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Wellbeing in Two Nova Scotia Communities

Explore the contrasting wellbeing statuses in Glace Bay and Kings County in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Analyze economic security, life satisfaction, stress levels, health status, chronic diseases, risk factors, preventive care benefits, mental health, and ecological attitudes in these communities.

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Wellbeing in Two Nova Scotia Communities

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  1. Wellbeing in Two Nova Scotia Communities Halifax June 2008 Mike Pennock Martha Pennock Ron Colman

  2. 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

  3. Glace Bay Older industrial area Mining and primary industries History of economic instability Kings County Diversified economy Agriculture Manufacturing Government Economic Stability Contrasting Communities

  4. Glace Bay respondents had higher rate of unemployment and lower incomes Kings had higher proportion married Samples

  5. Economic Security

  6. Life-Satisfaction

  7. Potential for Improved Satisfaction

  8. Percent Reporting They Are Very Satisfied With Life

  9. Importance of Own Values

  10. Importance of Core Values

  11. Factor Analysis of Values Scales • Social factor (family life, friendship, generosity, spiritual) • Materialistic factor (material wealth, financial security, career, pleasure) • Factor scores

  12. Values and Life Satisfaction

  13. Distribution of Material Value Scores

  14. Self-Reported Stress

  15. Stress by Activity

  16. Kings Too many demands Too many hours Insufficient autonomy Interpersonal conflict Glace Bay Too few hours Risk Fear of layoffs Sources of Stress

  17. Stress and Employment • More two-income families in Kings • 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

  18. Stress and Household Income

  19. Percentage of workers willing to trade all or part of a future pay increase for shorter work hours

  20. Health Status • No significant difference in self-reported health status • GB had higher rate of disabling pain • May be attributable to higher rates of arthritis/rheumatism and back problems • Strong relationship to income in both communities

  21. Query • If health status is income related and Glace bay has a much higher proportion of low income respondents, why isn’t their overall health status lower than Kings?

  22. Very good to excellent health

  23. Health Status and Income • Higher rates across most income groups in Glace Bay • As a result, overall rates are equivalent despite the higher rates of low-income in Glace Bay and relationship between health and income

  24. Chronic Disease • Glace Bay had higher rates on a number of diseases after controlling for differences in age of the populations- high blood pressure (though not heart disease), bronchitis/emphysema, sinusitis, cancer, ulcers, diabetes and glaucoma. • Kings higher rate of allergies- food and non-food

  25. Risk Factors • No difference in obesity or sedentary lifestyles although Kings more likely to be physically active in leisure • Glace Bay has significantly higher current smoke rate but lower ever-smoked rate • Quit rate much higher in Kings County

  26. Preventive Care

  27. Benefits

  28. Benefits • Part-time workers were less than half as likely to have most benefits • Very strong relationship with income • Particularly strong in Glace Bay- less than 5% of lowest income (-$20,000) have benefits (12% to 30% in Kings)

  29. Mental Health

  30. Depressed feelings associated with child risk factors

  31. Decision Control

  32. Spirituality • Glace Bay had higher rates of self-reported spirituality and church attendance

  33. Social Support

  34. Voluntary

  35. Crime and Security Glace Bay reported higher levels of fear and concerns about crime despite being half as likely to have been victimized or to know someone who has been victimized.

  36. Understanding the ecological footprint

  37. Household income $/year Average Number of Vehicles per Household Average Kms./ Vehicle/ Year Household Kms Per Year Average Individual Commuting Distance to Work for all commuting members of the household -20,000 1.0 17,777 13,772 14.4 20,000 to 34,999 1.4 19,268 22,629 12.9 35,000 to 49,999 1.5 20,861 27,530 16.4 50,000 to 69,999 1.8 20,966 34,665 14.4 70,000+ 2.0 22,600 40,384 15.9 Total 1.6 20,853 28,916 15.1

  38. Ecological Attitudes • Large majority (80%+) believe their way of life produces too much waste and “most of us” consume more than we need • Two-thirds believed they could consume less if they chose • Stronger in Kings and among high income (81% could consume less)

  39. CONCLUSIONS

  40. Levels of wellbeing similar? • No significant difference in life-satisfaction between GB and Kings • But GB more likely to believe that their life-satisfaction could be improved by improved material circumstances • Therefore- more materialistic values

  41. 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?

  42. 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

  43. 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”

  44. Kings Higher 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 Stresses reflect local realities

  45. Value Alienation? Large majority of respondents in both communities believe they are socially motivated individuals living in a materialistic society.

  46. Wellbeing and Values • Positive social values intrinsically related positive wellbeing while materialistic values were not • Consistent with growing research literature

  47. Health Status • Similar in self-rated health • GB has more self-reported health problems • Similar in risk factors except GB higher smoking rates • Due to lower quit rates

  48. Health Status and Income • Higher levels of self-rated health in Glace Bay after controlling for income differences • Overall ratings are similar, despite differences in income distribution

  49. Mental Health • Similar rates in GB and Kings • Highest rates of problems among females, young people and low income

  50. Social Capital • GB higher rates of spirituality and social support • GB less likely to volunteer (formally or informally) • GB higher rate of fear of crime despite lower victimization

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