Happiness and Health

Happiness and Socio-Demographic Factors in an Italian Sample: A Propensity-Matched Study

Happiness is receiving more and more interest both as a determinant of health and a measure of outcome in biomedical and psychological sciences. The main objective of this study was to assess how the levels of happiness vary in a large sample of Italian adults and to identify the socio-demographic conditions which impair happiness domains the most. The participants of this survey consisted of 1695 Italian adults (85.9% women; 14.1% men) who completed the Measure of Happiness (MH) questionnaire online. In this study, the differences between groups in total and single domain (life perspective, psychophysical status, socio-relational sphere, relational private sphere, and financial status) happiness levels were examined through a propensity score matching analysis with respect to socio-demographic conditions, including gender, age, annual income, relationship status, having children, and education level. The results show that low income has a negative impact on happiness levels, whereas being in a relationship has a positive effect. Having children appears to have a negative impact on male happiness. Males appear to be happier than females, especially with regard to the psychophysics status. This evidence emphasizes the urgency for Italian policymakers to take actions on removing obstacles to people's happiness, especially with regard to financial distress, parenthood, and gender gaps.

Negative health outcomes in depressed cardiac patients are associated with both low and high psychological well-being dimensions

Literature supports the positive effects of psychological well-being (P.W.B.) on health. However, most studies focused on the unitary construct of P.W.B., neglecting the different role played by distinct P.W.B. dimensions on health-related outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine whether unbalanced (i.e. low or high) levels of P.W.B. dimensions could differentially affect cardiac course after acute coronary syndrome (A.C.S.), in terms of participation in secondary prevention (S.P.) and/or survival. The sample included 136 depressed and/or demoralized A.C.S. patients referred for a S.P. program on lifestyle modification, in addition to routine cardiac visits provided by the hospital where they were admitted. Psychological assessment included validated interviews on depression and demoralization, Symptom Questionnaire and Psychological Well-Being scales. 100 patients joined the S.P. program, 36 did not. Logistic regression revealed that older age (B = 0.051; p < 0.05), higher autonomy (B = 0.070; p < 0.05) and lower personal growth (B = -0.073; p < 0.05) levels were associated with non-participation in S.P. Moreover, only among patients who did not join the program, those presenting with an impaired level of P.W.B. 'positive relations' dimension (i.e. below the 25^th percentile) showed a worse cardiac prognosis (Log Rank: χ²₍₁₎ = 4.654; p = 0.031). Negative health outcomes in depressed cardiac patients, such as non-participation in S.P. and worse cardiac course, are associated with both high and low levels of certain P.W.B. dimensions. Psychotherapeutic approaches geared to a balance in P.W.B. dimensions could represent promising new additions to S.P. programs.

Interventions to Modify Psychological Well-Being: Progress, Promises, and an Agenda for Future Research

Psychological well-being, characterized by feelings, cognitions, and strategies that are associated with positive functioning (including hedonic and eudaimonic well-being), has been linked with better physical health and greater longevity. Importantly, psychological well-being can be strengthened with interventions, providing a strategy for improving population health. But are the effects of well-being interventions meaningful, durable, and scalable enough to improve health at a population-level? To assess this possibility, a cross-disciplinary group of scholars convened to review current knowledge and develop a research agenda. Here we summarize and build on the key insights from this convening, which were: (1) existing interventions should continue to be adapted to achieve a large-enough effect to result in downstream improvements in psychological functioning and health, (2) research should determine the durability of interventions needed to drive population-level and lasting changes, (3) a shift from individual-level care and treatment to a public-health model of population-level prevention is needed and will require new infrastructure that can deliver interventions at scale, (4) interventions should be accessible and effective in racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse samples. A discussion examining the key future research questions follows.

Teachers' situational physiological stress and affect

Since teaching is a demanding and stressful profession, the study of teachers' physiological stress in the classroom setting is an emerging field. In cross-sectional studies self-reported stress and affect are related, but less is known about the intraindividual relations between situational physiological stress and corresponding positive and negative affect. The aim of our study was to investigate the associations between situational physiological stress (six salivary cortisol samples per day) and self-reported situational affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule four times a day) among 61 Finnish primary school teachers over two workdays. We present a novel multilevel structural equation model (MSEM) that includes cortisol, with time since awakening as a flexibly coded time-varying covariate and affect with time since cortisol measurement as a time-varying covariate. Higher levels of teachers' situational physiological stress were related to lower situational positive affect (e.g., enthusiasm) and higher negative affect (e.g., nervousness), demonstrating the acute/situational effects of stress on affect. In our discussion, we emphasize the importance of the sequence of sampling and observations for further theoretical modeling of relations between stress and affect. We also propose practical implications for improving teachers' awareness of their well-being.

Primary medical and health preparedness and people's life satisfaction in China: The mediating role of satisfaction with medical and health services

Objective

To examine the association between primary medical and health preparedness (PMHP), satisfaction with medical and health services (SMHS), and life satisfaction (LS).

Methods

Using the latest national representative data from the 2019 Chinese Social Survey and the 2018 Health Statistics Yearbook for each province in China, we conducted multi-level models to test the effect of three aspects of PMHP (the number of primary medical and health institutions (PMHIs), the number of beds in PMHIs, and the number of staff in PMHIs) on LS, and the mediation role of SMHS in this effect.

Results

The number of staff in PMHIs has a significant positive effect on people's LS. Besides, this effect is mediated completely by SMHS. However, the number of PMHIs and the number of beds in PMHIs do not affect LS significantly.

Conclusions

PMHP has a positive impact on LS, but this impact is associated only with the number of staff in PMHIs. Therefore, governments should focus on optimizing human resources in PMHIs to meet the LS needs of individuals.

Emotional and physical-related experiences as potential mechanisms linking physical activity and happiness: Evidence from the Ghana Aging, Health, Psychological Well-being, and Health-seeking Behavior Study

This study examines the association between physical inactivity (PI) and happiness among Ghanaian older adults and whether emotional and physical-related experiences (EPE) mediate the association. Data from the Aging, Health, Psychological Well-being and Health-seeking Behavior Study (AgeHeaPsyWel-HeaSeeB) conducted in 2016-2018 among 1201 older Ghanaians were analyzed. Happiness was assessed with the self-rated and cross-culturally validated item on a 5-point scale. PI was evaluated with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Hierarchical linear regressions and mediation analyses were performed to estimate the hypothesized associations. Results showed that PI was significantly associated with lower levels of happiness (β = -0.053, p < .001) net of potential confounders. The association of PI with happiness was attenuated and fully mediated by pain, sleep problems, loneliness, anxiety, and boredom. Moreover, in terms of the cross-level interaction effects, PI moderated the happiness-pain (β = -0.029, p < .005), happiness-social isolation (β = -0.024, p < .05), and happiness-boredom (β = -0.023, p < .005) associations. Our data suggest that EPE may explain why PI decreases happiness in old age. Findings provide valuable insight into the interventions and decisions to improve subjective well-being and quality of life in old age.

Sociodemographic determinants of life satisfaction among grandparent caregivers

Introduction

It has become a common contemporary phenomenon for grandparents to provide care for young children in their family in both urban and rural areas. This study attempted to investigate psychological wellbeing and quality of life among grandparents involved in childcare in China, and to explore the relationships between sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life, and life satisfaction in this group.

Methods

Using stratified random cluster sampling, we conducted a survey of grandparent caregivers in Wuhan in November and December of 2020 (N = 1,640). Descriptive statistics to univariate analysis, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling were carried out.

Results

Across all respondents, mean scores on life satisfaction, sleep quality, and quality of life were 14.05 ± 3.50, 5.02 ± 3.37, and 74.51 ± 16.88, respectively. Marital status, income, chronic diseases, family relationships, and physical exercise were found to be associated with life satisfaction. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that quality of life, sleep quality, and sociodemographic characteristics may exert direct and indirect effects on life satisfaction. Mediating effects accounted for 30.0% of the total effects.

Conclusion

Overall, grandparent caregivers have poor life satisfaction, quality of life, and sleep quality. A higher household income, better relationships with family members, healthy lifestyle habits, and high-quality sleep may effectively help to improve life satisfaction among grandparent caregivers.

Mediation effects of cognitive, physical, and motivational reserves on cognitive performance in older people

Introduction

We study from a multidimensional perspective the different factors that help prevent the development of cognitive impairment in old aging.

Methods

This study analyzed in 300 elderly subjects the relationship between cognitive reserve (CR), physical reserve (PR) and motivational reserve (MR) with cognitive impairment. This study also takes into consideration different variables (sex, age, educational level, and institutionalization) that might affect the results in the different types of reserves (CR, physical and MR) and cognitive impairment.

Results

The results show that people with a higher cognitive reserve, physical reserve and motivational reserve have less cognitive impairment.

Discussion

Therefore, it is important to consider measuring the CR as a variable to diagnose neurodegenerative illnesses but it is also essential to consider the physical state and physical activity, as well as the motivational dimension. With the cognitive reserve and sex variables no significant differences were observed. Age had a negative effect on strategic flexibility, but those with higher CR had better cognitive flexibility and the educational.

Combinations of physical activity, screen time and sleep, and their association with subjective wellbeing in children

BACKGROUND

Subjective wellbeing is an important indicator of health outcomes in children. 24-hour movement behaviours (i.e., physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep and their combination), a set of modifiable lifestyle behaviours, have been demonstrated to be associated with subjective wellbeing. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the compliance of the 24-h movement guidelines and subjective wellbeing in a sample of Chinese children.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data from primary and secondary school students in Anhui Province, China were used for the analysis. A total of 1098 study participants (mean age: 11.6 years, body mass index: 19.7 ± 2.9) were included, of which 51.5% were boys. Physical activity, screen time, sleep, and subjective wellbeing were measured using validated self-reported questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationships between the compliance of different combinations of 24-h movement guidelines and subjective wellbeing in participants.

RESULTS

The compliance of (i.e., physical activity recommendations, screen time recommendations and sleep recommendations) 24-h movement guidelines was associated with better subjective wellbeing (OR: 2.09; 95CI%: 1.01-5.90) compared to the compliance of none of the guidelines. Furthermore, there was a dose-response relationship between the number of guidelines met (3 > 2 > 1 > 0) and improved subjective wellbeing (p < 0.05). Despite some exceptions, there was a significant relationship between the compliance of different combinations of the guidelines and better subjective wellbeing.

CONCLUSION

This study found that the compliance of 24-h movement guidelines was associated with greater subjective wellbeing in Chinese children.

The COVID-19 Pandemic, Social Ties, and Psychosocial Well-Being of Middle-Aged Women in Rural Africa

The study contributes to the understanding of the societal impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in the Global South by examining longer term implications of pandemic-induced disruptions and deprivations for social ties and psychosocial well-being. Using data from a survey of middle-aged women in rural Mozambique, the author finds a negative association between the pandemic-triggered household economic decline and perceived changes in the quality of relations with marital partners, non-coresident children, and relatives, but not with generally more distant actors, such as coreligionists and neighbors. In turn, multivariable analyses detect a positive association of changes in the quality of family and kin ties with participants' life satisfaction, regardless of other factors. Yet women's expectations for changes in their household living conditions in the near future show a significant association only with changes in the quality of relations with marital partners. The author situates these findings within the context of women's enduring vulnerabilities in low-income patriarchal settings.

Age differences in factors affecting fear of falling among community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study

Our objective was to explore the determining factors of fear of falling (FOF) in community-dwelling older adults of different ages. A total of 541 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older were investigated and separated into a younger group (n=347) and an older group (n=194). FOF was measured and possible factors affecting FOF were investigated. The prevalence of high FOF in the older group was significantly higher than that in the younger group. Poor sleep quality, low muscle strength, and multimorbidity were independent risk factors for high FOF in the younger group. While poor gait and balance were independent risk factors for high FOF, other factors, such as sex, marital status, education level, drinking status, cognitive ability, and muscle strength were also found to have a significant association with high FOF in the older group. Therefore, differential prevention strategies for high FOF should be considered for community-dwelling older adults of different ages.

Gender, Stress, and Well-Being in Adulthood

Exposure to stressors may be one of the most critical components of health and well-being. Although research on stress and health abounds, most studies have focused on establishing that stress is harmful to physical and mental health whereas less attention has been paid to analysing the effects of stress on well-being. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relevance of gender in the association of stress with well-being in adulthood. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1578 women and 1507 men from the Spanish general population aged between 30 and 59. All participants were assessed by eight self-reports measuring chronic stress, life events, daily hassles, eudaimonic well-being, life satisfaction, masculine/instrumental and feminine/expressive traits, coping styles, and social support. Although stress does not affect women's eudaimonic well-being, a greater number of life events and more daily hassles rendered lower life satisfaction in women. Men's greater chronic stress was associated with lower eudaimonic well-being and life satisfaction; moreover, a greater number of life events was associated with men's lower life satisfaction. We conclude that gender is relevant in the stress and well-being of adults as well as in the association between stress and well-being.

The impact of built environment on physical activity and subjective well-being of urban residents: A study of core cities in the Yangtze River Delta survey

Objective

In cities with high population density in China, the impact of built environment on human health is rather complicated. Physical activities are an important factor in promoting people's health. This study is aimed to explore ways of enhancing the residents' intensity of physical activities and psychological health in a limited built environment. For this purpose, this study conducted research on 1875 residents from cities in the Yangtze River Delta in China to clarify the complicated correlations among the residents' physical activities, the multi-dimensional geographic environment characteristics, and subjective well-being.

Methods

First, Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS-A), International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and Subjective Well-being Scale for Chinese Citizens (SWBS-CC) were used to measure built environment characteristics, intensity of physical activities, and subjective well-being. Second, the correlations among built environment, physical activities, and subjective well-being were analyzed, which reflected different effects of built environment characteristics on physical activities and subjective well-being. Third, physical activities were viewed as a mediating variable in SEM to analyze the influence mechanism of each built environment characteristic on the subjective well-being of residents.

Result

Residents with different individual characteristics may have different levels of perception and usage of built environment. The intensity of physical activities has significant positive correlations with proximity to supporting facilities, accessibility of destinations, and public security, while no significant correlation with overall environmental aesthetics and street connectivity. The residents' subjective well-being has significant positive correlations with accessibility of destinations, overall environmental aesthetics, and public security, while no significant correlation with proximity to supporting facilities and street connectivity. Physical activities not only have a direct effect on subjective well-being, but also a mediating effect on the correlations between subjective well-being and built environment characteristics.

Conclusion

In the future, more research could be conducted on the optimization of correlations between residential built environment characteristics and physical activities as well as subjective well-being, so as to gain a deeper understanding about the impact of residential built environment on people's physical and mental health.

Well-Being Adjusted Health Expectancy: A New Summary Measure of Population Health

We propose a new summary measure of population health (SMPH), the well-being-adjusted health expectancy (WAHE). WAHE belongs to a subgroup of health-adjusted life expectancy indicators and gives the number of life years equivalent to full health. WAHE combines health and mortality information into a single indicator with weights that quantify the reduction in well-being associated with decreased health. WAHE's advantage over other SMPHs lies in its ability to differentiate between the consequences of health limitations at various levels of severity and its transparent, simple valuation function. Following the guidelines of a Committee on Summary Measures of Population Health, we discuss WAHE's validity, universality, feasibility sensitivity and ensure its reproducibility. We evaluate WAHE's performance compared to life expectancy, the most commonly used indicators of health expectancy (HE) and disability-adjusted life expectancy (DALE) in an empirical application for 29 European countries. Data on health and well-being are taken from the 2018 EU-SILC, and the life tables are from Eurostat. DALE is taken from the database of the Global Burden of Disease Programme. WAHE's sensitivity to univariate and multivariate state specifications is studied using the three Minimum European Health Module health dimensions: chronic morbidity, limitations in activities of daily living, and self-rated health. The empirical tests of the indicators' correspondence reveal that WAHE has the strongest correlation with the other SMPHs. Moreover, WAHE estimates are in agreement with all other SMPHs. Additionally, WAHE and all other SMPHs form a group of reliable indicators for studying population health in European countries. Finally, WAHE estimates are robust, regardless of whether health is defined across one or multiple simultaneous dimensions of health. We conclude that WAHE is a useful and reliable indicator of population health and performs at least as well as other commonly used SMPHs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10680-022-09628-1.

Subjective well-being predicts Covid-19 risk in the elderly: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Covid-19 is a serious public health concern. Previous studies have shown that although there are concerns about the subjective well-being (SWB) of older people in the Covid period, the link between SWB and the risk of Covid-19 is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the predictive effect of SWB on the Covid-19 risk in the elderly as well as the determinants of SWB.

METHODS

This case-control study was performed in the elderly over 60 years of age. The case group consisted of all hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and the control group from the same population with no history of COVID-19 matched by age, sex, and place of residence. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and SWB scale of Keyes and Magyarmo to measure emotional, psychological and social well-being. All data were analyzed via SPSS and STATA software. Multiple binary logistic regression was run to predict the probability of Covid-19 risk on the values of total SWB and its three subscales and multiple linear regression to identify SWB determinants.

RESULTS

The results showed that increasing one unit in total SWB reduces the risk of Covid-19 by 4% (OR = 0.969, CI = 0.947-0.991, p = 0.006). Emotional well-being with 0.823 had the highest odds ratio for predicting Covid-19 risk, followed by social well-being with an odds ratio of 0.981. Increasing age and education, better economic status, marriage against celibacy, lack of comorbidity, and a better understanding of own health were associated with greater SWB.

DISCUSSION

This study provides evidence for the protective effect of SWB on Covid-19 risk. To promote SWB, we need to focus on the elderly with higher financial worries and comorbidities, as well as those with less education, health perception and SWB. Therefore, it will be important for the elderly to determine strategies to improve SWB during the epidemic.

Gender differences in general health and happiness: a study on Iranian engineering students

This article aims to determine the relationship between general health and happiness in male and female engineering students in Iran. The analysis relies on a unique dataset collected through two questionnaires (Oxford Happiness and GHQ28) from a representative sample (n = 2,000). Although similar data have been collected quite independently by different communities of researchers, and empirical evidence points to very similar underlying mechanisms, but they did not consider non-normal distribution samples. In this study, data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon's signed rank tests. The mean happiness and general health were 42.89 ± 14.84 and 23.76 ± 13.28, respectively. There was a positive and significant relationship between these two variables (P ≤ 0.05, r = 0.59). Happiness showed significant differences in males and females, but general health did not. In general, female students enjoyed more health and happiness. This study argues that clarifying the relationship between happiness and health in different genders can help academic authorities and youth planners to pay special attention to this issue and provide particular programs.

Correlates of quality of life, happiness and life satisfaction among European adults older than 50 years: A machine-learning approach

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Previous research has documented the role of different categories of psychosocial factors (i.e., sociodemographic factors, personality, subjective life circumstances, activity, physical health, and childhood circumstances) in predicting subjective well-being and quality of life among older adults. No previous study has simultaneously modeled a large number of these psychosocial factors using a well-powered sample and machine learning algorithms to predict quality of life, happiness, and life satisfaction among older adults. The aim of this paper was to investigate the correlates of quality of life, happiness, and life satisfaction among European adults older than 50 years using machine learning techniques.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Data drawn from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) Wave 7 were used. Participants were 62,500 persons aged 50 years and over living in 26 Continental EU Member States, Switzerland, and Israel. Multiple machine learning regression approaches were used.

RESULTS

The algorithms captured 53%, 33%, and 18% of the variance of quality of life, life satisfaction, and happiness, respectively. The most important categories of correlates of quality of life and life satisfaction were physical health and subjective life circumstances. Sociodemographic factors (mostly country of residence) and psychological variables were the most important categories of correlates of happiness.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

This study highlights subjective poverty, self-perceived health, country of residence, subjective survival probability, and personality factors (especially neuroticism) as important correlates of quality of life, happiness, and life satisfaction. These findings provide evidence-based recommendations for practice and/or policy implications.

Differences According to Sex in the Relationship between Social Participation and Well-Being: A Network Analysis

This study aimed to explore the effects of different types of social participation on the components of well-being, as well as the differences according to sex in the relationship between social participation and well-being. This was a cross-sectional community study. Well-being was measured using the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment (PERMA) profile. Social participation included activities of daily life, sports and entertainment activities, and social service activities. The independent association between each type of social participation and the components of well-being was examined by using a network analysis in both males and females. Of all 1276 participants surveyed, 60% were females. The results of the network analysis showed that positive emotion-housework (0.263), positive emotion-games (0.102), engagement-housework (0.107), engagement-work (0.054), and meaning-socializing (0.085) had unique connections in males; the average predictability in the network was 0.417. For females, positive emotion-physical activity (0.102), engagement-associations or societies (0.071), relationships-physical (0.090), relationships-socializing (0.092), and relationships-volunteering activities (0.133) had significant connections; the average predictability in the network was 0.358. Different types of social participation may have different effects on the components of well-being. Furthermore, differences according to sex in the relationship between social participation and well-being should be considered when formulating interventions to improve well-being.

Purpose in life (Ikigai) and employment status in relation to cardiovascular mortality: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether having a purpose in life (Ikigai) is associated with risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and whether the association varies by employment status.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Residents in 45 municipalities, Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

29 517 men and 41 984 women aged 40-79 years, free of CVD and cancer at baseline from 1988 to 1990.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

CVD mortality.

RESULTS

During the median follow-up of 19.1 years, 4680 deaths (2393 men and 2287 women) from total CVD were observed. Greater Ikigai was associated with a lower risk of CVD mortality, and the result was stronger for men than for women. Stratified by employment status, the inverse association was confined to unemployed persons. Among unemployed persons, the multivariable HRs of total CVD were higher for moderate and high versus low levels of Ikigai. Multivariable HRs (95% CIs) were 0.74 (0.57 to 0.97) and 0.69 (0.52 to 0.93), P for trend <0.044, respectively in men, and 0.78 (0.64 to 0.95) and 0.77 (0.61 to 0.97), P for trend=0.039 in women. No association was observed among the employed, including part-time workers, self-employed and homemakers for both men and women. Such an inverse association remained even after excluding early deaths within 5 years from the baseline survey.

CONCLUSION

Higher levels of Ikigai were associated with a lower risk of CVD mortality, especially for unemployed men and women.

Joint exposure to positive affect, life satisfaction, broad depression, and neuroticism and risk of cardiovascular diseases: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Psychologic wellbeing can impact cardiovascular health. We aimed to evaluate the joint association of multiple psychologic wellbeing factors with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and examine whether this association was modified by genetic susceptibility.

METHODS

In the UK Biobank, 126,255 participants free of CVD (coronary heart disease [CHD], stroke, and heart failure [HF]) at baseline, who completed a questionnaire on psychological factors, were included. The psychological wellbeing score was calculated by four factors: happiness, life satisfaction, broad depression, and neuroticism. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between the psychological wellbeing score and CVD risk.

RESULTS

During the median follow-up of 11.5 years, 10,815 participants had newly diagnosed CVDs. Low life satisfaction, the presence of depression, and neuroticism score ≥1 were significantly associated with an increased risk of CVD in the multivariable-adjusted model. Through decreasing the psychological wellbeing score, there were significant increasing linear trends in the risk of CVD, CHD, stroke, and HF (all p for trend < 0.001). Participants with the lowest psychological wellbeing score had the highest risk for CVD (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.42-1.61). Women were more susceptible to worse psychological wellbeing status for CVD than men (p for interaction = 0.009). The associations of the psychological wellbeing score with CVD were consistent across genetic risk (p for interaction >0.05). When considered jointly, participants exposed to high-risk psychological wellbeing and genetic status had a 2.70-fold (95% CI 2.25-3.24) risk for CHD.

CONCLUSIONS

Joint exposure to multiple psychological wellbeing factors was associated with increased risks of incident CVD in an additive manner, regardless of genetic susceptibility.

The Effect of Perceived Stress, Family Companionship, and Mental Health on the Subjective Happiness of Chinese Healthcare Workers: A Mixed Research Method

Aim: This study aimed to understand the impact of perceived stress on the subjective happiness of Chinese healthcare workers (HCWs) and to further explore the chain-mediating role of family companionship and mental health. Background: In the face of tense doctor-patient relationships; a heavy workload; long working hours; seemingly endless shifts; potential professional title promotions; work performance assessments; and the difficult balance between family, work, and other aspects of life, HCWs are often under great pressure, which can endanger mental health and reduce subjective happiness. However, the role of healthcare workers' active participation in family companionship in mental health and subjective happiness is not clear. Method: We used a mixed research design to collect data in two locations (Hospital A and Hospital B) in Wuhan, China. A self-distributed questionnaire was assigned to HCWs through the Research Electronic Data Capture survey. A total of 368 valid surveys were obtained. Results: Hospital A's perceived stress level and mental health problems were more severe, while Hospital B had a higher subjective happiness score and more time to spend with their families. Subjective happiness was affected by children, education, occupation, health status, commuting time, and the scores of perceived stress and depression. The scores of perceived stress and mental health were significantly negatively associated with subjective happiness and family companionship, and there was a significant positive correlation between subjective happiness and family companionship. The results also showed that family companionship and mental health acted as serial mediators between perceived stress and subjective happiness. However, family companionship did not play a mediating role between perceived stress and subjective happiness. Most HCWs had work-family conflicts, and a high amount of work pressure and feelings of powerlessness and not having sufficient time were common when they accompanied their families. Conclusions: HCWs had a high level of perceived stress and psychological distress, and their subjective happiness score was lower than that of the general population. Many HCWs experienced negative emotions when taking care of their families. Only a small number of people had enough time to spend time with their families and perform more prominently in busier hospitals. More importantly, perceived stress can indirectly have an impact on subjective happiness through a chain-mediating effect of family companionship and mental health, and family companionship may not always promote subjective happiness unless mental health is maintained. Therefore, in the future, we can consider carrying out interventions based on family companionship and mental health among HCWs to promote the healthy and harmonious development of individuals, families, and hospitals.

Positive psychological factors and the risk of pneumonia-associated mortality: Japan Collaborative Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between positive psychological factors and the risk of pneumonia-associated mortality in a large prospective Japanese cohort.

METHODS

The Japan Collaborative Cohort Study assessed 64,231 participants (26,293 men and 37,938 women), aged 40-79 years, without a history of stroke, myocardial infarction, cancer or tubercules at baseline (1988-1990). We used self-administered questionnaires about lifestyle, medical history, and mental states, including three positive psychological factors, and followed-up for mortality outcomes until the end of 2009. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of pneumonia-associated mortality after adjustment for potential confounding factors, mutually positive psychological factors, and consideration for the competing risk.

RESULTS

Having Ikigai (in Japanese) was inversely associated with the risk of pneumonia-associated mortality in both men and women; the multivariable HRs (95% CIs) for high versus low levels were 0.68 (0.48-0.97), P trend =0.090 and 0.66 (0.43-1.00), P trend =0.146, respectively. Such inverse associations were more pronounced in working men and non-working women; the multivariable HRs (95% CIs) for high versus low levels were 0.52 (0.32-0.85), P trend =0.010 and 0.59 (0.37-0.94), P trend =0.079, respectively. Being relied upon by others and Enjoyment of life was not associated with the risk in both genders.

CONCLUSION

Having Ikigai was associated with a lower risk of pneumonia-associated mortality in both genders, especially in working men and non-working women.

Optimism and subjective well-being in nursing home older adults: The mediating roles of gratitude and social support

OBJECTIVES

To examine the level of subjective well-being (SWB) and the mediating roles of gratitude and social support in the relationship between optimism and SWB amongst older Chinese people in nursing homes.

METHODS

A total of 354 older adults in Chinese nursing homes completed the World Health Organization's well-being index, Life Orientation Test-Revised, Gratitude Questionnaire-Six-Item Form, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the relationships between optimism, gratitude, social support and SWB.

RESULTS

The mean SWB score of the older people was (63.14 ±15.31), with 21.0% of subjects reporting low SWB. Gratitude and social support in serial partially mediated the relationship of optimism with SWB (total indirect effect: Standardized β = 0.157, 95% CI [0.109,0.216], p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

These findings provide good evidence for the inter-relationship mechanism amongst the protective factors of SWB, suggesting the need to prioritize positive psychological nursing interventions to promote SWB in older people in residential care.

Taking the pulse of nations: A biometric measure of well-being

A growing literature identifies associations between subjective and biometric indicators of wellbeing. These associations, together with the ability of subjective wellbeing metrics to predict health and behavioral outcomes, have spawned increasing interest in wellbeing as an important concept in its own right. However, some social scientists continue to question the usefulness of wellbeing metrics. We contribute to this literature in three ways. First, we introduce a biometric measure of wellbeing - pulse - that hs been little used. Using nationally representative data on 165,000 individuals from the Health Survey for England and Scottish Health Surveys we show that its correlates are similar in a number of ways to those for happiness, and that it is highly correlated with wellbeing metrics, as well as self-assessed health. Second, we examine the determinants of pulse rates in mid-life (age 42) among the 9000 members of the National Child Development Study, a birth cohort born in a single week in 1958 in Britain. Third, we track the impact of pulse measured in mid-life (age 42) on health and labor market outcomes at age 50 in 2008 and age 55 in 2013. The probability of working at age 55 is negatively impacted by pulse rate a decade earlier. The pulse rate has an impact over and above chronic pain measured at age 42. General health at 55 is lower the higher the pulse rate at age 42, while those with higher pulse rates at 42 also express lower life satisfaction and more pessimism about the future at age 50. Taken together, these results suggest social scientists can learn a great deal by adding pulse rates to the metrics they use when evaluating people's wellbeing.

Construction for Health; Reversing the Impacts

The health of humans and the planet are the most vital contemporary issues and essential components of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Scientists and professionals strive for integrated, evolving, healthy, and sustainable solutions encompassing biodiversity and industrial ecology, while offering viable economic attainments. The building industry, especially construction, is an extensive economic counterpart that largely influences health on various levels. On a practical scale, most direct or indirect impacts on health are related to conventional construction systems (CCSs), particularly their materialisations and implementation methods. Therefore, from a global perspective, emerging technologies or remodelled methods to accomplish sustainable use, reuse, and recycling, and improving the planet’s health to ensure the wellbeing of its inhabitants, are crucial. The current research is part of a broader study on “programmable construction systems” (PCSs), concentrating on “programmable construction materials” (PCMs) for health. Therefore, issues are reviewed, relevancies are addressed, and health-oriented concepts are discussed. Example concepts of formulation and the simplified toolkit creations follow the problems’ sources in a case study, providing insight into the resulting multiscale impacts on real-life practices. The results prove the method’s potential and validate its simplicity and applicability through an abstract examination of a newly built case study. Finally, the summarised outcomes of other extensive studies on societal preferences also confirm the feasibility of the hypothesis (i.e., the healthy materialisation) also from a social perspective.

Psychological well‐being and salivary markers of inflammation: The moderating effect of age

Increasing evidence suggests a significant impact of higher psychological well-being (PWB) on health outcomes; however, such associations have been studied exclusively in middle-aged to older adults. This study examined the aging effect on PWB measures as well as the moderating effect of age on the link between PWB and inflammation, using salivary markers by comparing the younger adults (n = 127; M_age  = 22.98 years) versus older adults (n = 75; M_age  = 75.60 years). Older adults showed significantly lower levels of PWB, particularly regarding purpose in life and personal growth. Moreover, higher purpose in life was associated with lower salivary IL-1ß and IL-6 (b = 0.83, p < .001; b = 0.81, p < .01) only in the older adult group but not in younger adults. These findings highlight the potential buffering effect of the sense of living well on physiological pathways in later life.

Joint Exposure to Positive Affect, Life Satisfaction, Depressive Symptoms, and Neuroticism and Incident Type 2 Diabetes

CONTEXT

Whether the psychological wellbeing status could be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to measure the association between combined psychological wellbeing factors and type 2 diabetes and investigate whether this association was modified by genetic predisposition.

METHODS

Prospective cohort study from the UK Biobank. In total, 127 496 participants who completed a psychological wellbeing questionnaire and did not have type 2 diabetes at baseline (2006-2010) were included; among them, 88 584 (69.5%) were analyzed to determine their genetic predisposition. The main outcome measure was incident type 2 diabetes.

RESULTS

During the median follow-up of 10.0 years, 2547 incident type 2 diabetes cases were documented. Moderate to extreme unhappiness, satisfaction score ≤3, presence of broad depression, and a neuroticism score ≥3 were all significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of diabetes. When considered as a combination indicator, compared with individuals in the highest quartile of the psychological wellbeing score, the fully adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) of type 2 diabetes were 1.41 (1.21-1.65) in the third quartile, 1.45 (1.24-1.69) in the second quartile, and 1.73 (1.48-2.01) in the lowest quartile. In the stratified analysis, we observed significant interactions between age and physical activity, and type 2 diabetes (Pinteraction < .001 and 0.049, respectively). However, there was no significant interaction between the psychological wellbeing score and genetic susceptibility to diabetes (Pinteraction = .980).

CONCLUSION

Worse overall psychological wellbeing was associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes in a dose-response fashion regardless of genetic predisposition.

Association of Optimism with Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The effect of psychological health on cardiovascular disease is an underappreciated yet important area of study. Understanding the relationship between these two entities may allow for more comprehensive care of those with cardiovascular disease. The primary objective of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the relationship between optimism and risk of developing adverse events such as all-cause mortality or fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease in community-based populations.

METHOD

A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted from inception through November 2021 for prospective studies evaluating optimism and adverse outcomes. Two reviewers independently selected prospective cohort studies that evaluated optimism and either all-cause mortality or cardiovascular disease and reported hazard ratios of these outcomes between optimistic and non-optimistic groups. Studies that reported odds ratio or other risk assessments were excluded. Pooled hazard ratios were calculated in random-effects meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Pooled analysis of six studies (n = 181,709) showed a pooled hazard ratio of 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-0.92) for all-cause mortality among those with more optimistic mindset. Analysis of seven studies (n = 201,210) showed a pooled hazard ratio of 0.59 (95% CI, 0.37-0.93) for cardiovascular disease and pooled hazard ratio of 0.57 (95% CI, 0.07-4.56) for stroke.

CONCLUSIONS

In this pooled meta-analysis, optimism was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality and of cardiovascular disease. These results suggest an important relationship between psychological health and cardiovascular disease that may serve as an area for intervention by clinicians.

Happiness, depression, physical activity and cognition among the middle and old-aged population in China: a conditional process analysis

Background

Happiness is one variable of subjective well-being, which has been increasingly shown to have protective effects on health. Although the association between happiness and cognition has been established, the mechanism by which happiness leads to cognition remains unclear. Since happiness, depression, and physical activity may all be related to cognition, and happiness is related to depression and physical activity, this study explored the effect of depression and physical activity on the relationship between happiness and cognition among middle and old-aged individuals in China.

Methods

Data on 14,344 participants above 45 years of age were obtained from the 2018 China Family Panel Studies survey. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify the correlation factors of cognition. The conditional process analysis was used to assess the mediatory effect of depression and physical activity on the relationship between happiness and cognition.

Results

Residence, age, sex, income level, social status, smoking, napping, reading, education, exercise times, satisfaction, happiness, and depression had associations with cognition. When other variables were held constant, cognition score increased by 0.029 standard deviation(SD) for every 1 SD increased in happiness. Mediation analysis showed that happiness had a significant positive total effect on cognition. The direct effect of happiness was significant and accounted for 57.86% of the total effect. The mediatory effect of depression (path of happiness→depression→cognition) accounted for 38.31% of the total effect, whereas that of physical activity (path of happiness→exercise times→cognition) accounted for 3.02% of the total effect.

Conclusion

Happiness has a positive correlation with cognitive function, and depression and physical activity play mediatory roles in this association. Effective interventions to improve happiness levels of middle and old-aged population will not only improve their subjective well-being but also improve their cognitive function, which carries great potential for reducing public health burdens related to cognitive aging.

Animal Welfare and Resistance to Disease: Interaction of Affective States and the Immune System

Good management and improved standards of animal welfare are discussed as important ways of reducing the risk of infection in farm animals without medication. Increasing evidence from both humans and animals suggests that environments that promote wellbeing over stress and positive over negative emotions can reduce susceptibility to disease and/or lead to milder symptoms. We point out, however, that the relationship between welfare, immunity, and disease is highly complex and we caution against claiming more than the current evidence shows. The accumulating but sometimes equivocal evidence of close links between the brain, the gut microbiome, immunity, and welfare are discussed in the context of the known links between mental and physical health in humans. This evidence not only provides empirical support for the importance of good welfare as preventative medicine in animals but also indicates a variety of mechanisms by which good welfare can directly influence disease resistance. Finally, we outline what still needs to be done to explore the potential preventative effects of good welfare.

The human physiology of well-being: A systematic review on the association between neurotransmitters, hormones, inflammatory markers, the microbiome and well-being

To understand the pathways through which well-being contributes to health, we performed a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines on the association between well-being and physiological markers in four categories, neurotransmitters, hormones, inflammatory markers, and microbiome. We identified 91 studies. Neurotransmitter studies (k_{number of studies}=9) reported only a possible positive association between serotonin and well-being. For the hormone studies (k = 48), a lower momentary cortisol level was related to higher well-being (meta-analytic r = -0.06), and a steeper diurnal slope of cortisol levels. Inflammatory marker studies (k = 36) reported negative or non-significant relations with well-being, with meta-analytic estimates of respectively r = -0.07 and r = -0.05 for C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. Microbiome studies (k = 4) reported inconsistent associations between different bacteria abundance and well-being. The results indicate possible but small roles of serotonin, cortisol, and inflammatory markers in explaining differences in well-being. The inconsistent and limited results for other markers and microbiome require further research. Future directions for a complete picture of the physiological factors underlying well-being are proposed.

Exploring the Effects of Natural Capital Depletion and Natural Disasters on Happiness and Human Wellbeing: A Study in China

Since recent climate change has caused more natural disasters (NDs) than ever before, there is a worldwide concern that this could have both short-term and long-term economic and health consequences. This is perhaps the first attempt to explore the effects of natural capital (NC) and NDs on the human health and wellbeing of China over the period 1993-2020. The study has compiled data from World Bank, World Value Survey, UNDP, EM-DAT, and IMF for analysis. The empirical analysis is done by using the autoregressive distributed lag model. Empirical results prove that NC has a positive and significant effect on happiness, health, and human wellbeing in the long run. The results also show that NDs significantly reduce happiness and human wellbeing in the long run. The results recommend some important policy implications.

The Undoing Effect of Positive Emotions: A Meta-Analytic Review

The undoing hypothesis proposes that positive emotions serve to undo sympathetic arousal related to negative emotions and stress. However, a recent qualitative review challenged the undoing effect by presenting conflicting results. To address this issue quantitatively, we conducted a meta-analytic review of 16 studies ( N = 1,220; 72 effect sizes) measuring sympathetic recovery during elicited positive emotions and neutral conditions. Findings indicated that in most cases, positive emotions did not speed sympathetic recovery compared to neutral conditions. However, when a composite index of cardiovascular reactivity was used, undoing effects were evident. Our findings suggest the need for further work on the functions of positive emotions.

Intimate Relationships and Coronary Heart Disease: Implications for Risk, Prevention, and Patient Management

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Research and clinical services addressing psychosocial aspects of coronary heart disease (CHD) typically emphasize individuals, focusing less on the context of intimate relationships such as marriage and similar partnerships. This review describes current evidence regarding the role of intimate relationships in the development, course, and management of CHD.

RECENT FINDINGS

Having an intimate partner is associated with reduced risk of incident CHD and a better prognosis among patients, but strain (e.g., conflict) and disruption (i.e., separation, divorce) in these relationships are associated with increased risk and poor outcomes. These associations likely reflect mechanisms involving health behavior and the physiological effects of emotion and stress. Importantly, many other well-established psychosocial risk and protective factors (e.g., low SES, job stress, depression, and optimism) are strongly related to the quality of intimate relationships, and these associations likely contribute to the effects of those other psychosocial factors. For better or worse, intimate partners can also affect the outcome of efforts to alter health behaviors (physical activity, diet, smoking, and medication adherence) central in the prevention and management CHD. Intimate partners also influence-and are influenced by-stressful aspects of acute coronary crises and longer-term patient adjustment and management. Evidence on each of these roles of intimate relationships in CHD is considerable, but direct demonstrations of the value of couple assessments and interventions are limited, although preliminary research is promising. Research needed to close this gap must also address issues of diversity, disparities, and inequity that have strong parallels in CHD and intimate relationships.

Data Mining Approach: What Determines the Wellbeing of Women in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia?

Background

Women's happiness and life satisfaction, often summarized as subjective wellbeing, are of great value for most individuals and are associated with various determinants. The countries of the Western Balkan are of particular interest after the political changes in the nineties. Are the women satisfied with their lives today?

Methods

We use the most recent datasets of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) for women 15-49 years old and with comparable data coverage for three countries of the Western Balkan belonging to the former Yugoslavia, namely Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. After sorting out variables of limited relevance or quality (missing values >50%), the remaining 32 variables followed a descriptive analysis. Four potential determinants of subjective wellbeing (SWB), an integration of happiness and satisfaction with life, entered an interactive Classification and Regression Tree (iC&RT) to account for their mostly bivariate format: age, education, region, and wealth.

Results

The iC&RT analysis determines the influence of 4 independent variables (age, education, region, and wealth) on overall happiness, satisfaction with life, and subjective wellbeing, resulting in a high overall SWB of 88.9% for Montenegro, 82.1% for North Macedonia, and 83% for Serbia. The high relevance of younger age, higher education, and wealth, as critical determinants of a high SWB, and the lesser role of regions except for Serbia is confirmed. The spread of SWB in defined population subgroups ranges from 80.5-92.6% for Montenegro, 64.2-86.8% for North Macedonia, and 75.8-87.4% for Serbia.

Conclusions

The three selected South-Eastern European countries of the former Yugoslavia (Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia) represent high levels of subjective wellbeing of women and a narrow range between the lowest and highest population groups. Women in Montenegro take a top position regarding their subjective wellbeing.

The ABC Model of Happiness-Neurobiological Aspects of Motivation and Positive Mood, and Their Dynamic Changes through Practice, the Course of Life

Simple Summary

This article proposes a new model for exploring happiness primarily from a neurobiological perspective. Such understanding includes the dynamics of positive mood states and how they change throughout life. Happiness is not a cognitive construct: it is an immediate emotional experience—a feeling that relies on neurophysiological activation in the brain’s reward system. With this in mind, three types of happiness are proposed: (A) wanting, approaching, and pleasure, (B) avoiding, departing, and relief, (C) non-wanting, staying, and satisfaction. Behind this is a sophisticated (neuro)biological dynamic, ranging from the search for autonomy and ecstasy, which is particularly characteristic of young people, to the way we cope with stress, as we find it pronounced in the middle-aged, to deep contentment, peace, and inner joy, as it is mainly attributed to older people. Paradoxically, it is in fact the elderly who appear to be the happiest and most content—this phenomenon is also known as the “satisfaction paradox”. Apparently, these dynamic changes in happiness can be amplified with practice. Happiness is biological in this context, but can still be “learned”. Contemplative practices can serve as an example here to demonstrate this trainability, and they may themselves influence the course of happiness.

Abstract

Background: Happiness is a feeling, an immediate experience, not a cognitive construct. It is based on activity in the brain’s neurobiological reward and motivation systems, which have been retained in evolution. This conceptual review provides an overview of the basic neurobiological principles behind happiness phenomena and proposes a framework for further classification. Results: Three neurobiologically distinct types of happiness exist: (A) wanting, (B) avoiding, and (C) non-wanting. Behind these types lies a dynamic gradation, ranging from the more youthful anticipation, pleasure and ecstasy (A), to stress processing, escape and relief (B) as we find them accentuated in the middle-aged, to deep satisfaction, quiescence and inner joy (C), which is particularly attributed to older people. As a result, the development of happiness and satisfaction over the course of life typically takes the form of a U-curve. Discussion: The outlined triad and dynamic of happiness leads to the paradoxical finding that the elderly seem to be the happiest—a phenomenon that is termed “satisfaction paradox”. This assumed change in happiness and contentment over the life span, which includes an increasing “emancipation” from the idea of good health as a mandatory prerequisite for happiness and contentment, can itself be changed—it is trainable. Conclusions: Programs for mindfulness, contemplation, or stress reduction, including positive psychology and mind–body/behavioral medicine training, seem to be capable of influencing the course happiness over time: Happiness can be shaped through practice.

Effect of Rural Human Settlement Environment around Nature Reserves on Farmers' Well-Being: A Field Survey Based on 1002 Farmer Households around Six Nature Reserves in China

Numerous countries actively consider the human settlement environment and have implemented rural governance strategies to ameliorate the living conditions of rural dwellers. The construction of a rural human settlement environment is an important goal of China’s rural revitalization strategy and improving farmers’ well-being is a key element of China’s policies on agriculture, farmers, and villages. However, whether a rural human settlement environment enhances farmers’ well-being remains untested. By adopting the method of random stratified sampling, this study investigated 1002 farmers inside and outside six nature reserves in Liaoning, China. OLS and ordered probit regression models were used to assess the impact on the well-being and the satisfaction of farmers with their settlement environment around nature reserves from three aspects: the natural ecological environment, the hardware facility environment, and the daily governance environment. The results of this study proved that the construction of a human settlement environment can significantly boost the well-being of farmers. Moreover, the satisfaction towards the natural ecological environment, hardware facility environment, and daily governance environment exerts a substantial impact on the well-being at the significance level of 1%, with a positive sign, showing a stable enhancement role. Among them, the satisfaction with the hardware facility environment was the most essential for improving happiness, with a coefficient of 0.126. A heterogeneity analysis suggests that the positive effect of satisfaction with the human settlement environment on farmers’ well-being within nature reserves was more significant in the natural ecological environment, with a coefficient of 0.244; the hardware facility environment had the greatest positive effect on the well-being of farmers outside nature reserves, with a coefficient of 0.224; and the daily governance environment had a greater enhancing effect on the well-being of farmers both inside and outside nature reserves. Based on these results, it is recommended that governments encourage farmers around nature reserves to participate in wildlife accident insurance, strengthen ecological environmental protection, and enhance the hardware facility environment. Furthermore, local governments should disseminate knowledge of human settlement management to farmers and improve the efficiency of human settlement environment management at the grassroots level. Finally, governments should prioritize human settlement environment development and identify the farmers’ needs of human settlement environment to enhance their well-being.

The Resilience Divide Among Older Adults Under Uncertainty: A Positive Sociological Study of Life Satisfaction During the COVID-19 Crisis

While recent research has detected older adults’ resilience during the global pandemic, its unequal distribution is inadequately examined. Using the panel survey data in Japan (N = 3,725), this positive sociological study investigated who were more/less resilient under COVID-19, with attention to the heterogeneity in life satisfaction (LS). It was first confirmed that older adults’ LS had substantially improved during the pandemic, indicating their resilience on average. However, the multinomial logistic regression and the fixed effects model revealed that the shift in LS was associated with age, gender, income, family/social relationships, and heath in a nuanced way. This suggests, while older adults who have access to economic, social, and health-related resources can maintain/enhance their LS under the global crisis, those without such assets face the risk of being penalized. In these uncertain times, it is therefore imperative to shed light on the resilience divide among older adults alongside their average strength.

Clustering of health behaviors among Japanese adults and their association with socio-demographics and happiness

Background

Scholars have associated happiness with health behaviors, which co-occur and exert synergistic effects. Therefore, identifying clusters of health behaviors and their effect on happiness can contribute to the development of strategies for promoting happiness and improving health behaviors.

Aim

This study aimed to examine clusters of health behaviors and their associations with socio-demographics and with happiness among Japanese adults.

Methods

This study used data from the Japanese Household Panel Survey and the Keio Household Panel Survey. Questionnaires were distributed to 4,993 households out of which 1,554 responses were analyzed (participants aged 27−65 years). The survey included health behaviors (alcohol consumption, smoking, vegetable and fruit consumption, breakfast-eating habits, and physical activities), happiness, and socio-demographics. Latent class analysis was conducted to identify the clusters, whereas latent regression was employed to investigate socio-demographics related to the clusters. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relation between happiness and the clusters.

Results

Two health behavior clusters were identified: Cluster 1 (low substance use and good dietary habit; n = 817; 52.3%) and Cluster 2 (high alcohol, poor nutrition, and inactive; n = 737; 47.7%). Latent regression analysis indicated that all socio-demographics, barring socioeconomic status, were significantly associated with the clusters. The “low substance use and good dietary habit” cluster was significantly related with higher odds of happiness (odds ratio = 1.425, 95% confidence interval = 1.146−1.772, p = 0.001).

Conclusions

This study identified health behavior clusters among Japanese adults and established the association between the “low substance use and good dietary habit” cluster and high levels of happiness. However, the causality of the relationship between health behavior and happiness remains unclear, which highlights the need for further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Happiness in University Students: Personal, Familial, and Social Factors: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Survey

Happiness is the foundation of a better life and a goal that people pursue; however, happiness levels among university students are low. The purpose of this study is to explore the main factors influencing student happiness. A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted in China in 2020. Data on student happiness was collected using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and students' personal, familial, and social information were obtained using another questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the association between student happiness and these factors in terms of odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 2186 valid questionnaires were obtained. Firstly, student happiness was found to be associated with personal factors. The results found that happiness was significantly associated with state of health, the adjusted OR (95% CI) = 3.41 (2.01-5.79) for healthy students compared to unhealthy students, and that happiness decreased with the student's age (OR = 0.79 and 95% CI = 0.63-0.98). Secondly, the research suggested that happiness was associated with familial factors. Both frequent contact with family and a harmonious relationship with parents significantly enhanced happiness with ORs (95% CIs) 1.42 (1.17-1.71) and 2.32 (1.83-2.95), respectively. Thirdly, student happiness was associated with several social factors. Students who performed well academically, who went to sleep early, and who were in a loving relationship were found to be happier than those with poor academic performance, went to sleep late, and who were single, for which the ORs (95% CIs) were, respectively, 1.87 (1.51-2.32), 1.50 (1.24-1.81), and 1.32 (1.09-1.60). The survey identified several key personal, familial, and social factors influencing university student happiness, which can provide an effective measure to improve their happiness.

The relationship between happiness and self-rated health: A population-based study of 19499 Iranian adults

Background

Health is one of the most important factors that affect happiness. This study aimed to assess the association between happiness and self-rated health among the Iranian adult population.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of adults aged 18–65 In Iran in 2020. Demographic information, the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and a single item on self-rated health were used to collect the data. The relationship between happiness with demographic variables and self-rated health was examined by performing logistic regression analyses.

Results

In all, 19499 were studied (9845 males and 9654 females). The mean age of participants was 36.38± 8.17 years. The mean happiness score was 4.1± 0.57 (out of 6) and this for self-rated health was 3.66±1.2 (out of 5). The results obtained from logistic regression analysis showed that very poor health status (OR: 5.114, 95% CI, P = 4.490–5.824, p <0.001), poor or very poor income status (OR: 1.553, 95% CI, P = 1.406–1.716, p <0.001), unemployment (OR: 1.704, 95% CI, P = 1.432–2.029, p <0.001), being aged 25–34 years (OR: 1.190, 95% CI, P = 1.088–1.302, p <0.001), and years of education (OR for 10–12 years of education: 1.271, 95% CI = 1.174–1.377, p< 0.001) were significant contributing factors to a lower happiness.

Conclusion

The results showed that self-rated health was the most significant factor that affected happiness even after adjustment for socioeconomic variables, including age, income, employment, and education. Indeed, improving population health might be an effective measure to improve happiness among Iranians.

Perceiving societal pressure to be happy is linked to poor well-being, especially in happy nations

Happiness is a valuable experience, and societies want their citizens to be happy. Although this societal commitment seems laudable, overly emphasizing positivity (versus negativity) may create an unattainable emotion norm that ironically compromises individual well-being. In this multi-national study (40 countries; 7443 participants), we investigate how societal pressure to be happy and not sad predicts emotional, cognitive and clinical indicators of well-being around the world, and examine how these relations differ as a function of countries’ national happiness levels (collected from the World Happiness Report). Although detrimental well-being associations manifest for an average country, the strength of these relations varies across countries. People’s felt societal pressure to be happy and not sad is particularly linked to poor well-being in countries with a higher World Happiness Index. Although the cross-sectional nature of our work prohibits causal conclusions, our findings highlight the correlational link between social emotion valuation and individual well-being, and suggest that high national happiness levels may have downsides for some.

Predictors of subjective well-being in Korean men and women: Analysis of nationwide panel survey data

Subjective well-being has been associated with sociodemographic characteristics, health, and satisfaction with family life. There is evidence on gender difference in subjective well-being and differential relationships of predictors between men and women worldwide. However, little is known about the gender gaps in subjective well-being in Korean adults. Using nationwide panel survey data, this study aims to examine predictors of subjective well-being in the Korean population and to investigate if there is a difference in the impact of some predictors between men and women. Generalized estimating equations were used to measure the relationship between subjective well-being and explanatory variables, using individual-level data from the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS) between 2017 and 2020. Model 1 investigated sociodemographic variables. Model 2 added three health-related variables (such as disability, chronic disease, and subjective health status) and satisfaction with family life. Additional models included a range of interaction terms. In the 2020 KOWEPS, 10,758 respondents rated their subjective well-being scores on the Cantril ladder. The mean score of all respondents was 6.74 (SD = 1.66). In the analysis of the pooled sample, subjective well-being was higher in women than in men (Models 1-2, p < .01). Among all variables examined, satisfaction with family life was the most important predictor of subjective well-being (β = 1.3625; p < .01). Education level and employment status had significant interaction effects with gender on subjective well-being. In particular, higher education was more important for women and stable employment was more important for men.

Measuring Happiness in Adolescent Samples: A Systematic Review

Background: Happiness is a phenomenon that relates to better mental and physical health and even longevity. There has been an increase in surveys assessing subjective well-being as well as happiness, one of the well-being components that reflect one’s feelings or moods. Happiness is mostly measured in adult samples. There is a lack of an overview of the tools used to evaluate adolescent happiness, so this paper aimed to review them. Methods: A literature search was performed in the PubMed and PsycArticles databases (2010–2019). In total, 133 papers met the eligibility criteria for this systematic review. Results: The results are grouped according to the type of measure, single or multiple items, that was used in a study. Almost half of the studies (64 of 133) evaluated subjective happiness using single-item measures. The most commonly used scales were the 4-item Subjective Happiness Scale and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. Among the 133 articles analyzed, 18 reported some validation procedures related to happiness. However, in the majority of cases (14 studies), happiness was not the central phenomenon of validation, which suggests a lack of happiness validation studies. Conclusions: Finally, recommendations for future research and for the choice of happiness assessment tools are presented.

Understanding the Interactions of Happiness, Self-Rated Health, Mental Feelings, Habit of Eating Healthy and Sport/Activities: A Path Model for Abu Dhabi

Understanding the interactions between happiness, self-perception of health, healthy eating behaviors, physical activities, and psychological feelings or symptoms of mental health provides necessary inputs for social policymaking. Using data from the second cycle of the Abu Dhabi Quality of Life survey, this study examined a path analysis of Abu Dhabi residents’ nature of assimilations between these variables. The results point to the significant association between happiness and self-rated health. In addition, the results portray significant direct paths to happiness from three mental feeling variables—“feeling calm and peaceful”, “having lots of energy”, and “feeling downhearted and depressed”. The variable of “often feeling rushed or pressed for time” shows a direct path to self-rated health only. Eating healthy food is significantly associated with both happiness and self-perception of health. In addition, “often doing physical activities” positively influences happiness. The present study enhances and refines policymakers’ understanding of the considered factors on happiness and self-rated health with further elaborations of the mediating roles of specific well-being determinants. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed.

Predictors of happiness and satisfaction with life in individuals from the Brazilian general population who use social networks: a cross-sectional study

This study aimed to identify possible conditions associated with the perception of happiness and satisfaction with life in a sample of the Brazilian population who use social networks. This was a cross-sectional study with participants recruited online in five regions of Brazil via Facebook and WhatsApp. Data were collected from October 2015 to October 2016. The instruments used were the Pemberton Happiness Index, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and a questionnaire regarding sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and issues potentially associated with the feeling of happiness. In total, 2,151 participants were included. A total of five variables exerted the greatest influence on higher levels of happiness and satisfaction with life in the multiple linear regression model, in the multiple logistic regression analysis, and in the decision tree model. Being satisfied with financial circumstances, having a positive self-evaluation of health, having frequent family gatherings, engaging in physical activity ≥ 3 times a week, and having no previous psychological/psychiatric diagnosis are variables that "seem" to positively influence Brazilians' perception of happiness and satisfaction with life. We identified some predictors of happiness and satisfaction with life, which were mainly related to the social activities and personal satisfaction of the participating individuals. Encouraging people to seek strategies for increasing levels of happiness and life satisfaction based on modifiable variables, such as those found, can be helpful in this context.

Subjective well-being and COVID-19 prevention practices among people living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa

COVID-19 poses significant threats to the health of people with underlying chronic conditions, including people living with HIV. The association between subjective well-being and practicing COVID-19 preventive behaviours among people living with HIV is yet to be empirically tested. The objective of the current study was to test the hypothesis that subjective well-being would be associated with engaging in greater COVID-19 preventive behaviours. A sample of 200 women and 72 men (mean age 38.1, SD = 10.4) receiving HIV treatment at a clinic in Cape Town, South Africa completed interview administered surveys of health behaviours and three dimensions of subjective well-being: emotional, social and psychological well-being. Hierarchical regression models were performed to test subjective well-being as predictors of COVID-19 preventive behaviours adjusting for age, sex, education, TB history, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and concern about contracting COVID-19. Results showed that psychological well-being, along with concerns over COVID-19, predicted greater COVID-19 preventive behaviours over and above the other variables in the model, accounting for 9.2% of the variance. Results support incorporating interventions to foster psychological well-being into existing clinical services for people living with HIV to improve clusters of health behaviours.