Increasing the Reliability of Wellness Metrics in Unique Groups

3rd International Conference on Gross National Happiness

Bangkok: 26 November 2007Presented by Linda A. E.

Nowakowski, Ubon Ratchathani University, Thailand

Development

Human Development Index (HDI) Life span - objective Literacy - objective GDP - objective

GDP

Gross National Happiness

What is happiness? Subjective Cultural Linguistic Requires a degree of

emotional/linguistic maturity How is it related to development?

What is development? Health of a country or group of

people Economic Physical Mental Intellectual Social Spiritual Cultural

Regression – Why measure development?

Report on who is better than whom?

To assess areas that the people are doing well in and where they need work?

Assist in guiding program development?

GDP

Using GDP as the measure of development only tells you how much the country has participated in the western economic model.

HDI

Gives you a measure of GDP Tells how you are doing in getting

people to go to school Gives you a hint at the physical

health

Gross National Happiness

Provides some broad and fuzzy feeling of well-being. No indicators of the economy No indicators of health No indicators of education

Thailand’s GNH

It has shown a decline over recent reporting periods. What does it mean?

Northern Uganda - 1980

The richest farmland in the country

Large commercial farms

Educated population

Northern Uganda - 2007

Civil war for the last 20 years People living in IDP camps External dependence for everything Child soldiers Broken educations

HIV/AIDS pandemic Has killed XXXX people in YYYY years.

Peace on the horizon

It is safe to return to their lands Land has been fallow for 20 years

Homes and equipment are gone

The people are gone

Uganda has thousands of child-headed households

Parents killed in the war Parents killed by HIV/AIDS

The children are gone Children who have not had the

opportunity to play or learn Children who have been raped and

forced to be soldiers Children who have had to assume

the roles of adults Hurting children with the

responsibility of raising other hurt children

The community wisdom is gone

What crops grow best? What do you do about the local

pests? What plants and herbs are safe to

eat? What plants and herbs can be used

as local medicines?

Opok FarmsAn Organically Grown Community

Sufficiency Economy Sufficiency entails three components:

moderation reasonableness a self-immunity system, i.e. being able to cope with

shocks from internal and external changes. Two underlying conditions are necessary to

achieve this sufficiency: knowledge (breadth and thoroughness in planning,

and carefulness in applying knowledge and in the implementation of those plans are required)

morality (people are to possess honesty and integrity, while conducting their lives with perseverance, harmlessness and generosity)

Evaluating this development

Sufficiency Economy models generate little to no GDP

The children have broken educations

Many of the children are already HIV positive

What is happiness here?

These children will need to work for the first time in their lives

These children have few adult role models

These children have no money, no education, no vocational training and few skills

These children must behave as responsible adults

Coming up with new metrics

Maslow

Max-NeefBeing (qualities)

Subsistence Physical and mental health

Protection Care, adaptability, autonomy

Affection Respect, sense of humor, generosity, sensuality

Understanding Critical capacity, curiosity, intuition, communities

Participation Receptiveness, dedication, sense of humor

Leisure Imagination, tranquility, spontaneity

Creation Imagination, boldness, inventiveness, curiosity

Identity Sense of belonging, self-esteem, consistency

Freedom Autonomy, passion, self-esteem, open-mindedness

UN Millenium Development Goals Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Improve maternal health Achieve universal primary education Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other

diseases Promote gender equality and empower

women Ensure environmental sustainability Reduce child mortality Develop a global partnership for

development

Health of a country or group of people

Physical health – individual and family Mental / psychological health –

individual, family and community Mental / intellectual health – individual,

family and community Political health – community and nation Social health – family and community Spiritual health – individual, family and

community Financial health – individual, family and

community

Needs

A list of indicators for each area Objective Subjective Specific

Guidance for communities on how to set goals

Goals and toolbox – what next?

Selection of indicators by the community based on the goals.

Administration of the survey Evaluation

Sample list Physical health – individual:

Adequate diet Calories Under-development

Height Weight

Access to health care Contraceptive use Infant mortality rate Low birth rate Children born with attending health care professional Availability of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) Immunizations – measles, tuberculosis Incidence of tuberculosis Number of children under 5 with fever receiving anti malarial drugs Days absent from school or work due to illness.

Healthy life style Insecticide treated bed nets Sustainable access to clean water Sustainable access to sanitary CO2 emissions per capita Prevalence of smoking Prevalence of drinking

Other Life expectancy Population growth rate

Shelter – living in permanent shelter Clothing – changes of clothes and appropriateness

A toast:

To a future of community defined, driven and evaluated development