Understandings of well-being: Implications for public policy

Joanne Wilson & Lindsay Prior

School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work,

Queen’s University Belfast

jwilson09@qub.ac.uk or joanne.wilson@publichealth.ie

l.prior@qub.ac.uk

QUB-Stormont exchange seminar Series, 5th July 2012

Overview

Context

What is well-being? The individual versus the common good

Reporting well-being: Facts and figures

Well-being in policy

A well-being framework: Future directions

Context: Well-being requires work

Context: From antiquity and beyond

‘Somewhere between Plato and Prozac, happiness stopped being a lofty achievement

and became an entitlement’

(Schoch, 2007, p.1)

Context: A quick fix?

Context: Life satisfaction and GDP

Context: The call for subjective indicators

Report by the

CMEPSP

National accounts of well-being

Well-being matters

Context: Gross national happiness

‘The essence of the philosophy of Gross National Happiness is the peace and happiness of our people and the security and sovereignty

of the nation’

What is well-being?

Medicine = positive state of health; defined in terms of physical functioning

Economics = position of wealth; defined in terms of GDP, preference realisation, utility

Psychology = positive state of being; defined in terms of cognitions, affectivity

What is well-being?

1) A state: a person’s current state of being e.g. healthy, happy

2) A process: an evaluation of either being well or being ill

3) An outcome: a product of how we feel at a given point in time

What is well-being?

Figure 2: Conceptual map

of well-being

The individual good

Hedonic perspectives: BenthamUtilitarianGreatest happiness and life satisfaction for majority

Eudaimonic perspectives:AristotleFlourishingPurpose and meaning

The individual good

‘… what is true for the individual is not true for the society as a whole’

(Easterlin, 1973)

The common good

Well-being can not be understood by reference to individuals alone

Considers those processes and structures which impact on the common good and measured using indices of inequality, environmental degradation

Capabilities approach:

- role of public institutions

- importance of rights and values

What is well-being?

‘Well-being is a positive physical, social and mental state. It requires that basic needs are met, that individuals have a sense of purpose, that they feel able to live the lives they value

and have reason to value’

(NESC, 2009)

Reporting well-being: Facts and figures

DemographicsTotal population: 1.799.4 million

Population change since 1995: 139,800 (7.8%)

2009/10 lone parents increased from 11% to 28%

Fiscal circumstancesTotal working age population:1.109.1 million (61.1%)

801,000 in employment; 6.7% unemployed

In 2011, both GVA in NI and UK annual GDP 0.8%

Reporting well-being: Facts and figures

Reporting well-being: Facts and figures

Relationships Marriages increased 5.1% since 1995 Divorces increased 11.5% since 1995

Health Life expectancy 2006-08 males (76.4) and

females (81.3) 289 suicides in 2011 18.3% increase in drug and alcohol related

deaths (2001-2011)

Reporting well-being: Facts and figures

Environment: 76% households concerned

Internet 67% households own a house and a computer Broadband access highest in the least deprived

areas

Trust 62% NICS 2010/11 believe crime increased Greater fear of crime than England and Wales

Reporting well-being: Facts and figures

Northern Ireland

Life satisfaction 7.6/10

Worthwhile 7.8/10

Happy yesterday 7.5/10

Anxious yesterday 3.2/10

Source: Annual population survey (APS) – ONS

Well-being in policy

Individual good Insight as to how people feel their lives are goingAvoids paternalism What individuals want and need to improve their well-being

‘faulty perceptions’

Well-being in policy

Individual bad Promotes individual good at expense of

common good Ignores structures and processes Measurement issues (mood, timing, question

order & wording)

Well-being in policy

Common good Shows that there are common goods to be

shared Emphasises structures and processes Emphasises interdependence between

individual agency and social structures

Well-being in policy

Common bad Some conceptualisations still individualistic Ideological, difficult to define, measure and

monitor Need to consider the unit of the common good

which impacts differentially on individuals

Institutions

A well-being framework: Future directions

Intrapersonal

Interpersonal

NESC (2009). Well-being matters. A social report for

Ireland

A well-being framework: Future directions

A well-being framework: Future directions

Individual good:

1. Adequate income

2. Meaningful activity

3. ‘Nudge’ – choice architecture

4. Work-life balance

5. Affordable facilities for recreation

6. Support for independent living

A well-being framework: Future directions

Common good:

1. Sustainable development

2. Equal distribution of income

3. Participation rate

4. Viable education system

5. Affordable health care system

6. Occupancy rates

7. Cooperative economy

8. Trade unions

Thank you

Questions?