Subjective well-being of the population in wellbeing services counties - what does it consist of?
Keywords:
elämänlaatu, terveys, hyvinvointi, hyvinvointialueAbstract
Many different kinds of measures are needed to describe well-being in a multidimensional way. It is useful to understand what added value each measure brings, and how the measures differ from each other. The objectives of this study were to examine: 1) which dimensions are included in each questionnaire and how they relate to each other, 2) what kind of well-being differences there are between populations of wellbeing services counties, and 3) how sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors contribute to well-being.
A survey of 2187 Finnish adults was conducted, including data on their experienced well-being, health and quality of life, experienced capabilities, and background data (age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status, chronic illnesses etc.). The data was analyzed through descriptive statistical methods, principal component analysis and multivariate regression analysis.
Six factors were formed, two of which (capabilities and economic situation) are not covered by health-related quality of life questionnaires. High age, high education, and high household income correlated with better quality of life.
It is important to consider the many dimensions of well-being, especially when choosing metrics, which influences the results and their interpretation. Capabilities are a dimension that complements health-related quality of life measurement, and also includes a social aspect. By embracing the multidimensional nature of well-being and factors affecting it, the wellbeing service counties can better allocate their resources in a way that accounts for the various needs and life situations of their population.
