Americans Happier Than Before Recession
Americans reported that their lives were better in 2010 than before the economic meltdown in September 2008. In fact, life satisfaction was higher than at any time since Gallup and Healthways started to track it. This new information illustrates the concept that a recession can be, well, depressing to a lot of people.
The findings were driven by positive changes in health habits including eating, smoking and exercise. Even with seasonal adjustments, these numbers are far better than last year. Despite continued high unemployment, with 15 million Americans jobless, this may signal a psychological recovery that could trigger hiring and spending.
Based on results made public yesterday, the Life Evaluation Index rather of 50.7, compared to a low of 33.1 percent in November 2008. That increase fueled a new high in the Well-Being Index of 67.4 percent. This exceeded the previous high of 67.0 in three previous months since January 2008, when the survey began measuring life satisfaction.
Gallup’s overall Well-Being Index is a measure of six separate categories: Life Evaluation, Healthy Behavior, Physical Health, Emotional Health, Basic Access and Work Environment. Each month, the survey is based on telephone interview. In May 2010 that included interviews with 29,199 randomly chosen adults age 18 and older. Respondents live in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
In the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale, participants are asked to rate their present and future lives on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best possible life. Respondents who score today as a 7 and the future as an 8 or higher are considered to be thriving. Those who rank today or the future as a 4 are said to be suffering. The total Life Evaluation Index is based on the percentage of those thriving minus the percentage of those suffering.
Survey participants are dialed at random on cell phones and landlines. At each number that is answered, the adult with the most recent birthday is asked to respond. Surveys are given in Spanish or English, and respondents re chosen to reflect the gender, age, race, ethnicity, region, education, family size and phone preference (cell or landline) of the population in general. The survey does not include individuals living in institutions.
The survey has a sampling error of 1 percent.
By Joni Holderman, [email protected], contributing reporter for Mental Health News.