskinen, Matilde Leonardi, Josep Maria Haro, José Luis Ayuso-Mateos

Abstract

Objective: To explore the associations between health and how people evaluate and experience their lives.

Methods: We analysed data from nationally-representative household surveys originally conducted in 2011-2012 in Finland, Poland and Spain. These surveys provided information on 10 800 adults, for whom experienced well-being was measured using the Day Reconstruction Method and evaluative well-being was measured with the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale. Health status was assessed by questions in eight domains including mobility and self-care. We used multiple linear regression, structural equation models and multiple indicators/multiple causes models to explore factors associated with experienced and evaluative well-being.

Findings: The multiple indicator/multiple causes model conducted over the pooled sample showed that respondents with younger age (effect size, β = 0.19), with higher levels of education (β = -0.12), a history of depression (β = -0.17), poor health status (β = 0.29) or poor cognitive functioning (β = 0.09) reported worse experienced well-being. Additional factors associated with worse evaluative well-being were male sex (β = -0.03), not living with a partner (β = 0.07), and lower occupational (β = -0.07) or income levels (β = 0.08). Health status was the factor most strongly correlated with both experienced and evaluative well-being, even after controlling for a history of depression, age, income and other sociodemographic variables.

Conclusion: Health status is an important correlate of well-being. Therefore, strategies to improve population health would also improve people's well-being.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Multiple indicators/multiple causes model of relationship between health status and experienced well-being, Finland, Poland and Spain, 2011–2012
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Multiple indicators/multiple causes model of relationship between health status and experienced well-being, by country, Finland, Poland and Spain, 2011–2012

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