what makes us happy? - deakin...

This is the published version: Mead,RohanandCummins,Bob2008,AustralianUnityWellbeingIndex:Report18.2:Whatmakesushappy?,AustralianUnityandDeakinUniversity,Melbourne,Vic.

Available from Deakin Research Online: http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30031011Reproducedwiththekindpermissionofthecopyrightowner.Copyright:2008,AustralianUnityandDeakinUniversity

Australia’s fi rst and foremost guide to wellbeing

TheAustralian

UnityWellbeing

Index

happy?what makes us

Welcome to the inaugural edition of What makes us happy? This report shares with you the key fi ndings from

seven years of research into the lives and happiness of the Australian population.

A partnership between Australian Unity and Deakin University has created the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index.

This is the nation’s most regular and comprehensive measure on how every-day Australians are feeling about

themselves and their lives.

Through regular surveys and special reports, the Wellbeing Index provides insight into what’s making us happy…

or not so happy. It quantifi es the impact that social issues, such as increasing personal debt, are having on our

quality of life.

It’s designed to increase understanding and create awareness of such issues. It can be used to inform decisions

from policy making through to business operations.

We hope that you fi nd this information both interesting and valuable.

Rohan Mead Bob Cummins

Group Managing Director Professor of Psychology

Australian Unity Deakin University

Greetings to all those interested in Wellbeing

With all the acid, static and negative news dominating the fi rst decade of the twenty-fi rst century, it is most

necessary to strive for balance in life. Equally, it is most necessary for Governments to be aware of the broader

dimensions of the wellbeing of the population and for this to be considered a vital dimension in reviewing

economic activity and output in a modern country such as Australia.

To this end, I commend the importance of the Wellbeing Index and the further research work being

carried out on the simple question ‘What makes us happy?’

Believe it or not, in all of this Australia is playing ‘second fi ddle’ to a tiny Himalayan country known as

The Kingdom of Bhutan. There the Fourth King and now the Fifth King for years have been committed

to developing the concept of Gross National Happiness as part of offi cial policy settings and arising from

deep-seated research as to what really counts and what really works in ensuring wellbeing in Bhutan.

Australia must continue to expand its interface with the whole concept of wellbeing and happiness, it should

adopt Gross National Happiness in a modifi ed form to take account of the complexities of this OECD country.

In all of this, I say Australian Unity and Deakin University have helped point the way and I commend their work.

As a post-script, I hasten to add Gross National Happiness is not all about resting on couches and carpets, dressed

in saff ron robes with incense aroma wafting around the pillars that support the high ceiling, and so forth. Gross

National Happiness is actually a very serious concept that stacks-up and plays a very useful role in the balanced

progress of The Kingdom of Bhutan.

The Hon. Tim Fischer, A.C.

foreword

welcome

2 Australian Unity Wellbeing Report

What makes us happy? 3

06 become a wellbeing

06 - Things you can do to look after your wellbeing

07 - Who is the happiest?

08 introduction08 - What can we learn from

studying happiness?

09 - Wellbeing – what is it?

09 - What’s your Personal Wellbeing Index?

10 wellbeing of Aussies

10 - Is Australia really laughing?

10 - Key changes in wellbeing

11 - Measures of how we’re doing as a nation

12 life in Australia12 - Satisfaction with the

environment

12 - Satisfaction with Government

13 - Satisfaction withsocial conditions

14 - Satisfaction with business

15 - Satisfaction withthe economy

15 - Satisfaction withnational Security

16 money16 - Does money make us happy?

16 - Love vs money

17 - How much money do we need to be happy?

18 - Income security

19 - Personal debt

20 - Money & connection to the community

20 - Consumer Price Index& happiness

21 love and relationships

21 - Getting to the heart of the matter – marriage & happiness

22 - Widows

22 - Singletons

22 - Better to be alone than in a stale marriage

23 - Middle aged people without partners

24 gender24 - Males or females –

who is happier?

24 - Work is key for theAussie male

25 - Diff erences throughthe ages

25 - How safe we feel

25 - Living alone

26 age26 - Happiness can take

time – age & wellbeing

26 - Importance of connectingto others

27 who welive with

27 - Home alone

27 - Full house

27 - Single parents

28 employment28 - Paid work

29 - Job Seekers

29 - Unemployment

30 - Job security – losing a job

31 - Are work & lifereally in balance?

31 - Age & work

31 - Nine to fi ve

31 - I don’t like Mondays

32 - Volunteering – does doing good make you feel good?

33 what makes us feel at home

33 - Does sport still unitethe nation?

34 health34 - If we’re healthy are

we happy?

34 - Major medical conditions

34 - Pain

35 - How body weight tipsthe scales

35 - Marriage & body weight

36 city vs country36 - Rural and regional towns

36 - Which capital cityis happiest?

37 federal electoral divisions

37 - The happiness tally throughout Australia

37 - Lowest scoring electorates

38 caring38 - The low wellbeing

of carers

40 - Depression & stress

40 - Financial security

40 - Health

40 - The caring role

41 home ownership

41 - Dream or nightmare?

42 - Financial strain

42 - Single parents & renting

43 - Where our home is – commuting times

44 pet ownership44 - Pets, security & stress

44 - Pets and human relationships

45 terrorist activity45 - How actively does the

threat of terrorism aff ectour daily lives?

45 - Likelihood of an attackin Australia

45 - The eff ect on happiness

46 - The extra sensitivity of older Australians

46 - Spirituality and religion

47 life events47 - How we respond to happy

and sad events

47 - Age

47 - Income infl uences how we experience life

47 - Gender diff erence

48 happiest and saddest in Australia

48 - Those doing well and those doing it tough

48 - Who has the highest wellbeing?

49 - Who has the lowest wellbeing?

50 theory50 - The theory – homeostasis

50 - The analyses

50 - Presentation and typeof analyses

50 - Research method

50 - Academic rigour

50 - Report organisation

51 - List of previous reports

contents


Our wellbeing is protected by a shield of resources

MAJOR EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE RESOURCES, eg money, relationships

INTERNAL RESOURCES, eg finding meaning for the bad event

Wellbeing

Become a ‘well being’

Every person has a genetic template, which makes us the

way we are. This includes determining how intrinsically

happy (or grumpy!) we may be.

And while we have this base level of happiness that we’re

born with, things in our lives can cause it to fl uctuate –

but generally only a little. Similar to how we hold body

temperature steady, we also hold our wellbeing relatively

steady.

We do this by drawing on a combination of external and

internal resources to help us cope when things go wrong.

External resources in terms of relationships and money –

someone to talk to, or money to pay for the knee operation

we need. And internal resources – in terms of personal

resilience and fi nding meaning for a bad event. That is,

losing a job can be a stressful experience, but if we fi nd

meaning in it – “it wasn’t right for me anyway, and the next

job will be better”– we manage to cope with the tough

situation much better.

It’s only when the challenges in life get too much for

our defences that our system for protecting wellbeing

fails and our happiness suffers. If this decrease in

wellbeing is prolonged and fails to recover – it can

result in depression.

So next time something goes wrong, fi nd meaning in

it, and call on those close to you to help you through it.

This is the best way of looking after your wellbeing.

In addition, if you’re able to engineer your circumstances

to include the following, you’ll be providing yourself

with the best possible defence for strong wellbeing

and happiness.

Things you can do to look after your wellbeing

Connect with family and friends. Spending time with

your loved ones will make you happier, healthier and more

productive. They’re your best source of support when you

need it – so communicate effectively with them. If you have

a partner, it’s especially important to invest quality time

with them, as they have the strongest infl uence on your

happiness.

Watch your spending and save for the proverbial rainy day. Rainy days are when money really counts. It can

help you to stay happy when things go wrong, by enabling

you to buy assistance to cope with whatever has happened.

Happiness through buying new ‘things’ is fl eeting however.

Consider seeking fi nancial advice to ensure you have a

fi nancially secure future.

Engage in activities that give you a sense of achievement. Feeling that you have achieved something

useful or good provides a sense of contentment and drive.

If you are not getting this from your job or family, consider

becoming a volunteer or taking up a hobby that challenges

your mind or body.

Review your home and personal security. Only simple

actions are required, such as checking your smoke alarm

battery, installing a sensor or upgrading your locks. Also

avoid situations that make you feel unsafe, such as walking

alone at night.

Find a balance between work and leisure that is right for you. This balance is different for each person – there is

no simple formula. And remember it’s ok to feel stressed at

times, but if your current balance is putting you into distress,

it is time to re-evaluate the balance of activities that make

up your life.

Look after your health. Staying healthy is all about

balance. Make sure you eat reasonably well, including at

least two serves of fruit and fi ve serves of vegetables each

day. Be active – even vigorous housework counts. Have

regular doctor checks, but if something seems wrong at any

time with your health, seek medical advice immediately.

Get involved in your community. Getting to know your

neighbours, volunteering, and being involved in local

activities are great ways to feel connected. Feeling part

of your community enhances your sense of belonging

and security.

Keep some of your life simple. Take some time out of your

day for personal time. Try concentrating on your breathing

for two minutes. It can still your thoughts, bringing a sense

of calm and wellbeing.

become a ‘well being’


Who is the happiest?

• People tend to get happier as they get older

• Women on the whole, are more satisfi ed with

their lives than men

• People who live with their partner are happier,

especially married people

• People who volunteer generally report higher

levels of happiness

• Happiness generally increases proportionately

with income, but only up to a household income

of around $100,000 where it begins to plateau.


introduction

We all want to be happy. It’s probably the one thing that all humans have in common… no one wants to be miserable. But what does it mean to be happy?How do we get there? Are we born that way, or is our happiness determined by what happens in our lives? And can we become happier?

What can we learn from studying happiness?

The current measures of how well Australia is doing

tend to be economic, objective indicators such as Gross

Domestic Product (GDP), house prices and so on. And

while these aspects are important, they don’t provide a

complete view of how people are feeling about their lives.

Studying wellbeing and happiness in a scientifi c way helps

to fi ll some gaps. It enables the identifi cation of groups in

society that aren’t doing so well, and helps us learn how

best to assist people who have low wellbeing. Conversely,

it shows us those who are doing well and why.


Wellbeing – what is it?

The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index measures the

‘subjective wellbeing’ of the Australian population.

Subjective wellbeing is a normally positive state of mind.

It is a longer-lasting, deeper sense of contentment, as

opposed to the momentary joy we experience when

laughing at a joke.

This Wellbeing Index is based on the psychological theory

of homeostasis – that wellbeing is maintained by an internal

system that enables people to keep feeling positive, even

when things go wrong.

This self-regulation works automatically in a similar way

to body temperature. In-built mechanisms allow our feelings

of wellbeing to fl uctuate a little, but it holds relatively

steady over time. Failure of this system results in wellbeing

falling, and this is what we know as depression. And while

happiness and wellbeing have their own unique defi nitions,

for the purposes of this report, the term ‘wellbeing’ has been

used interchangeably with ‘happiness’, as happiness is term

that people can relate to and conceptualise easily.

What’s your Personal Wellbeing Index?

On a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being very dissatisfi ed and 10 being very satisfi ed, rate how satisfi ed you are with:

❏ Your health

❏ Your personal relationships

❏ Your safety

❏ Your standard of living

❏ What you’re currently achieving in life

❏ Your community connection

❏ Your future security

❏ Your spirituality/religion

Add your responses together & divide by the number

of questions answered (eight).

Multiply this number by 10 to get your Personal

Wellbeing Index (PWI). This is your wellbeing score

out of 100. See how you compare to the national

average, which hovers around the 75 mark.

To take an online version of the Personal Wellbeing Index,

go to: www.australianunity.com.au/wellbeingindex.

Tips are also provided at the end of the online

questionnaire as to what you should do if you have

a low wellbeing score.


Sept 11Terrorist attacks

(Sep 01)

Pre-Iraq war(Mar 03)

Athens Olympics(Aug 04)

1st Balibombing

(Dec 02)

2nd Bali bombing(Oct 05)

72

73

74

75

76

77

73

.2

74

.4

75

.3

74

.4

74

.6

75

.3

75

.9

75

.4

75

.3

75

.6

74

.8

76

.3

74

.6

75

.2

74

.1

74

.5

75

.6

75

.8

Ap

r 0

1

Se

p 0

1

Ma

r 0

2

Au

g 0

2

No

v 0

2

Ma

r 0

3

Jun

03

Au

g 0

3

No

v 0

3

Fe

b 0

4

Ma

y 0

4

Au

g 0

4

Ma

y 0

5

Oct

05

Ma

y 0

6

Oct

06

Ap

r 0

7

Oct

07

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

SURVEY DATE

Personal Wellbeing Index– Happiness of the Australian population over the years.

Wellbeing Over the Years– The normal range for Wellbeing of the nation.

73.4 points

76.4 points

0

10

30

20

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

wellbeing of Aussies

Is Australia really laughing?

The wellbeing of Australians varies very little over time. However, it is very important to monitor the average level of wellbeing,

as this has allowed the development of a ‘normal range‘. This allows the identifi cation of groups who may be more vulnerable

to developing depression, with an average wellbeing score that sits below the normal range. Tracking wellbeing at a population

level also provides some excellent insights into the impact of major events, such as terrorist attacks on our wellbeing.

Key changes in wellbeing

Both positive and negative events have triggered changes

in the wellbeing of the nation.

In terms of negative events, the most obvious trend is

the relatively sustained rise in wellbeing following the

September 11 terrorist attacks. Peaks also followed the two

Bali Bombings and around the time of the Iraq war. While

at fi rst this may seem odd, it supports the well-documented

phenomenon that people bond with others around them in

times of threat.

In terms of positive events, the Athens Olympics took

social satisfaction to a record high. This rise however, was

short-lived. Survey recordings in the week immediately

following the Olympics showed a rapid fall in wellbeing.

The Athens Olympicstook social satisfaction

to a record high.


9000

10000

11000

12000

13000

Sep 06Mar 06Sep 05Mar 05Sep 04Mar 04Sep 03Mar 03Sep 02Mar 02Sep 01

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

We

llb

ein

g (

0-1

00

)

GD

P p

er

cap

ita

($

)

GDP per capita vs Personal and National Wellbeing in Australia, 2001-2006

DATE

National Wellbeing IndexPersonal Wellbeing IndexGDP per capita

Measures of how we’re doing as a nation

The traditional view that national wealth is the best way to measure the ‘progress’ and success of a nation is not necessarily the

case. Take Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for example.

GDP measures the total value of the goods and services produced within a nation. It is used to measure the progress of a

nation and its economy, and therefore often the success of the Government.

But as can be seen, increasing national wealth does not mean increasing national happiness. Australians satisfaction with their

lives and life in Australia has remained steady over the past few years despite the increasing national wealth.

Increasing wealth would most likely increase happiness in developing countries, but it does not apply in Australia. It is the

distribution of wealth that makes a difference to our quality of life, not the quantity of national wealth. It is through policies

that address issues associated with low wellbeing that happiness of the Australian population would increase.

* Graph reproduced with acknowledgement and

thanks to the Australian Conservation Foundation.


55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

57

.9

59

.9

60

.9

59

.1

57

.9

59

.9

59

.6

60

.4

60

.9

59

.6

59

.8

59

.6

59

.4

60

.8

58

.9

58

.455

.8

56

.0

Ap

r 0

1

Se

p 0

1

Ma

r 0

2

Au

g 0

2

No

v 0

2

Ma

r 0

3

Jun

03

Au

g 0

3

No

v 0

3

Fe

b 0

4

Ma

y 0

4

Au

g 0

4

Ma

y 0

5

Oct

05

Ma

y 0

6

Oct

06

Oct

07

Ap

r 0

7

ST

RE

NG

TH

OF

SA

TIS

FAC

TIO

N

Satisfaction with State of the Natural Environment– Australians are less satisfied with the environment than ever before.

SURVEY DATE

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

58

.7

52

.8

53

.3

55

.8

53

.5

55

.8

53

.5

54

.5

54

.8

54

.0

55

.0

54

.7

53

.7

53

.3

52

.6

54

.0

Se

p 0

1

Ma

r 0

2

Au

g 0

2

No

v 0

2

Ma

r 0

3

Jun

03

Au

g 0

3

No

v 0

3

Fe

b 0

4

Ma

y 0

4

Au

g 0

4

Ma

y 0

5

Oct

05

Ma

y 0

6

Oct

06

Ap

r 0

7

56

.1O

ct 0

7

ST

RE

NG

TH

OF

SA

TIS

FAC

TIO

N

Satisfaction with Government in Australia– Australians‘ satisfaction with Government changes over time.

SURVEY DATE

life in Australia

Australia is often referred to as the “lucky country”. But how happy are Australians with the nation’s health and progress? Australians’ satisfaction with the environment, government, social conditions, economic situation, national security and business in Australia has certainly fl uctuated over time.

The environment

Satisfaction with the environment has remained very stable until a signifi cant fall in October 2006. A peak in media coverage on

global warming, and the continuing drought in many parts of Australia are likely to have contributed to this decline.

Government

Satisfaction with government appears to rise in times of national or external threat. This explains the noticeably high level

following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, and a smaller rise following the fi rst Bali Bombing in October 2002.


58

59

60

61

62

63

64

59

.3

62

.5

62

.8

62

.0

62

.6

63

.0

62

.6

61

.9

62

.1

61

.0

61

.3

63

.1

61

.2

63

.1

60

.5

60

.0

62

.0

Ap

r 0

1

Se

p 0

1

Ma

r 0

2

Au

g 0

2

No

v 0

2

Ma

r 0

3

Jun

03

Au

g 0

3

No

v 0

3

Fe

b 0

4

Ma

y 0

4

Au

g 0

4

Ma

y 0

5

Oct

05

Ma

y 0

6

Oct

06

Ap

r 0

7

62

.35

Oct

07

ST

RE

NG

TH

OF

SA

TIS

FAC

TIO

N

Satisfaction with Social Conditions– Fluctuations over time.

SURVEY DATE

Social conditions

It’s diffi cult to interpret changes in satisfaction with ‘social conditions’ as people’s interpretation of what this entails could vary

considerably. Satisfaction clearly rose following September 11, and again at the time of the Athens Olympics in August 2004.

If the fall at Survey 15 in May 2006 refl ected the introduction of the new industrial relations laws that came into effect shortly

before the survey, this effect has since dissipated.


54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

55

.4

59

.9

59

.3

61

.1

58

.9

60

.9

61

.0

61

.7

62

.0

62

.0

63

.4

60

.5

63

.4

62

.4

61

.3

62

.7

Se

p 0

1

Ma

r 0

2

Au

g 0

2

No

v 0

2

Ma

r 0

3

Jun

03

Au

g 0

3

No

v 0

3

Fe

b 0

4

Ma

y 0

4

Au

g 0

4

Ma

y 0

5

Oct

05

Ma

y 0

6

Oct

06

Ap

r 0

7

64

.7O

ct 0

7

ST

RE

NG

TH

OF

SA

TIS

FAC

TIO

N

Satisfaction with Business in Australia– An increased level of satisfaction with business.

SURVEY DATE

life in Australia

Business

With the exception of a couple of dips, Australians’ satisfaction with business has largely increased over the years. This is likely

due to a combination of sustained economic prosperity and an increased focus on corporate social responsibility and customer

service. While there has been an upward trend, it’s important to note that there is still a certain level of mistrust in business,

with satisfaction with business remaining below 65 points.


Economic Situation in Australia– Strong times keep us happy with the economy.

SURVEY DATE

50

52

54

56

58

60

62

64

66

68

705

3.6

57

.8

64

63

.9

65

65

.4

66

.1

65

.4

66

.6

66

.5

66

.9

68

.5

66

.3

66

.8

66

.1

66

.7

68

.2

Ap

r 0

1

Se

p 0

1

Ma

r 0

2

Au

g 0

2

No

v 0

2

Ma

r 0

3

Jun

03

Au

g 0

3

No

v 0

3

Fe

b 0

4

Ma

y 0

4

Au

g 0

4

Ma

y 0

5

Oct

05

Ma

y 0

6

Oct

06

Ap

r 0

7

70

.9O

ct 0

7

ST

RE

NG

TH

OF

SA

TIS

FAC

TIO

N

55565758596061626364656667686970

57

.3

63

.3

62

.9

61

60

.5

65

.2

63

.6

64

.5

64

.6

64

66

.3

65

.1

65

.2

65

.2

64

.5

67

.7

Se

p 0

1

Ma

r 0

2

Au

g 0

2

No

v 0

2

Ma

r 0

3

Jun

03

Au

g 0

3

No

v 0

3

Fe

b 0

4

Ma

y 0

4

Au

g 0

4

Ma

y 0

5

Oct

05

Ma

y 0

6

Oct

06

Ap

r 0

7

69

.6O

ct 0

7

ST

RE

NG

TH

OF

SA

TIS

FAC

TIO

N

Satisfaction with National Security– Increased satisfaction with national security.

SURVEY DATE

The economy

Satisfaction with the Australian economy has remained signifi cantly high since March 2002. This refl ects the strong economic

times during the period.

National security

Australians are feeling particularly satisfi ed with national security. The dramatic rise of 4.7 percent between March and June

in 2003 most likely refl ects the strengthened American alliance due to the Iraq War, and a lack of terrorist activity in Australia.

Australians’ satisfaction with business has largely increased over the years.


0$15,000 – $30,000 $121,000+$91,000 – $120,000$61,000 – $90,000

HOUSEHOLD INCOME ($’000)

Love vs Money– The power of relationships.

$31,000 – $60,000

10

20

30

40

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

50

60

70

80

75.6 68.5 70.6 76.8 70.6 70.9 76.6 72.2 73.2 78.4 74.5 76.7 78.5 76.469.4

Live Alone With Partner Never Married

71

73

75

77

79

81

71.3

Normal

Range

73.4 74.7 76.2 77.7 79.1 79.5 81.1

$500+$251-500$151-250$101-150$61-100$31-60$15-30<$15

ST

RE

NG

TH

OF

SA

TIS

FAC

TIO

N

(PW

I)


Income and Happiness– A clear link between wellbeing and income.

money

81

Income and Happin– A clear link between wellbeing a

Does money make us happy?

Not many questions are debated as much as this one.

And unfortunately, the answer isn’t straightforward.

Although happiness increases with income, happiness pretty

much hits a ceiling when total household income reaches

$101,000-$150,000. While some slight increase takes place

with higher incomes, it takes a very large increase to achieve

a small gain in happiness. At low incomes, on the other hand,

small increases in income produce a noticeable increase in

happiness for most people.

Despite wellbeing increasing with income, it is important to note that these are just average results, and that many people

manage to maintain normal wellbeing in diffi cult fi nancial circumstances.

For example, couples with a total household income of $15,000-$30,000 have higher wellbeing than someone who lives alone

with the same household income. So despite the fact the couple are sharing the same amount of money that the single person

has to themself, having a partner has a more powerful infl uence on happiness than the diffi culties of low income.


The Cost of Purchasing a Percentage Point of Wellbeing– Money reaches a point of diminishing returns.

CURRENT HOUSEHOLD INCOME

<$15,000

$7,143

$15,000-$30,000

$23,077

$31,000-$60,000

$26,333

$61,000-$100,000

$33,333

$101,000-$150,000

$71,429

$151,000-$250,000

$625,000

The power of money

“ Buying ‘things’ makes us feel good for a

moment while they are still new – but we

adjust to possessions – and the good feeling

disappears very quickly.

The real power of money in our happiness

is in its ability to help us pursue core things

we need in our lives, such as education. It’s

about having enough to cope with things that

come up in life, such as illness or a period

of unemployment, and this reality reinforces

the need to watch our spending and debt levels.

” – Professor Bob Cummins,

Author of the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index

How much money do we need to be happy?

Money loses its ability to reliably raise wellbeing beyond a

household income of $100,000-$150,000. Beyond this level,

wellbeing does not increase in line with increasing income.

However, supposing that it was actually possible to do so,

the amount that would be required to ‘purchase’ just one

additional point of wellbeing has been calculated.

An additional $7,143 is enough, on average, to raise the

happiness of people on a household income of less than

$15,000. However, someone with a household income of

$151,000-$250,000 would require an additional $625,000

to purchase just one additional point of happiness. Money

therefore, reaches a point of diminishing returns or, in

economic terms, diminished marginal utility.

money

Money loses it’s ability to reliably raise wellbeing beyond a household

income of $100,000 - $150,000.


Normal

Range

76.4

73.4

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80 Physical painPetrol price distressIncome certainty (reverse scored)

109876542-30-1

78.4

75.8

73.7

74.4

73.9

69.9

67.8

66.3

64.6

75.9

74.4

77.176.1

74.475.3

74.773.6

72.7

76.4

75.575.2

73.171.9

72.9

70.7

69.468.4

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Income Uncertainty vs. Petrol Price Distress & Physical Pain– The extent to which income uncertainty takes its toll.

LEVEL OF INCOME UNCERTAINTY (0 is high) AND DISTRESS (10 is high)

60

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

78.4 75.8 73.7 74.4 73.9 69.9 67.7 66.3 64.6

76.4

73.4

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 2-3 0-1

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

The Impact of Income Uncertainty on Wellbeing

DEGREE OF CERTAINTY

Normal

Range

money

The Impact of Income Uncertainty on Wellbeing

Income security

When asked to rate how secure they felt their income was on a scale of 0-10, almost 20 percent of Australians rated their

income security as fi ve or less out of ten. This level of uncertainty was enough to put the average wellbeing of these Australians

below the normal level.

Income Uncertainty vs. Petrol Price Distress & Physical Pain

The survey also revealed that income uncertainty has a more

drastic infl uence on wellbeing than distress at rising petrol

prices and in some cases, even physical pain. It indicates

how close to the fi nancial edge many Australians are living,

when insecurity around income has such a profound

impact on our wellbeing.

Income uncertainty also has a bigger impact on people with

a household income of less than $30,000. Any interruption

to their income source could have larger consequences.


NormalRange

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

74.0

69.7

73.9

68.2

75.0

72.6

76.8

74.3

76.9

74.7

77.5

72.7

77.2

74.1

76.4

73.4

<$15 $15-30 $31-60 $61-90 $91-120 $121-150 >$150

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Credit Card Debt is Bad for Wellbeing


Own a card they can pay off each month

Cannot pay off their card each month

Personal debt

The terms ‘good debt’ and ‘bad debt’ are often discussed. True to form, fi ndings from Survey 11 in May 2004, found that

it is the smaller debts, such as credit card debt, that have a negative impact on happiness. People living in low-income

households were especially vulnerable to fi nancial debt. However, the 30 percent of credit card holders who cannot pay

off their card each month, have reduced wellbeing, irrespective of their income.

In 2006, over two-thirds (69%) of high wealth households had credit card debt compared to 59% of middle wealth and

38% of low wealth households. While fewer low wealth households had credit card debt, those who did, on average,

had a similar amount owing ($3,200) to both middle ($3,400) and high wealth households ($3,700).

(ABS: Australian Social Trends, 2006)

...the 30 percent of credit card holders who cannot pay off their card each month, have reduced wellbeing,

irrespective of their income.


72

73

74

75

76

77Pesonal Wellbeing Index

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8CPI/Month x 10

73.2

74.4

75.3

74.474.6 75.3

75.9

75.4 75.3

75.6

74.8

76.3

74.6

75.3

74.174.5

75.6

Ap

ril 0

1

Se

pt

01

Ma

rch

02

Au

g 0

2

No

v 0

2

Ma

rch

03

Jun

e 0

3

Au

g 0

3

No

v 0

3

Feb

04

May

04

Au

g o

4

May

05

Oct

05

May

06

Ap

r 0

7

Oct

06

4.7

2.5

4.03.2 3.3

6.0

0.0

2.7

2.3

4.3

2.32.0

3.3

2.3

7.5

2.3

-0.2

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

XC

PI/M

ON

TH

X 1

0

CPI and Happiness

DATE

Money & connection to the community

Income naturally has a big impact on people’s satisfaction

with their standard of living. However, it has no systematic

infl uence whatsoever on how satisfi ed people feel with their

connection to the community.

This can be seen in the comparison of federal electoral

divisions. The electorates with the highest wellbeing in the

country all had above average satisfaction with feeling part

of their community.

The electoral division of Wide Bay in Queensland recorded

the highest wellbeing score in the country, yet has one of

the lowest average household incomes.

Further information on the federal electoral fi ndings

can be found on page 37.

77Pesonal Wellbeing Index

8CPI and Happiness

CPI and happiness

The relationship between the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the wellbeing of Australians is signifi cant and negative.

That is, when the CPI goes up, wellbeing comes down.

CPI fi gures sourced from ABS.

Tin Can BayTin Can Bay

Imbil

GympieGympie

Noosa Heads

KilkivanKilkivan

Goomeri

Tiaro

MaryboroughMaryborough

FraserIsland

CORAL

SOUTH

PACIFIC

OCEAN

SEA

Maranoa

Flynn

Flynn

Hinkler

DicksonFairfax

Fisher

MurgonMurgon

WIDE

BAY HWY

HW

Y

BURNETTBURNETT

HERVEY

BAY

Mary

Barambah

CreekCreek

R

Kilkivan LGA

See Description

Cooloola LGA

Noosa LGA

Sandy Ck

Yabba CkCooloola LGA

Cooloola LGAKilkivan LGA

Hervey Bay LGA

Hervey Bay LGA

Maryborough LGA

RainbowBeach

BRUCE

BRUCE

BR

UC

E

HW

YH

WY

HW

Y

Maryborough LGA

Maryborough LGA

Mary RSaltwater Ck

Mary R

MAXWELL RDBOUNDARY RD

SIMS RD NTHSIMS RD

MEDEW RDBOUNDARY RD

GLENBAR TIARO RD

Rail lineTiaro LGA

Tiaro LGA

Tiaro LGA

Kilkivan LGAMunna Ck

Lake BarambahMurgon LGACherbourg Abor Comm Bdy

Kilkivan LGA

Description: Emu Mountain Rd, Doonan Bridge East Rd, Verrierdale Rd, Deans Rd,Eumundi Noosa Rd, Nth Maroochy R, Eumundi Range Rd, Sunrise Rd, Property bdy,Noosa LGA, Hoop Pine Rd, Noosa LGA, Old Ceylon Rd, Noosa LGA, Wellington Rd,Noosa LGA, Cooloola LGA, Cooloola LGA, Mary R, Cooloola LGA, Mary R,Cooloola LGA

Poulsen Rd,

30 km

Railway line

Divisional boundary

Adjoining Divisional boundary

Division area 12,428 sq km

COMMONWEALTH ELECTORAL DIVISION OF

WIDE BAY

Note:Federal redistribution finalised in November 2006

Local Government Area (LGA) descriptions are currentat April 2006

N

QLD

Reprinted 2007 VC00001

2006

moneymoney

Other fi ndings…

• Females earning 100 percent of the household

income have lower wellbeing then those who

share this responsibility with their partner.

• Single parents who are not earning money are

an extremely high-risk category for developing

depression with 70 percent having a high level

of income uncertainty.

The electoral division of Wide Bay in Queensland recorded the highest personal wellbeing score in the country, yet has one of the lowest average household incomes.


66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

Normal

Range

77.3 75.0 71.5 68.6 68.3 76.5

WidowedDivorcedSeperatedNever MarriedDe factoMarried

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

76.4

73.4

Marital Status and Happiness

MARITAL STATUS

love & relationshipsGetting to the heart of the matter

People who are married have the highest wellbeing of

all marital status groups. The commitment, security and

support that come with a marital spouse helps to protect

wellbeing. They have a small but signifi cant wellbeing

advantage over de facto couples. However, this is partially

due to a difference in income and age. De facto couples tend

to be younger than the married contingent, and therefore

also less likely to be as progressed in their careers.

Over the past two decades, marriage rates have declined,

while divorce rates have increased. The decline in the

proportion of married people would most likely have been

less pronounced had there been no emergence of couples

living in de facto marriages. Indeed, the prevalence of

de facto marriages have risen steadily in the Australian

population over the past 15 years. According to the 1991

Census, 4.3 percent of the population aged 15 years and

over were in a de facto marriage. The proportion increased

to 5.3 percent in 1996, 6.4 percent in 2001 and 7.7 percent

in 2006. (ABS, Australian Social Trends, 2007)


62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

77.0 74.7 70.976.6 77.5 67.6

WidowDe factoMarriedWidowDe facto

NON HOME OWNERHOME OWNER

Married

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Equal Happiness for Married and De facto Couples Who Own Their Own Home

love & relationships

While married people generally report higher levels of happiness than de facto couples, this is not the case if the de facto

couple owns a home together. When a de facto couple purchases a home together, their wellbeing is then no different from

that of a married couple. The symbolism and security of this commitment appears important to the relationship and happiness

of the couple.

Widows

While few widows are wealthy, they still have high

wellbeing. While this may at fi rst seem odd, it refl ects

the average age and fi nancial security of this cohort.

Singletons

People who have never married are a diffi cult group to

analyse. They tend to be younger and therefore their age

and lower income can play a part in their relative low

wellbeing score. This fi nding does not indicate that people

need a partner to be happy. It does refl ect, however, the

advantage of having a partner in the happiness stakes.

Around one in eight Australians who lived in a private

dwelling lived alone (12 percent or 1.8 million people),

according to the 2006 Census results. The increasing trend

of people living alone has a number of implications for

the wellbeing of Australians.

It’s better to be alone than in a stale marriage

While people with a partner have higher wellbeing on average, this is really only the case if it’s a happy relationship. A partner

who provides insuffi cient support is worse for people than not having a partner at all. When asked about the level of support

people receive from their partner on a scale of 0-10, it revealed people not receiving enough support from their partner had

lower wellbeing than people living on their own.

ge

The 2006 Relationships Indicators survey asked

what Australians thought were the main reasons

for people marrying these days. The most popular

answers were to signify a life long commitment

(68%), to make a public commitment to each

other (63%) and security for children (62%). When

asked what were the main reasons for people not

to get married nowadays, the top three responses

were bad previous experience (72%), avoidance of

commitment (67%) and strong commitment does

not need marriage (63%).

Source: Relationships Indicators Survey 2006,

Relationships Australia.

...middle-aged people who do not have a partner are vulnerable to low wellbeing.


64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

84Widowed

Ag

e-specifi

c

No

rma

l Ra

ng

e

DivorcedSeparatedNever marriedDe factoMarried

76+66-7556-6546-5536-4526-3518-25

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

AGE

Middle Aged People Without a Partner are a High-risk Group for Low Wellbeing

66.5

68.1

73.9

76.6

79.2

68.8

67.5

66.5

69.1 70.3

73.1

66.2

67.969.1

68.0

73.9

70.367.6

66.5

69.5

75.4 75.6

74.2

76.1

74.5 74.474.9

76.577.177.6

76.8 76.777.5

78.3

79.6

MiMiddddlle A Agedd PPeoplle W Witithoho tut a Partner are a High-risk Group for Low Wellbeing

Middle-aged people without partners are a high-risk group

It is commonly reported that wellbeing decreases in middle-age. The term ‘mid-life crisis’ is used quite fl ippantly, and in actual

fact, something does seem to happen at this stage of life. The Wellbeing Index shows middle-aged people who do not have

a partner are vulnerable to low wellbeing.

Other key fi ndings:

• People who have never married have fewer sources of relationship support, and receive less support

from each source, including their family.

• As people age, they become more reliant on professional counsellors and partners for support.

• While males and females in a relationship receive equivalent support from their partner, females

receive greater additional support from outside the relationship.


70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Apr01

Sep01

Mar02

Aug02

Nov02

Mar03

Jun03

Aug03

Nov03

Feb04

May04

Aug04

May05

Oct05

May06

Oct06

Oct07

Apr07

74.1

71.9

75.0

73.3

76.1

73.6

75.2

73.6

75.0

74.1

75.7

74.7

76.5

75.2

76.4

74.5

75.9

74.7

76.6

74.5

75.074.6

77.3

75.3 75.3

74.0

75.7

74.8

74.3

73.9

74.674.4

75.5 75.6

7675.7

Gender and Wellbeing– Males have recently closed the happiness ‘gap’.

MALEFEMALE

DATE

55

60

65

70

75

80

75

.3

75

.8

75

.9

77

.3

76

.7

75

.9

75

.7

74

.8

73

.2

74

.9

74

.5

73

.3

64

.3

69

.0

76.4

73.4

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Normal

Range

MALE

FEMALE

UnemployedFull-time

student

Full-time

home

Full-time

volunteerSemi-retiredFull-time

retired

Full-time

paid

Work Status x Gender– Unemployment is devastating to wellbeing of males.

WORK STATUS

gender

78

X

GGeGeGe dndnderer a andnd Wellbeing– Males have recently closed the happines

Males or females, who is happier?

Males and females are different. The processes of socialisation

combines with genetics to make each gender not only

physically different but also to experience life differently.

But is one gender happier than the other?

The answer is yes. However, intriguingly, it has not remained

the same over the years. Something has changed…

As an average across all surveys, women rate themselves

as being happier than males. Over the most recent fi ve surveys

however, this difference has all but disappeared. The cause

of this change in gender differences cannot be determined

from the data. It is, however, potentially linked to the low

unemployment levels in Australia, as the wellbeing of males

is more dependent on having a job, whereas the wellbeing

of females is not as dependent on being in paid work.

01 01 02 02 02 03 03 03 03 04 04 04 05 05 06 06 0707

DATE

80

X

WWoWoWo krkrk SS SSttatatattututuss s xx x GGeGeGe dndndndererer– Unemployment is devastating to wellbeing of males.

Work is key for the Aussie male

The traditional stereotype of being the ‘bread winner’ is still alive and well for Australian males. While unemployment has

a negative effect on the happiness levels of both sexes, it takes a far more devastating toll on males.


Women generally cope with tough situations or isolation better than men.

76.0

72.6

MALE Normal Range

77.3

73.6

FEMALE Normal Range

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

69.9 73.6

FM

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

The Wellbeing of Males and Females Living AloneMALE

FEMALE

GENDER

Diff erences through the ages

Interestingly, there is no difference in happiness between

males and females aged 18-25 years. Once people hit 26-35,

the difference emerges dramatically with females typically

recording higher wellbeing than males. From 36 years of

age onwards, the differences between the genders begins

to dissipate.

How safe we feel

On average, females rate higher satisfaction with each area

of their lives than males – except for safety. There is a

question here as to whether life in Australia really is less

safe for women, or is it just a perception? Interestingly,

females reported lower satisfaction with safety following

September 11, but for males it remained constant.

Living alone

Women generally cope with tough situations and isolation better than men. An example can be seen in the wellbeing of males

and females who live alone. While the wellbeing of females remains in the normal range, males who live alone have a much

lower wellbeing score and are at a higher risk of developing depression. Further information on people living alone can be

found on page 27.


70

72

74

76

78

80

76.4 76.2 74.4 74.5 75.8 77.4 77.8

18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 66-75 75+

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Age and Wellbeing– Happiness over the age groups.

AGE

Happiness can take time…

The older we get, the happier we tend to become.

Although satisfaction with health declines as age-related

ailments set in, people tend to be more satisfi ed with the

other areas of their lives and wellbeing goes up accordingly.

When identifying segments of the population with the highest and lowest wellbeing in Australia, the demographic profi le

of the happiest people in Australia was people aged 76+ with a household income of $61,000-$90,000. Further information

on this report can be found on page 48.on this repop rt can be found on ppagge 48.

Importance of connecting to others

The wellbeing of older Australians is highly infl uenced

by their relationships and interactions with others. This

group has increased satisfaction with their relationships

and community when there is a perceived threat such as

terrorist activity. This is a well-document phenomenon,

that people tend to feel closer and more appreciative of

the people around them in diffi cult or threatening times.

More information on this can be found on page 46.

Happiinneessss ccaan take time…

TTTThThThheeee e oolo der wewewewewe gg g gggetetetetett, , thtthththeeee hhhahahah ppppppieiieier rr wewewewewwe tt t tenenenenendddddd d dd totooot b bbbbbbbbbb bbeceeeeececccccccccccceccccececececcccecccceccomomoommmomomomommomoomomomomoo eee.e.ee..e.

AAlAlAllAAlAlAA thtthhtt ough satisfaction with health h declineses a aaas s ssss agagagagge-ee-e-e rerrreeererer llalllllalalalallalllllalalalll tetetetetetetettetetetetetedddddddddddddddddd dddddddddddd

age

• People who do not live with a partner in middle

age are at risk of low wellbeing.

• Unemployment has a devastating effect on

personal wellbeing beyond 25 years of age.

• A recent fall in satisfaction with the environment

was largely reported by people aged 36-65.


Home alone

The increasing trend of single-person households in

Australia has a number of implications. People who live

alone tend to be less satisfi ed with their relationships and

their health than people who live with their partner. The

high proportion of people who are divorced or separated in

this group partially explains the relationship element, but

the reason for low satisfaction with their health is less clear.

For people living alone, wellbeing only enters the normal

range at a household income of $101,000-$150,000.

Full house

In terms of household composition, people living with

a combination of their partner, children and other adults,

achieve the highest level of wellbeing. It is likely that this

provides an additional resource to assist with child care

in many of these living arrangements.

Single parents

Single parents have the lowest wellbeing of all household

groups. And while this doesn’t mean that single parents

can’t be happy, it does mean the challenging nature of the

role can be too much for some, and places many people in

this situation at a higher risk of developing depression.

who we live withwho we live with

• In 2006, around one in eight Australians lived

alone (12 percent or 1.8 million people). This is

up from 1.4 million in 1996.

• One-person households represented about

23 percent of all households in Australia in 2006

(up from 22 percent in 1996).

• The median age of people living alone is 56,

compared to the median age of 43 for other

household types.

Source: ABS 2006 Census

(Media Release: One in eight Australians lives alone)

People who live with their partner and children

report exceptional satisfaction with their health.

This doesn’t necessarily mean their health is

materially better than those without children.

The reason may be that parents focus on the health

of their children rather than their own. Parents

do however, rate lower satisfaction with their

relationships and standard of living.

Single parents have the lowest level of wellbeing of all household groups.


66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

75.5 76.6 76.4 75.1 74.7 74.0 66.5

76.4

73.4

UnemployedFull-time

student

Full-time

home

Full-time

volunteerSemi-retiredFull-time

retired

Full-time

paid

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Work Status and Wellbeing

Normal

Range

WORK STATUS

Unemployment – the Impact on Males and Females

WORK STATUS

55

60

65

70

75

80

76.4

73.4

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Normal

Range

MALE

FEMALE

64.3 69.0

Unemployed Males Unemployed Females

Paid work

Work is a signifi cant component of many people’s lives. For

some, having a job simply provides the income needed to

survive. For others it can give a sense of purpose and forms

part of our personal identity. And when we’re not working

but would like to be, it can be seriously detrimental to our

fi nancial situation, self-esteem and happiness.

The average wellbeing of all employment groups falls within

the normal range, with the exception of two. Those who

are fulltime retired have very high wellbeing, while at the

other end of the spectrum people who are unemployed

have extremely low wellbeing.

employmentemployment


62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

71.2 75.9 66.1 67.0

76.4

73.4

Not Looking

Fulltime Employed

Looking Not Looking

Unemployed

Looking

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

The Wellbeing of Job Seekers

Normal

Range

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

Fulltime

Employed

Unemployed

Unemployment

It’s no surprise that unemployment has a negative impact

on wellbeing, as it reduces fi nancial security, creates

uncertainty and impacts on people’s lives as a whole.

While both males and females who are unemployed have

very low wellbeing, this is especially true for males. This is

because the wellbeing of males is highly dependent on their

work status. (More information on the gender difference

can be found on page 24)

Unemployed males are therefore a high-risk group for

depression. According to Beyondblue, from 1998 to 2002,

the suicide rate in Australia was four times higher in men

than women.

The effects of unemployment are also not as severe

for people who are married.

The truly devastating impact of unemployment is seen

when it’s combined with another factor, such as separation

or divorce. The compound effect is shattering and leaves

these people at a higher risk of developing depression.

Job Seekers

People who are working full time, yet looking for a job,

have a wellbeing score that sits below the normal range

and is signifi cantly lower than other full-time workers.

It is clear that dissatisfaction in their current role and sense

of insecurity around their near term future takes its toll

on happiness. Whether an unemployed person is looking

for work or not, makes little difference to their wellbeing.

• The proportion of employed men aged

15-64 years working part-time in Australia

was 15 percent in 2005. This is double the

rate of men in the USA (7 percent).

• Australia has a higher rate of part-time

employment of women aged 15-64 years,

of 41 percent , more than double the rate

of women in the USA (17 percent ).

(ABS, Labour Force Australia October 2007)

Whether an unemployed person is looking for work or not makes little difference to their wellbeing.


66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

Normal

Range

80.1 77.7 77.3 73.3 72.6 72.0 71.9 72.8 71.2 74.2 67.1

76.4

73.4

10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

STRENGTH OF WORRY ABOUT LOSING JOB (OUT OF 10)

Job Insecurity is Turbulent on Wellbeing

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

Normal

Range

80.7 79.4 77.8 75.8 76.6 77.3 76.2 72.8 73.8 72.6 69.6

76.4

73.4

10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

STRENGTH OF WORRY ABOUT GETTING ANOTHER JOB (OUT OF TEN)

Worry About Finding Suitable Alternative Work Can Take its Toll

Other fi ndings:

• Females generally don’t worry about losing their

job as much as males do.

• This kind of worry increases markedly for males

aged 45-55.

employment – job security

82

Job Insecurity is Turbulent on Wellbeing

Losing a job

Whether it be due to redundancy, sacking, company relocation or some other factor, there is no doubting that losing a job

is a stressful experience. But even the thought and fear of losing a job is enough to have an impact on happiness.

When asked on a scale of 0-10 how concerned they are about losing their job, wellbeing was relatively low for people who

said between three and nine. However, for those people who worry intensely about losing their job, wellbeing falls far below

normal levels. This has many implications for Australia in terms of working patterns (such as casual work), and industrial

relations policy.

STSTRERENGNGTHTH O OFF WOWORRRRYY ABABOUOUTT LOLOSISINGNG J JOBOB ( (OUOUTT OFOF 1 10)0)

82

WWoWoWorrrrrryy y AbAbAbAbouououttt FiFiFiFi dndndndiinininggg SSuSuSuiititit babababllelele AAA Altltltltererernananatitititiveveve WWW Worororkkkk CCaCaCannn TTaTaTakkekeke iii itststs TTT T lolololllll

Worrying about the ability to fi nd another suitable job doesn’t have the same impact on wellbeing. However,

those people who strongly believe they would have trouble fi nding another job have below normal wellbeing.


Happiness levels remain constant... even on a Monday

Satisfaction with Work x Gender– How satisfied men and women are with their work.

76.2% 73.7%

Female Male

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

74.5 75.2 75.0 75.2 74.7 75.2 75.2

Sat SunFriThurWedTuesMon

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

DAY OF THE WEEK

Happiness by Day of the Week

employment – work satisfaction

–

Are work and life really in balance?

There is a great deal of interest in management studies,

and indeed generally, about ‘work-life balance’. What’s

diffi cult about this theme, is that the right balance is

different for everyone. Consider the issue of gender.

Females tend to be more satisfi ed with their work than

males. They are also more satisfi ed with the amount of

time they have away from work.

Age and work

Satisfaction with work increases dramatically once people

reach 56 years of age. This refl ects that many people would

have reached their desired work situation, and for some

working could be a choice rather than a necessity.

People aged 26-35 report the lowest level of satisfaction

with their work, closely followed by people aged 18-25.

Nine to fi ve

How many hours each week someone works can be

determined by many different factors. One thing is

certain though, different quantities of work suit different

types of people.

As an average, females become less satisfi ed with their work

once they have worked 40 hours a week. Comparatively for

males, satisfaction with their work remains steady until 45

hours a week.

I don’t like Mondays

An investigation into happiness levels reported on each day

of the week detected no statistically signifi cant difference in

happiness levels. This is true across all employment types.

Although Monday has recorded the lowest fi gure of all days,

the difference is not statistically signifi cant and therefore

technically no different to the other days of the week.


65

70

75

80

Normal

Range

77.675.4 76.6 76.478.5 76.2 74.7 75.8 74.0 72.9 66.5 68.5

76.4

73.4

Total

Full-time employed

Full-time retired

Semi-retired Full-timehome

Full-time student

Unemployed

Vol Total Vol Total Vol Total Vol Total Vol Total Vol

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

The Wellbeing of Part-time Volunteers

WORK STATUS

All in employment group

Part-time volunteers

Does doing good always make you feel good?

The happiest employment group of all are those who are

either semi or fully retired. Full-time volunteers however,

come in close behind them. There is also a marked increase

in wellbeing in people who are fulltime employed, full-time

retired and unemployed when they engage in part-time

volunteer work.

As can be seen, volunteers tend to have higher levels of

wellbeing. Or is it that people with higher wellbeing tend

to volunteer? It’s not an easy one to conclude, but it is most

likely a combination of both.

When we are feeling good, we are more likely to do some

good and contribute to society positively. But in reverse,

community connection and engagement is important to

our sense of wellbeing. A combination of the interaction

provided by volunteering and the personal satisfaction

achieved is likely to have a positive impact on our

happiness.

volunteering


68

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

84

75

.1

71

.0

80

.0

74

.5

76

.3

72

.0

70

.0

74

.6

74

.8

78

.9

80

.6

72

.0

83

.0

79

.0

77

.078

.0

76

.0

72

.0

74

.0

74

.0

71

.0

18 – 25 26 – 35 36 – 45 46 – 55 56 – 65 66 – 75 76+

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Lifestyle

Environment

Sporting Culture

Connection to Australia– The darker side to being sports mad.

AGE

0

10

20

30

40

10.8

LifestyleMulticulturalSportDemocracyEnvironment

PR

OP

OR

TIO

N

%

49.814.711.213.5

Primary Reason for Feeling Connected to Australia

REASON

Does sport still unite the nation?

Sporting culture is a major factor underlying

how young Australians connect with their

country. Australians have long grown up

admiring and respecting sporting heroes.

The dark side to our sporting life is the low

personal wellbeing recorded by sports mad

Australians in their late 30’s and 40’s. This

was revealed when people were asked which

element made them feel most connected to

Australia out of the national environment,

sense of democracy, life style, sporting culture

or multicultural society.

While feeling most connected through sporting culture was associated with high wellbeing for the youngest group,

this changed quite dramatically for people aged between 26 and 45 years. This may be due to the fact that some of

these people are no longer active team members. They therefore lose a key source of social connection and support.

However, only a minority of people felt most connected to Australia through sport. The most popular choice was lifestyle.

As ‘lifestyle’ is something that spans the ages, people who consider this their source of connection have a normal level

of wellbeing throughout each age group.

what makes us feel at home

The dark side to our sporting

life is the low personal wellbeing recorded by

sports mad Australians in their late 30’s and 40’s


Major medical conditionsdo not necessarily cause do not necessarily cause

wellbeing to fall.wellbeing to fall.

58

60

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

NormalRange

76.6 72.8 73.0 72.6 69.670.6 63.165.0

76.4

73.4

Heart

Problems

Cancer Arthritis Diabetes Depression AnxietyAsthmaBlood

Pressure

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

MAJOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS

The Impact of Major Medical Conditions on Wellbeing

NormalRange

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

76

.5

80

.1

74

.7

78

.2

72

.2

79

.3

70

.1

75

67

.6

73

.6

66

.1

79

.5

67

.7

75

.8

68

.2

77

.9

76

.5

76.4

73.4

0 2 3 41 5 6 7 8 9 10

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Nev

er M

arr

ied

Older People Adapt to Pain Better Than Younger People

PAIN STRENGTH (ON A 0-10 SCALE)

18-25 years

76+ years

76

78

DE

X

ThThThThTheee IImImImpapapap ttctctct oo offfff MMMaMaMajojojoj rr r MMedical Condit

If we’re healthy are we happy?

It is often assumed that if we’re healthy, we’re happy.

And conversely that poor health must mean we’re unhappy.

But this is not necessarily the case. Provided that people

have enough emotional support and fi nancial resources

to pay for treatment and medical expenses – people with

poor health can be happy and experience high life quality.

Major medical conditions

Major medical conditions do not necessarily cause wellbeing

to fall. In fact medical conditions such as blood pressure have

little impact on wellbeing. However, conditions that involve

stress or pain (cancer, arthritis, diabetes) reduce wellbeing

below the normal range. As expected, illnesses such as

anxiety or depression take wellbeing to very low levels (with

low wellbeing being an indicator of depression).

MAJOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS

80

82

80

.1

2 79

.3

79

.5

9EX

OlOlOldedederrr PePePeopopopplllelele AAAA Adddadada tptptpt ttt tooo PPaPaPaiiininin BBBB Betetetteteterrr ThhThThananan YY Youououngngnggererer PP Peoeoeo llplplplp eee 18 218-255 years

76+ years

Pain

Younger people don’t cope as well with pain as older people do. It appears people adapt to chronic pain and that many manage

to retain high wellbeing even when experiencing strong pain. While the relationship between pain and wellbeing is much the

same for males and females in the younger age groups, once people reach 66 years of age, females report more pain than males.

healthhealth


NormalRange

65

67

69

71

73

75

77

79

71.5

75.875.1

76.3

74.876

74.2 74.4

69.3

70.8

72.9

70.871.4

69.5

76.4

73.4

15-19

Underweight

25-29

Overweight

20-24

Normal

30-34

Mild Obesity

35-39

Moderate

Obesity

45-49

Very Severe

Obesity

40-45

Severe

Obesity

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X Body Weight and Happiness

BODY MASS INDEX

MALE

FEMALE

NormalRange

60

64

68

72

76

80

77.3

72.3

78.2

72.5

77.3

70.9

76.6

68.3

72.9

65.6

75.6

66.2

76.4

73.4

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X Married

Never Married

15-19

Underweight

25-29

Overweight

20-24

Normal

30-34

Mild Obesity

35-39

Moderate

Obesity

40-45

Severe

Obesity

Relationship Status, Body Weight and Happiness

BODY MASS INDEX

How body weight tips the scales

Obesity is bad for you, in almost every imaginable way.

Apart from the increased health risks, people who are obese

are subjected to a certain level of discrimination for their

condition. And, indeed, happiness also suffers once people

reach a moderate or severe level of obesity.

Most people however, whose weight falls within the

mild obesity range, manage to maintain normal levels

of wellbeing.

Males who are underweight report a lower level of

wellbeing, whereas underweight females remain in the

upper section of the normal range. The social pressure

on females to be thin, means that is more acceptable

for females to be underweight.

80

77 378.2

77 3

IND

EX

E

Married

Never MarriedRReReRellalalatititiononshshshipipip SS Sttatattutuss, BB B dododyy WWeWeiigighththt a andnd Happiness

Marriage and body weight

Married people who are obese have lower wellbeing than married people in the healthy weight range. Yet obesity does not

seem to impact married people as drastically as those who aren’t married.


Perth’s relative low wellbeing score may be due to it being the most isolated capital city in the world.

Rural and regional towns

An analysis of wellbeing between the areas where we live,

revealed the happiest people in Australia tend to reside in

rural and regional towns.

People in rural and regional communities are more

dependent on each other and therefore become a more

socially cohesive group. This has a positive impact on their

wellbeing. Moreover, the further towns are away from

capital cities, the higher their sense of belonging, safety

and security becomes.

However, people who live in remote to highly remote areas

of Australia lose their ‘rural advantage’ and have a level of

wellbeing no different from their city cousins.

This special analysis was completed using the Accessibility

Remote Index of Australia (ARIA) classifi cations. The ARIA

measures accessibility and remoteness according to access

along road networks to specifi ed ‘service centres’. This

distance is then translated to a score that determines

how accessible/remote the location is.

Which capital city is the happiest?

People living in Melbourne and Brisbane have the

highest wellbeing of Australia’s capital cities, with

Perth and Sydney lagging well behind.

Melburnians and Brisbanites scored highly across a number

of wellbeing indicators, with the highest levels of personal

wellbeing and community connection of all the cities.

Although lower than Melbourne and Brisbane, Adelaide,

Hobart, Canberra and Darwin also rated their satisfaction

with life highly.

Sydney and Perth had lower personal wellbeing and also

rated signifi cantly lower than the other capitals in terms

of community connection and safety. High population

density and the cost of living in Sydney is a signifi cant

factor in their lower wellbeing score.

Although Perth has similar demographics to Brisbane,

their relative low wellbeing score may be due to it being

the most isolated capital in the world. The resources boom

also means there is an infl ux of ‘outsiders’, which can be

disruptive to cohesive communities.

city city vs vs countrycountry


The happiness tally throughout Australia

A greater sense of safety and connection to their community typifi es Australia’s federal electorates with the highest wellbeing.

Top-scoring electorates are generally characterised by low population density, with eight of the nine top divisions located

outside of inner-metropolitan areas. Electorates with the highest level of wellbeing also include more females, more people

aged over 55, greater income equality and more married people.

The happiest electorates in Australia

DivisionStandard of living

Health Achieve in lifePersonal

relationshipsHow safe you feel

Community connection

Future security

Personal Wellbeing

Index

Eden-Monaro ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 77.71

Richmond ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 77.72

Riverina ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 77.31

Higgins ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 77.50

Murray ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 77.47

Bendigo ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 77.49

Wide Bay ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 78.55

Ryan ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 77.65

Mayo ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 77.22

✓ = above average satisfaction

Lowest scoring electorates

Australian’s federal electorates with the lowest wellbeing are typifi ed by a lack of community connection, a below normal sense

of safety and are generally from metropolitan areas with high population density. The electorates with the lowest wellbeing in

Australia are Grayndler, Parramatta, Reid, Sydney, Werriwa, Rankin, Hasluck, Perth and Gorton. These electorates display lower

survey completion rates and voting rates.

The lowest scoring electorates in Australia

DivisionStandard of living

Health Achieve in lifePersonal

relationshipsHow safe you feel

Community connection

Future security

Personal Wellbeing

Index

Grayndler ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ 69.43

Parramatta ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ 71.89

Reid ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ 70.82

Sydney ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ 72.15

Werriwa ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ 70.92

Rankin ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ 70.79

Hasluck ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ 71.70

Perth ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ 71.74

Gorton ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ 71.74

✗ = below average satisfaction

Income not important for cohesive communitiesThe electoral division of Wide Bay in Queensland has the highest wellbeing score in the country, yet one of the lowest average

household incomes. In fact, people living in the poorer electoral divisions tend to be more satisfi ed with their relationships

and community connection than those electorates with higher household incomes. This may be due to a combination of lower

housing costs and greater social capital. Despite the signifi cant differences in wellbeing between electorates, Australia is clearly

a largely homogenous nation. A comparison between the nine highest and nine lowest scoring electoral divisions also show

no signifi cant differences in income, education or employment.

federal electoral divisions

Top-scoring electorates are generally characterised by low population density, with eight of the nine top divisions

located outside of inner-metropolitan areas.


NormalRange

76.4

73.4

55

60

65

70

75

66.6 71.4 71.9 70.5 61.3 60.0 58.5

Live Alone and

Unemployed

CarersIncome

<$15k and

Unemployed

Income <$15k

and Alone

Live

Alone

Income

<$15k

Unemployed

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

The Average Wellbeing of Carers is the Lowest of Any Large Group on Record

SEGMENTS OF POPULATION

According the ABS, there are 2.6 million Australians who provide unpaid care and support to a family member or friend with a disability, mental illness, chronic condition or who are frail.

The identifi cation of carers within a survey sample revealed

carers had a lower level of wellbeing than the norm.

Not only did this apply to the primary carer (the person

providing most of the care), but also to any other adults

living in the household.

This signifi cant fi nding prompted the need for further

research into the area.

Partnering with Carers Australia, a special survey

investigated the health and wellbeing of carers in more

depth.

A total of 10,939 questionnaires were distributed to carers

nationally using the carer association state and territory

databases. The survey investigated their personal wellbeing,

physical health, fi nancial and work situations and details of

their caring role. It also identifi ed the prevalence of stress

and depression among carers, by incorporating sub-scales

taken from the well regarded Depression, Anxiety and Stress

Scale (Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995).

Low wellbeing

Carers have the lowest wellbeing of any group yet discovered through the surveys. When compared to other previously

identifi ed segments of the population with low wellbeing, carers still have the lowest on record.

caringcaring


Carers have the lowest wellbeing of any group yet discovered through the surveys.

caring

The impact of caring on individuals, family units and relationships is nothing short of phenomenal. It affects so

many individuals and families.

Most Australians will know someone who is a carer or who needs care because of disability, mental illness, chronic

condition or frailty. Caring affects people in many signifi cant ways – fi nancially, socially, emotionally and in regard

to important life choices like work, career decisions, whether to have another child and relocating to another city

or town.

For most people caring is part of being in a relationship or part of belonging to a family. These relationships and

families need to be valued, supported and nurtured.

” – Joan Hughes, CEO Carers Australia


The Prevalence of Depression in Australian Carers

DEPRESSION LEVEL

Normal (0-21)

No. of Carers –

1277

35%

Mild (22-31)

No. of Carers –

321

Moderate (32-48)

No. of Carers –

677

Severe (49-64)

No. of Carers –

670

Extremely

Severe (65+)

No. of Carers –

700

19% 18% 19%9%

Health: key fi ndings

• Carers are almost twice as likely to experience

chronic pain.

• Some carers do not receive treatment for their own

conditions. The major reasons for this is that they

have no time or cannot afford the treatment

• 20 percent of carers are more likely than not,

carrying an injury caused by their caring role.

• A lower proportion of carers are classifi ed as

normal weight, and a higher proportion of

carers are obese.

Health: key fi ndin

Financial security: key fi ndings

• Carers are almost twice as likely to worry that

their income will not be suffi cient to meet their

expenses.

• More than half of the respondents had a

household income of less than $30,000.

• Even carers in full-time employment have a $7,200

defi cit in household income compared with the

national population of employed people.

• For those carers who are employed, over one third

have a degree of worry about losing their job that

is suffi cient to further reduce their wellbeing.

ngsn

The caring role: key fi ndings• Caring does not get easier with time.• The wellbeing of carers seems to stabilise after two years in a caring role.• Wellbeing decreases as the number of hours spent caring increases.

• Female carers have lower wellbeing than male carers.

• The wellbeing gap between the general population and carers narrows with age but their level of wellbeing still remains low.

caring

The Prevalence of Depression in Australian Carers

Depression & stress

As a parallel and extremely worrying fi nding, more than one third of carers surveyed were suffering from severe or extremely

severe depression. If this result is refl ective of the entire population of carers across Australia, it is likely that carers account for

a substantial proportion of depressed people in Australia. The results for stress mirror that of depression. More than one third

of carers were found to be experiencing severe or extreme stress.


People with a mortgage have higher wellbeing

than people who are renting,

regardless of income level.

60

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

Normal

Range

74.4 69.2 75.3

OwnersDependentsRentMortgage

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

76.4

73.4

Home Ownership and Happiness– Renters doing it tough.

HOME OWNERSHIP STATUS

77.2

Dream or nightmare?

The ‘Great Australian Dream’ of owning a house, is as alive

now as it’s ever been, and owning your home can in fact be

good for you.

People with a mortgage have higher wellbeing than people

who are renting, regardless of income level. This is also

true for renters and mortgagees in each age grouping.

The wellbeing of renters aged 46-55 years however is

particularly low.

With 77 percent of mortgagees living with their partner and

a high proportion of renters being single, this trend has more

to do with relationships than it does money. People often

purchase their home with a partner, and this consolidates the

commitment in the relationship, triggering a rise in wellbeing.

People who owned their home outright have the highest

level of wellbeing, with people who are dependent on others

following closely behind.

home ownership


45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

Normal Range

76.4

73.4

0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Worry at Not Making Rent/Mortgage Payments

LEVEL OF WORRY ON A 0-10 SCALE

76

.1

73

.5 75

.1

69

.3

73

.1

68

.9

70

.0

66

.7 69

.8

67

.8 69

.7

70

.9

71

.7

70

.6

65

.4

61

.2

52

.6

48

.1

66

.8

58

.2

69

.7

57

.1

Mortgage

Rent

55

60

65

70

75

80

Normal Range

70.4 58.657.1

OwnersDependentsRentMortgage

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

76.4

73.4

Single Parents and Home Ownership– Single parents who rent or are dependent on others are a high risk group of depression.

HOME OWNERSHIP STATUS

73.1

Worry at Not Making Rent/Mortgage Payments Mortgage

Financial strain

Worry about not being able to pay rent has a profound effect on wellbeing. Worry about rental payments has a more

damaging impact on the wellbeing of renters than the worry home-owners experience in relation to meeting their mortgage

commitments. A higher proportion of renters are single and therefore don’t have the assurance of additional fi nancial and

emotional resources provided by a stable partner.

home ownershiphome ownership

Single parents and renting

Single parents who are either renters or dependent on others have extremely low wellbeing. The results indicate that these

people are at an extremely high risk of developing depression. Thirty-eight percent of all single parents surveyed were either

renting or dependent on others.

FAST STATS:

• From 1996 to 2006, the proportion of occupied private dwellings that were rented decreased slightly from 29 percent

to 27 percent.

• Over this time, the proportion of dwellings that were fully-owned also decreased from 41 percent to 33 percent,

and the proportion that were being purchased increased from 26 percent to 32 percent.

Source: ABS, 2006 Census


70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

181-360121-18091-12061-9045-6031-4521-3011-201-100

NormalRange

71.8 76.7 75.1 74.2 75.6 75.2 74.2 73.3 73.4 74.3

76.4

73.4

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

TRAVEL TIME (Minutes)

Travel time and Happiness– Those who travel between 1-10 minutes per day have higher than normal wellbeing.

Where our home is – commuting times

People who commute between one to ten minutes each day have higher than normal wellbeing. However, those

people that travel for more than an hour each day have a level of wellbeing that only just remains within the normal

range. This means that while commuting times do not have a drastic effect on wellbeing, it can make people vulnerable

to other stressful factors in their lives.

People who don’t travel have the lowest wellbeing of all. These people are possibly housebound due to disability,

lack of opportunity or being unemployed.


40

50

60

70

80

90

100

$120+$90-120$60-90$30-60$15-30<$15

49.1

92.1

56.5

89.0

63.1

87.4

68.0

85.7

70.7

84.6

64.4

83.1

PE

RC

EN

TA

GE

OF

OW

NE

RS

HIP

AN

D S

TR

EN

GT

H O

F C

AR

ING

FO

R P

ET

Pets: What percentage of people own them, and how much they care for them

HOUSEHOLD INCOME ($'000)

Owning a Pet

Strength of Caring for Pet

Pets, security and stress

Despite much publicity to the contrary, two consecutive

surveys involving 4,000 people revealed that owning a

pet does not increase happiness. In fact, not only is the

wellbeing of pet owners no different to non-owners, but pet

owners tend to be less confi dent and less certain about their

security.

Overall, pet owners recorded lower satisfaction with their

own future security, as well as national security. They even

consider a terrorist attack more likely than non-owners.

Pets and human relationships

Of course, people generally get pleasure from their pet with

an affection for them. But our wellbeing is infl uenced by

much more powerful factors such as personality, wealth, and

human relationships.

The surveys showed that while pet owners had high levels

of attachment to their pet, this was felt most strongly by

people who live alone and least strongly by people living

with their partner and children. This seems to suggest

that, in situations where people are intimately connected

to either another adult or a child, the strength of caring is

directed to them rather than strongly to the pet.

Fewer people from low-income households own a pet, but

those that do care more for their pet than people who come

from high income households.

pet ownership

Owning a pet does not Owning a pet does not increase happinessincrease happiness


A Majority of Australians Believe that a Terrorist Attack is Likely to Occur in Australia

DATE

40

50

60

70

80

August 2nd

Bali Bombing

64.1 54.9 70.1 59.7 48.3 73.4 59.9 61.9 56.5 49.4

Nov 03 Feb 04 May 04 Aug 04 May 05 Oct 05 May 06 Oct 06 Oct 07Apr 07

% O

F P

EO

PL

E W

HO

TH

INK

A

TE

RR

OR

IST

AT

TA

CK

IS

LIK

EL

Y

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

Normal

Range

77.3 76.1 74.3 74 75.8 74.5 74.6 74.3 72.4 71.8

76.4

73.4

10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Likelihood of Terrorist Attack and Effect on Happiness

LIKELIHOOD OF A TERRORIST ATTACK

A Majority of Australian80

Y

How actively does the threat of terrorism aff ect our daily lives?

The changes in Australians’ wellbeing can be somewhat

linked to external events such as war and terrorist activity

(see page 10). But how much do people really think that

a terrorist attack will happen on Australian soil?

Likelihood of an attack in Australia

While responses vary from survey to survey, the majority

of Australians continue to believe that a terrorist attack is

likely to occur in Australia. This feeling was most pronounced

in October 2005 following the 2nd Bali bombing, where at

which time 73 percent of Australians believed terrorist activity

at home was likely to happen ‘in the near future’.

The eff ect on happiness

For those who agree that a terrorist attack is likely, they are then asked how strongly they hold this belief. The wellbeing

of people who believe a terrorist attack to be almost certain (nine or ten out of ten), falls below the normal range. This raises

the question about the relative benefi ts and disadvantages of issuing national terror alerts.

terrorist activity


73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

79

.1

79

.0 79

.5

80

.4

78

.7

81

.4

77

.0

79

.7

78

.1

78

.0

76

.8

74

.1

79

.279

.7

78

.2

77

.1

79

.3

80

.4

79

.6

79

.6

80

.4

S9

Nov 2003

S10

Feb 2004

S11

May 2004

S12

Aug 2004

S13

May 2005

S14

Oct 2005

S15

May 2006

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

A Big Fall in Wellbeing of Older Australians Living Alone

SURVEY DATE

Total age cohort 76+y

Live with partner

Live alone

NormalRange

76.4

73.4

60

62

64

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

80

82

75.0 66.8 68.7 66.0 66.6 68.3 72.8 72.4 74.1 76.0 77.9 80.8

0 1 2 3 4

STRENGTH OF SPIRITUAL/RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE

5 6 7 8 9 10No spiritual/

religious

PE

RS

ON

AL

WE

LL

BE

ING

IN

DE

X

Strength of Spiritual/Religious Experience and Wellbeing

A Big Fall in Wellbeing of Older Australians Living Alone

The extra sensitivity of older Australians

The nation’s wellbeing fell to the lowest level it had been

in fi ve years in May 2006. This was linked to a fall in how

Australians, particularly older Australians, were feeling

about their relationships and connection to the community.

People aged over 75 have heightened sensitivity to national

threats, possibly stemming from their experience of the

Second World War as adolescents or young adults.

Evidently, the threat that had arisen through incidents such

as the Bali bombings and September 11 terrorist attacks had

dissipated. There was less reason for people to reach out to

others.

Further analyses revealed that it was people aged over 75

and living alone that had been affected the most.

Wellbeing is sensitive to such events because the threats

make us feel united and connected to each other.

terrorist activityterrorist activity

Spirituality and religion

A recent addition to the surveys has been to ask how people feel about their spiritual fulfi lment or religion. The 12 percent of

Australians who said they do not have this in their lives record normal levels of wellbeing. It is the ‘believers’ who seem to be

at risk. They need a strength of satisfaction with their spirituality/religion of at least 7/10 for their wellbeing to sit in the normal

range. An important question when trying to interpret these results is whether more vulnerable people are more likely to seek

a spiritual/religious experience.


People on low incomes are more likely to report the experience of a sad than a happy event in their lives.

20

22

24

26

28

PR

OP

OR

TIO

N R

EP

OR

TIN

G

A L

IFE

EV

EN

T (

%)

Happy Sad Happy Sad

Proportion of PeopleRecalling Happy or Sad Events

22.6 24.3 23.2 29.7

HAPPY/SAD EVENT

Males

Females

10

15

20

25

30

17.6 32.5 21.3 29.9 23.5 28.0 25.5 25.9 26.5 24.1% R

EP

OR

TIN

G A

N E

VE

NT

<$15 $15-30 $31-60 $61-100 $101+

People on Low Incomes are More Likely to Recall a Sad Event


Happy events

Sad events

life events

TIN

G

)

Proportion of PeopleRecalling Happy or Sad Events

How we respond to happy and sad events

To measure the direction of people’s attention to the

positive or negative side of their life, the question is asked:

“Has anything happened to you recently causing you to

feel happier or sadder than normal?” If ‘Yes’, they are then

asked whether this was a happy or a sad event, and to rate

its infl uence on a zero to ten scale, from very weak to very

strong.

Gender diff erence

Females are more likely to recall a sad event in their lives.

Females also experience the intensity of both happy and

sad events more strongly than males.

Age

Young adults are more likely to report a happy event rather

than a sad event. This changes at 36-45 years. At this age

and older, people are more likely to report the occurrence

of a sad event.

Income infl uences how we experience life

People on low incomes are more likely to recall the

experience of a sad than a happy event in their lives. This

refl ects how money acts as a protection against negative

things in our lives.


happiest & saddest Those doing well and those doing it tough

No matter what demographic profi le someone fi ts, their

wellbeing can sit anywhere on the spectrum. This will refl ect

a combination of their genetics and environmental factors

in their lives. At a group average level however, there are

segments of the population who, as a whole, are clearly

doing very well or doing it tough.

One report identifi ed segments of the population with

the highest and lowest wellbeing in Australia. This report

combined the data from the fi rst 16 surveys, providing a

sample of approximately 30,000 people.

Who has the highest wellbeing?

The following six groups have the highest wellbeing:

Demographics

Average

wellbeing

score

People over 76 years with a household

income $61,000-$90,00083.79

People who are 150cm-159cm tall with

a household income over $150,00083.09

Females living with a partner & children

with a household income over $150,00081.72

Females who are married with a

household income over $150,00081.00

Females in full time paid employment

with household incomes over $150,00079.68

People aged 66-75 with a household

income $61,000-$90,00079.55

People within these groups tend to be in a relationship

and live in a relatively wealthy household.

• Four out of the six highest groups have household

incomes of more than $150,000.

• 85.4 percent of the combined sample are living with

their partner.

NB: The other characteristics of these groups, such as age

and height, are trivial additions that just happen to defi ne

the specifi c groups that have been identifi ed.

The happiest people of all:People aged 76+ with a household

income $61,000-$90,000


Who has the lowest wellbeing?

The following fi ve groups have the lowest wellbeing:

Demographics

Average

wellbeing

score

Males who are unemployed with a

household income under $15,00058.14

People who live alone and are

unemployed with a household income

under $15,000

59.09

People who are divorced and stay at

home full-time with a household income

under $15,000

59.37

People who are divorced and

unemployed59.68

Divorced single-parents with a

household income under $15,00059.85

People in these groups tend to have very low incomes,

live alone or as single parents, and are commonly

unemployed.

• The majority have a household income of less

than $15,000.

• Only 17.8 percent of the combined sample live

with their partner.

• They are often divorced or separated.

happiest & saddest in Australia in Australia


The theory – homeostasis

The theoretical framework for the interpretation of data

is the theory of “Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis”. This

proposes that everyone has a genetically determined

‘set-point’ for wellbeing that is internally maintained and

defended, similarly to how body temperature is managed.

Both internal and external resources are used to maintain

wellbeing. Internally, we all have different levels of resilience

and strength. Externally, relationships and money are

key factors that help defend us against things in life that

threaten our wellbeing.

Conversely, low income or absence of a partner weakens

homeostasis. In these circumstances, challenges and

hardship such as stress or pain can easily get too much

for the person to handle. With such a lack of support,

homeostasis is readily defeated, and subjective wellbeing

is prone to decrease below its normal range. If wellbeing fails

to recover, the person is highly likely to become depressed.

The analyses

The Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) is used to calculate

an individual’s wellbeing. People are asked to rate their

satisfaction with eight life areas on a scale of 0-10. The

scores from all eight items are combined and converted to a

0-100 point range. This is the Personal Wellbeing Index.

All data have been standardized to a 0-100 range.

The magnitude of differences in wellbeing is therefore

referred to in percentage points.

Reference is also made to a ‘normal range’. The normal range

has been calculated for the Personal Wellbeing Index from

the entire data set of all previous surveys. All of the reported

trends are statistically signifi cant unless stated otherwise.

Presentation and type of analyses

In the presentation of results, the trends that are described

in the text are statistically signifi cant at p<.05. All satisfaction

values are expressed as the strength of satisfaction on a scale

that ranges from 0 to 100 points.

In situations where homogeneity of variance assumptions

has been violated, Dunnetts T3 Post-Hoc Test has been used.

In the case of t-tests we have used the SPSS option for

signifi cance when equality of variance cannot be assumed.

The raw data for each report is available from Deakin

University’s Australian Centre on Quality of Life website:

http://acqol.deakin.edu.au/index.htm

Research method

The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index is based on a

quantitative methodology. National phone surveys of a

random, geographically representative sample of 2,000

Australians, are conducted at least twice per year.

Surveyors ask to speak to the person in the household with

the most recent birthday who is aged over 18. An even

gender split is sought in each geographic region to refl ect

the national population.

Unlike gender, the age composition of the sample is not

actively managed but yields a break-down similar to that

of the national population as determined by the Australian

Bureau of Statistics in October 2001.

The surveys do include anyone aged under 18 years,

non-English speaking persons, and it does not seek to

specifi cally identify indigenous Australian respondents.

Academic rigour

The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index is an academic study

that adheres to rigorous implementation and statistical

standards. It is one of the world’s leading measures of

subjective wellbeing conducted at a national level. A team

of academics within the Department of Psychology at

Deakin University is responsible for data analysis. All

fi ndings presented in the reports, including this one, are

statistically signifi cant – unless otherwise stipulated.

Report organisation

All information presented in this report is sourced from

the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index reports, generated

from national surveys conducted since April 2001, unless

indicated otherwise.

Naturally, however, we can’t fi t everything from our

reports in this one. A list of previous reports can be

found on page 51. Complete reports, data fi les and further

information on the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index are

available at:

Australian Unity:

www.australianunity.com.au/wellbeingindex

Deakin University’s Australian Centre on Quality of Life:

http://acqol.deakin.edu.au/index.htm

theory


List of reports

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Survey 17.1.

Special Report: The Wellbeing of Australians – Carer Health and Wellbeing.

Cummins, Hughes, Tomyn, Gibson, Woerner, Lai. October 2007.

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Survey 17.

The Wellbeing of Australians – Work, Wealth and Happiness.

Cummins, Woerner, Tomyn, Gibson & Knapp. July 2007.

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Report 16.1.

Special Report: The Wellbeing of Australians –

Groups with the Highest and Lowest Wellbeing in Australia.

Cummins, Walter & Woerner. March 2007.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Mortgage Payments and Home Ownership.

Cummins, Woerner, Tomyn, Gibson & Knapp. October 2006.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Income security.

Cummins, Woerner, Tomyn, Gibson & Knapp. May 2006.


Fifth Anniversary Special Report – Summarising the Major Findings.

Cummins. March 2006.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Personal Relationships.

Cummins, Woerner, Tomyn, Gibson & Knapp. October 2005.


Special Report: The Personal Wellbeing of Australians Living

within Federal Electoral Divisions.

Cummins, Knapp, Woerner, Walter & Page. October 2005.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Caregiving at Home.

Cummins, Okerstrom, Woerner & Tomyn. July 2005.


Special Report on City and Country Living.

Cummins, Davern, Okerstrom, Kai Lo & Eckersley. January 2005.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Job Security.

Cummins, Eckersley, Kai Lo, Okerstorm, Hunter & Woerner.

October 2004.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Personal Financial Debt.

Cummins, Eckersley, Kai Lo, Okerstorm, Davern & Woerner.

August 2004.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Health & Body Weight.

Cummins, Eckersley, Kai Lo, Okerstorm, Woerner & Davern.

April 2004.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Owning a Pet.

Cummins, Eckersley, Kai Lo, Okerstorm, Hunter & Davern.

February 2004.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Feeling Connected to Australia.

Cummins, Eckersley, Kai Lo, Okerstorm, Davern & Hunter.

November 2003.


The Wellbeing of Australians – The Effects of Work.


August 2003.


The Wellbeing of Australians – Impact of the Impending Iraq War.

Cummins, Eckersley, Kai Lo, Okerstorm, Davern & Hunter.

April 2003.


The Wellbeing of Australians – 1. Personal Finances.

2. The Impact of the Bali Bombing.


February 2003.


The Wellbeing of Australians – 1. Work & Leisure.

2. The Impact of September 11 One Year Later.

Cummins, Eckersley, Kai Lo, Okerstorm & Davern.

September 2002.

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Survey 3, Report 3.2.

The Impact of Personal Relationships and Household Structure

on the Wellbeing of Australians.

Cummins, Eckersley, Pallant, Okerstorm & Davern.

April 2002.

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Survey 3, Report 3.1.

Wellbeing in Australia in the aftermath of September 11.

Cummins, Eckersley, Pallant & Davern. May 2002.

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Survey 2, Report 2.

Special Report on Income and Geographic Location.

Cummins, Eckersley, Pallant, Davern & Misajon.

December 2001.

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Survey 2, Report 1.

Cummins, Eckersley, Pallant, Misajon & Davern. December 2001.

Australian Unity Wellbeing Index: Survey 1, Report 1. Cummins,

Eckersley, Pallant, Van Vugt, Shelley, Pusey & Misajon. June 2001.

For further information or general enquiries on the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index, please email: [email protected]

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