wellbeing in two nova scotia communities
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Wellbeing in Two Nova Scotia Communities. CPHA June 2008 Mike Pennock Martha Pennock Ronald Colman GPI Atlantic. GPI Community Surveys. 2002/2003 Glace Bay (1,708) Kings County (1,898) Wellbeing in two contrasting communities in same political jurisdiction Wide range of variables. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Wellbeing in Two Nova Scotia Communities
CPHAJune 2008Mike PennockMartha PennockRonald ColmanGPI Atlantic
GPI Community Surveys 2002/2003 Glace Bay (1,708) Kings County (1,898) Wellbeing in two contrasting
communities in same political jurisdiction
Wide range of variables
Contrasting Communities
Glace Bay Older industrial
area Mining and
primary industries History of
economic instability
Kings County Diversified
economy Agriculture Manufacturing Government Economic Stability
Economic DeterminantsGlace-Bay Kings
Unemployment 26.4 12.7
Part-time 16.6 15.4
Discouraged 40.9 16.3
Long-term 62.3 52.5
Multiple Jobs 5.1 11.0
% Households <$20,000
28 14
Life-Satisfaction
GB Kings Chi-Sqaure
Very Satisfied
40.3 39.4 2.24df=2P<.32Somewhat
Satisfied50.3 53.41
Dissatisfied 9.3 8.2
Potential for Improved Satisfaction
% who would be more satisfied if:
Glace Bay Kings p
More time with family and friends
29.1 23.2 P<.001
Less stress 39.0 31.2 P<.001
Make a difference to community
11.7 8.7 P<.001
More money 24.7 14.5 P<.001
More Possessions 8.7 3.3 P<.001
Financially secure 38.8 25.5 P<.001
Wellbeing Despite pronounced economic
differences Glace Bay and Kings respondents equally satisfied with life
But Glace Bay felt there was more room for improvement
Importance of Core Values
% rating 8+ on 10 pt. scale Self Others p
Family 94.9 55.9 P<.000
Responsibility 93.3 50.8 P<.000
Freedom 88.4 80.6 P<.000
Friendship 87.3 54.2 P<.000
Financial Security 76.3 76.9 NS
Generosity 75.8 36.6 P<.000
Pleasure 69.6 76.1 P<.000
Spiritual 59.5 29.4 P<.000
Career Success 62.8 92.4 P<.000
Material Wealth 27.4 67.8 P<.000
Importance of Own Values% rating 8+ on 10 pt. scale GB Kings p
Family 95.2 94.4 NS
Responsibility 93.2 93.2 NS
Freedom 87.5 89.1 NS
Friendship 88.4 86.4 NS
Financial Security 80.6 72.4 P<.000
Generosity 78.4 73.4 P<.000
Pleasure 70.8 68.6 NS
Spiritual 67.2 52.5 P<.000
Career Success 68 58.3 P<.000
Material Wealth 32.4 22.8 P<.000
Factor Analysis of Values Scales Social factor (family life, friendship,
generosity, spiritual) Materialistic factor (material wealth,
financial security, career, pleasure) Factor scores
Values and Life Satisfaction
% Describing Self as Very Satisfied With Life
Quartile Value Score
Low Score on Value Factor
2 3 High Score on Value Factor
Social Values
30.1 36.2 45.4 46.5 P<.000
Material Values
38.6 37.4 38.7 43.4 ns
Distribution of Material value Scores
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
% respondents
Low 2 3 High
GBKings
Wellbeing and Values Majority in both communities
reported that they were motivated by pro-social values but living in a materialistic society
Pro-social values associated with higher levels of life-satisfaction
Glace Bay slightly more materialistic
Self-Reported Stress
05
101520253035404550
Very Somewhat Not very Not At All
GBKings
Sources of Stress
Kings Too many
demands Too many hours Insufficient
autonomy Interpersonal
conflict
Glace Bay Too few hours Risk Fear of layoffs
Activity and Stress
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Employed Unemployed Students Homemakers Retired
GBKings
Stress and Employment More two-income families in Kings
(contributes to higher incomes) Two-income families much more highly
stressed than one income families Two income families on Kings more highly
stressed than in Glace Bay No differences between one-income
families
Stress and household income
010203040506070
-20
20-
34,999
35-
49,999
50-
69,999
70,000+
GBKings
The Downside of Success
Greater prosperity and financial security of Kings comes at a cost with respect to higher levels of stress.
Wellbeing is more inequitable in Glace Bay
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Glace Bay Kings
Glace Bay 25.5 43 35.4 50.2 57.8
Kings 33.2 36.5 34.4 39.3 49.3
-20,00020-
34,99935-
49,99950-
69,99970,000
% Very Satisfed
Wellbeing and Economy No significant difference in life-
satisfaction between GB and Kings, despite differences in income and economic security
But GB more likely to believe that there life-satisfaction could be improved by improved material circumstances
Therefore- more materialistic values
Great Expectations
Already have rates of life-satisfaction that are similar to Kings
Yet they expect a greater increase from improved determinants
Does GB expect more from income gains than can be delivered?
Example of “focusing illusion”
“When people consider the impact of any single factor on their wellbeing- not only income- they are prone to exaggerate its importance. We refer to this tendency as the focusing illusion… Despite the weak relation between income and global life satisfaction or experienced happiness, many people are highly motivated to increase their income.”
Daniel Kahneman- Economist, Princeton University
Daniel Gilbert: Stumbling on Happiness (2006)
“Economies thrive when individuals strive, but because individuals will only strive for their own happiness, it is essential that they mistakenly believe that producing and consuming are routes to personal wellbeing”
Higher Inequities in Glace Bay Is the greater emphasis on material
values in Glace Bay linked to the greater reported inequities- High income GB are more satisfied and
low income are less satisfied than their counterparts in Kings
Stresses reflect local realities
KingsHigher stress• Too much work• Two-income families
(more of them and more highly stressed than GB)
• 25% would trade increases for less time
• Unemployment more stressful
Glace Bay• Too little work• Job insecurity• 14% would trade
increases for less time• Both employment and
unemployment are less stressful
Catch 22 Higher incomes in Kings are associated
with higher stress levels but their life-satisfaction is no higher than the lower income, less stressed Glace Bay residents
Less likely to expect improvements in life-satisfaction due to material improvements than Glace bay residents
“Been there, done that”
Value Alienation?
Large majority of respondents in both communities believe they are socially motivated individuals living in a materialistic society.
Wellbeing and Values Positive social values intrinsically
related to wellbeing while materialistic values are not
Consistent with growing research literature demonstrating that positive social action is associated with higher levels of wellbeing