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

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

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

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

Economic Security Glace-BayKings Unemployment Part-time Discouraged Long-term Multiple Jobs % Households <$20,

Life-Satisfaction GBKingsChi- Square Very Satisfied df=2 P<.32 Somewhat Satisfied Dissatisfied9.38.2

Potential for Improved Satisfaction % who would be more satisfied if: Glace BayKingsp More time with family and friends P<.001 Less stress P<.001 Make a difference to community P<.001 More money P<.001 More Possessions8.73.3P<.001 Financially secure P<.001

Percent Reporting They Are Very Satisfied With Life

Importance of Own Values % rating 8 to 10GBKingsp Family NS Responsibility93.2 NS Freedom NS Friendship NS Financial Security P<.000 Generosity P<.000 Pleasure NS Spiritual P<.000 Career Success6858.3P<.000 Material Wealth P<.000

Importance of Core Values % Rating 8-10SelfOthers Family Responsibility Freedom Friendship Financial Security Generosity Pleasure Spiritual Career Success Material Wealth

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

Values and Life Satisfaction % Describing Self as Very Satisfied With Life Quartile Value Score Low on Value Factor 23High on Value Factor Social Values P<.000 Material Values ns

Distribution of Material Value Scores

Self-Reported Stress

Stress by Activity

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

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

Stress and Household Income

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

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

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?

Very good to excellent health GB Kings

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

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

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

Preventive Care Blood Pressure PapsBreast Exam Mammogram GB Kings Appear low Kings higher across all income grps Kings very high

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)

Mental Health Glace BayKings 2+ symptoms22%21% Depressed feelings 16%13% Childhood risk factors 33% Higher in females, young and lower incomes

Depressed feelings associated with child risk factors

Decision Control

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

Social Support Glace BayKingsSignificant Count on in crisis No Advice Yes Loved Yes Close relative 1/week Yes Neighbour 1/week Yes

Voluntary Glace BayKingsSignificance Group or Organization Yes Not Group or Organization Yes Care-giving outside home 6.5 No Strongly associated with life-satisfaction

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.

Understanding the ecological footprint Nova ScotiaIncome Quintile Q1Q2Q3Q4Q5 Footprint

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, ,77713, ,000 to 34, ,26822, ,000 to 49, ,86127, ,000 to 69, ,96634, , ,60040, Total1.620,85328,

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)

CONCLUSIONS

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

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?

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

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”

Stresses reflect local realities 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Glace Bay High levels of wellbeing in GB, despite economic insecurities, probably due to strengths on other determinants- particularly spirituality and social support- and lower levels of stress and higher decision control But greater expectations from improved economic conditions

Kings County Higher income and economic security partially due to higher rate of two-income families- at the cost of higher rates of stress

Values and alienation Both see themselves as socially motivated but living in a materialistic society Positive social values associated with higher life-satisfaction Conflict between consumption and ecological attitudes

Surprises Higher fear of crime and lower rates of volunteerism in GB Both associated with community connectiveness