Demographic and socio-economic inequalities in subjective wellbeing: analysis of repeated cross-sectional health surveys in England 2010-2019.
mental health
public health
social determinants
Journal
Journal of public health (Oxford, England)
ISSN: 1741-3850
Titre abrégé: J Public Health (Oxf)
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101188638
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
09 Sep 2024
09 Sep 2024
Historique:
received:
11
08
2023
revised:
12
07
2024
accepted:
25
08
2024
medline:
27
9
2024
pubmed:
27
9
2024
entrez:
27
9
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Good subjective wellbeing (SWB) is a key societal aspiration. The study of SWB determinants is of increasing interest. The present study aimed to examine national inequalities in SWB, and trends in these inequalities, for England across five demographic (sex and age) and socio-economic (educational level, household income and living alone) characteristics. The relative index of inequalities (RII) and slope index of inequalities (SII) were calculated from repeated cross-sectional data from the Health Survey for England from 2010 to 2019 (excluding 2017 and 2018 as our outcome variable was not collected in these years), in a total of 90 236 participants aged 16+. SWB was assessed using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), treated as a dichotomous variable with high and low levels of SWB > 40 and ≤ 40, respectively. There were significant inequalities in SWB by income (RII from 1.086 to 1.116), educational level (RII from 0.893 to 0.941) and between people living alone or not (RII from 0.908 to 0.937). The RII and SII trends were not statistically significant. Higher socio-economic status could play a protective role for SWB, and people in the most deprived socio-economic positions may be at higher risk for low SWB. These associations have remained stable over time.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Good subjective wellbeing (SWB) is a key societal aspiration. The study of SWB determinants is of increasing interest. The present study aimed to examine national inequalities in SWB, and trends in these inequalities, for England across five demographic (sex and age) and socio-economic (educational level, household income and living alone) characteristics.
METHOD
METHODS
The relative index of inequalities (RII) and slope index of inequalities (SII) were calculated from repeated cross-sectional data from the Health Survey for England from 2010 to 2019 (excluding 2017 and 2018 as our outcome variable was not collected in these years), in a total of 90 236 participants aged 16+. SWB was assessed using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), treated as a dichotomous variable with high and low levels of SWB > 40 and ≤ 40, respectively.
RESULTS
RESULTS
There were significant inequalities in SWB by income (RII from 1.086 to 1.116), educational level (RII from 0.893 to 0.941) and between people living alone or not (RII from 0.908 to 0.937). The RII and SII trends were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Higher socio-economic status could play a protective role for SWB, and people in the most deprived socio-economic positions may be at higher risk for low SWB. These associations have remained stable over time.
Identifiants
pubmed: 39327858
pii: 7750308
doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdae247
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Subventions
Organisme : NHS Digital
Organisme : Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.