To explore the associations between health and how people evaluate and experience their lives.
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.
The multiple indicator/multiple causes model conducted over the pooled sample showed that respondents with younger age (effect size, ß?=?0.19), with higher levels of education (ß?=?-0.12), a history of depression (ß?=?-0.17), poor health status (ß?=?0.29) or poor cognitive functioning (ß?=?0.09) reported worse experienced well-being. Additional factors associated with worse evaluative well-being were male sex (ß?=?-0.03), not living with a partner (ß?=?0.07), and lower occupational (ß?=?-0.07) or income levels (ß?=?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.
Health status is an important correlate of well-being. Therefore, strategies to improve population health would also improve people's well-being.
Notes
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