The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: 2004 Update

1. The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: 2004 Update Robert A Cummins (Deakin University) Richard Eckersley (Australian National University) Erik Okerstrom (Australian Unity) Sing Kai Lo (University of Sydney) Melanie Davern (Deakin University) Bruce Hunter (Deakin University) Jacqui Woerner (Deakin University NB. Please view via ‘Notes page’. You can then progress through the document using your mouse wheel, Page Down key, or the double-headed arrow to the right of this frame.

2. Quality of Life Objective Conditions e.g. Medical Health Subjective Perceptions e.g. Satisfaction with health Objective vs subjective: r = N.S.

3. What is Subjective Wellbeing? A positive state of mind that involves the whole life experience

4. “How satisfied are you with your life as a whole?” • Standard of living • Health • Achieving • Relationships • Safety • Community connectedness • Future security Life Domains

5. How satisfied are you with your ----? [Jones and Thurstone ,1955] 11-point, end-defined scale Completely Dissatisfied Completely Satisfied Mixed

6. ‘Percentage of Scale Maximum’ %SM Converts Likert scale data to a standardized range from 0 - 100 Original values Standardized values

7. Frequency distribution for subjective QOL Frequency

8. Gold Standard for Subjective Wellbeing 75 ± 2.5%SM  Range: 70–80%SM

9. The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index • A new systematic measure of subjective wellbeing • An alternative to objective indicators – eg. GDP

10. The Australian Surveys Geographically representative sample N = 2,000 Telephone interview #1: April 2001 #2: September 2001 (immediately following September 11) ------------ #12: August 2004

11. So, what has been happening to the subjective wellbeing of Australians over the past 3.5 years?

12. Wellbeing in Australia Strength of satisfaction Major Events Preceding Survey Survey Date

13. Strength of satisfaction Major Events Preceding Survey September 11 Bali Bombing Survey Date

14. >S2, S4, S5 Strength of satisfaction Scores above this line are significantly higher than S1 Major Events Preceding Survey September 11 Bali Survey Date

15. Standard of living • Health • Productivity • Relationships • Safety • Community connectedness • Future security Satisfaction with---- Personal Wellbeing Index

16. >S2, S4, S5 Strength of satisfaction Scores above this line are significantly higher than S1 Major Events Preceding Survey September 11 Bali Pre- Post- Iraq Iraq Survey Date

17. >S2, S4, S5 Strength of satisfaction Scores above this line are significantly higher than S1 Major Events Preceding Survey September 11 Bali Pre- Post- Iraq Iraq Survey Date

18. >S2, S4, S5 Strength of satisfaction Scores above this line are significantly higher than S1 Major Events Preceding Survey September 11 Bali Pre- Post- Olympics Iraq Iraq Survey Date

19. >S11 >S2, S4, S5 Strength of satisfaction Scores above this line are significantly higher than S1 Major Events Preceding Survey September 11 Bali Pre- Post- Olympics Iraq Iraq Survey Date

20. How is subjective wellbeing held so constant? Subjective wellbeing Homeostasis

21. Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis • Like the internal management of body temperature and blood pressure • Our sense of satisfaction with our lives is also internally managed and held constant

22. Homeostasis can be defeated by: • Chronic pain (arthritis) • Chronic stress (carers) • Lack of intimacy • Living conditions (street-kids) • Incarceration (prisoners) • Poverty

23. High SWB ? Low Very Weak Very Strong Stress The Relationship Between Stress and SWB

24. DISTRESS High Threshold Low The Relationship Between Stress and SWB Dominant Source of SWB Control Homeostasis 75 SWB No stress High stress Stress Level of environmental challenge

25. Principle 1 • Subjective wellbeing is managed by a homeostatic system. This why its measurement is so reliable. • Therefore, there will be a non-linear relationship between any source of stress (ill health or physical incapacity) with how people feel about the overall quality of their life

26. 85 82.0 81.3 80 79.0 75.4 75.3 76.5 Normative Range Strength 75 of 73.3 74.5 73.2 74.2 72.4 74.1 70 (PWI) 69.2 65 60 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Degree of stress Degree of Stress: PWI satisfaction

27. Pain x Personal Wellbeing Index

28. Underweight Normal Overweight Obese Mild Moderate Severe Body Mass Index Body Mass Index

29. Specific Health Conditions x Personal Wellbeing Index

30. Principle 2 • It CAN NOT be assumed that people who have a chronic medical condition have low subjective wellbeing • Even self-reported medical symptoms are extremely poor indicators of how people feel about their lives generally

31. Homeostatic control is all about the balance between the degree of challenge and the level of personal resources Examples of External Resources Money Relationships

32. Income and the Personal Wellbeing Index(combined surveys)

33. Significant Increments in PWI Household Income

34. The cost of purchasing a percentage point of personal wellbeing 1,250,000 1,250,000 200,000

35. The Relative Influence of Household Income on the Personal Domains

36. Income x Age (combined data) Age Specific- Normative range

37. Income x Age (combined data) Age Specific- Normative range

38. Income x Age (combined data) Age Specific- Normative range

39. Income x Age (combined data) Age Specific- Normative range

40. Income x Age x Gender (combined data) Age Specific- Normative range Age

41. Income x Household Structure: Personal Wellbeing Index (combined Surveys 9-12)

42. Income x Household Structure: Personal Wellbeing Index (combined Surveys 9-12)

43. Income x Household Structure: Personal Wellbeing Index (combined Surveys 9-12)

44. Income x Household Structure: Personal Wellbeing Index (combined Surveys 9-12)

45. Income x Household Structure: Personal Wellbeing Index (combined Surveys 9-12)

46. Income x Relationship Status

47. Income x Relationship Status

48. Income x Relationship Status

49. Income x Relationship Status

50. Income x Relationship Status