{"title":"Subjective Well-Being Population Norms and Inequalities in Hungary: A Large Cross-Sectional, Internet-Based Survey","authors":"Thao T.P. Nguyen MD, MSc , Fanni Rencz MD, PhD , Valentin Brodszky MD, PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.jval.2024.04.005","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><p>This study aimed to provide subjective well-being (SWB) population norms in Hungary and explore the contribution of explanatory factors of SWB inequality among the Hungarian adult general population.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>The data originated from a large representative internet-based cross-sectional survey in Hungary, which was conducted in 2020. We applied validated multi-item instruments for measuring SWB, namely Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Multiple linear regressions were used to examine the relationship between demographic-socioeconomic-health status and both well-being instruments. The concentration index (CI) was used to measure the degree of income-related inequality in well-being.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>A total of 2001 respondents were enrolled with the means ± SD WHO-5 scores and SWLS scores of 0.51 ± 0.21 and 0.51 ± 0.23, respectively. Higher household income, higher educational level, better general health status, and absence of chronic morbidity were significant positive predictors for both WHO-5 and SWLS scores. The CI of WHO-5 scores was lower than that of SWLS scores in the total sample (0.0480 vs 0.0861) and in subgroups by gender (male, 0.0584 vs 0.1035; female, 0.0302 vs 0.0726). The positive CI values implied a slight pro-rich SWB inequality in this population. The regression analyses showed a positive association of SWB with having a higher household income and a better general health status.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>This is the first representative study in Hungary to compare population norm of 2 well-being instruments and analyze well-being inequality. Slight pro-rich inequality was found consistently with both SWB measures. Our findings support the need for health and social policies that effectively tackle inequalities in Hungary.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":23508,"journal":{"name":"Value in Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Value in Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1098301524023374","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives
This study aimed to provide subjective well-being (SWB) population norms in Hungary and explore the contribution of explanatory factors of SWB inequality among the Hungarian adult general population.
Methods
The data originated from a large representative internet-based cross-sectional survey in Hungary, which was conducted in 2020. We applied validated multi-item instruments for measuring SWB, namely Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Multiple linear regressions were used to examine the relationship between demographic-socioeconomic-health status and both well-being instruments. The concentration index (CI) was used to measure the degree of income-related inequality in well-being.
Results
A total of 2001 respondents were enrolled with the means ± SD WHO-5 scores and SWLS scores of 0.51 ± 0.21 and 0.51 ± 0.23, respectively. Higher household income, higher educational level, better general health status, and absence of chronic morbidity were significant positive predictors for both WHO-5 and SWLS scores. The CI of WHO-5 scores was lower than that of SWLS scores in the total sample (0.0480 vs 0.0861) and in subgroups by gender (male, 0.0584 vs 0.1035; female, 0.0302 vs 0.0726). The positive CI values implied a slight pro-rich SWB inequality in this population. The regression analyses showed a positive association of SWB with having a higher household income and a better general health status.
Conclusions
This is the first representative study in Hungary to compare population norm of 2 well-being instruments and analyze well-being inequality. Slight pro-rich inequality was found consistently with both SWB measures. Our findings support the need for health and social policies that effectively tackle inequalities in Hungary.
期刊介绍:
Value in Health contains original research articles for pharmacoeconomics, health economics, and outcomes research (clinical, economic, and patient-reported outcomes/preference-based research), as well as conceptual and health policy articles that provide valuable information for health care decision-makers as well as the research community. As the official journal of ISPOR, Value in Health provides a forum for researchers, as well as health care decision-makers to translate outcomes research into health care decisions.