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

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

5. Economic Security Glace-BayKings Unemployment26.412.7 Part-time16.615.4 Discouraged40.916.3 Long-term62.352.5 Multiple Jobs5.111.0 % Households <$20,000 2814

6. Life-Satisfaction GBKingsChi- Square Very Satisfied 40.339.42.24 df=2 P<.32 Somewhat Satisfied 50.353.4 Dissatisfied9.38.2

7. Potential for Improved Satisfaction % who would be more satisfied if: Glace BayKingsp More time with family and friends 29.123.2P<.001 Less stress39.031.2P<.001 Make a difference to community 11.78.7P<.001 More money24.714.5P<.001 More Possessions8.73.3P<.001 Financially secure38.825.5P<.001

8. Percent Reporting They Are Very Satisfied With Life

9. Importance of Own Values % rating 8 to 10GBKingsp Family95.294.4NS Responsibility93.2 NS Freedom87.589.1NS Friendship88.486.4NS Financial Security80.672.4P<.000 Generosity78.473.4P<.000 Pleasure70.868.6NS Spiritual67.252.5P<.000 Career Success6858.3P<.000 Material Wealth32.422.8P<.000

10. Importance of Core Values % Rating 8-10SelfOthers Family94.955.9 Responsibility93.350.8 Freedom88.480.6 Friendship87.354.2 Financial Security76.376.9 Generosity75.836.6 Pleasure69.676.1 Spiritual59.529.4 Career Success62.892.4 Material Wealth27.467.8

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 % Describing Self as Very Satisfied With Life Quartile Value Score Low on Value Factor 23High on Value Factor Social Values 30.136.245.446.5P<.000 Material Values 38.637.438.743.4ns

13. Distribution of Material Value Scores

14. Self-Reported Stress

15. Stress by Activity

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

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 -2000020- 34999 35- 49999 50- 69999 70+ GB3346555873 Kings3041526067

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 Blood Pressure PapsBreast Exam Mammogram GB76453540 Kings74474564 Appear low Kings higher across all income grps Kings very high

27. Benefits

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

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 Glace BayKingsSignificant Count on in crisis 95.594.4No Advice94.691.6Yes Loved96.894.7Yes Close relative 1/week 80.172.9Yes Neighbour 1/week 77.963.1Yes

34. Voluntary Glace BayKingsSignificance Group or Organization 29.051.6Yes Not Group or Organization 52.159.3Yes Care-giving outside home 6.5 No Strongly associated with life-satisfaction

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 Nova ScotiaIncome Quintile Q1Q2Q3Q4Q5 Footprint6.26.67.08.110.7

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 - 20,0001.017,77713,77214.4 20,000 to 34,9991.419,26822,62912.9 35,000 to 49,9991.520,86127,53016.4 50,000 to 69,9991.820,96634,66514.4 70,000+2.022,60040,38415.9 Total1.620,85328,91615.1

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. 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

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

51. 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

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

53. 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

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