Kayonda Hubert Ngamaba1, Maria Panagioti2, Christopher J Armitage1. 1. Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. 2. NIHR School for Primary Care Research, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, UK.
Abstract
Background: Health status is widely considered to be closely associated with subjective well-being (SWB), yet this assumption has not been tested rigorously. The aims of this first systematic review and meta-analysis are to examine the association between health status and SWB and to test whether any association is affected by key operational and methodological factors. Methods: A systematic search (January 1980-April 2017) using Web of Science, Medline, Embase, PsycInfo and Global health was conducted according to Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analyses using a random-effects model were performed. Results: Twenty nine studies were included and the pooled effect size of the association between health status and SWB was medium, statistically significant and positive (pooled r = 0.347, 95% CI = 0.309-0.385; Q = 691.51, I2 = 94.99%, P < 0.001). However, the association was significantly stronger: (i) when SWB was operationalised as life satisfaction (r = 0.365) as opposed to happiness (r = 0.307); (ii) among studies conducted in developing countries (r = 0.423) than it was in developed countries (r = 0.336) and (iii) when multiple items were used to assess health status and SWB (r = 0.353) as opposed to single items (r = 0.326). Conclusion: Improving people's health status may be one means by which governments can improve the SWB of their citizens. Life satisfaction might be preferred to happiness as a measure of SWB because it better captures the influence of health status.
Background: Health status is widely considered to be closely associated with subjective well-being (SWB), yet this assumption has not been tested rigorously. The aims of this first systematic review and meta-analysis are to examine the association between health status and SWB and to test whether any association is affected by key operational and methodological factors. Methods: A systematic search (January 1980-April 2017) using Web of Science, Medline, Embase, PsycInfo and Global health was conducted according to Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analyses using a random-effects model were performed. Results: Twenty nine studies were included and the pooled effect size of the association between health status and SWB was medium, statistically significant and positive (pooled r = 0.347, 95% CI = 0.309-0.385; Q = 691.51, I2 = 94.99%, P < 0.001). However, the association was significantly stronger: (i) when SWB was operationalised as life satisfaction (r = 0.365) as opposed to happiness (r = 0.307); (ii) among studies conducted in developing countries (r = 0.423) than it was in developed countries (r = 0.336) and (iii) when multiple items were used to assess health status and SWB (r = 0.353) as opposed to single items (r = 0.326). Conclusion: Improving people's health status may be one means by which governments can improve the SWB of their citizens. Life satisfaction might be preferred to happiness as a measure of SWB because it better captures the influence of health status.
Authors: Anna Schneider; Dorothee Riedlinger; Mareen Pigorsch; Felix Holzinger; Johannes Deutschbein; Thomas Keil; Martin Möckel; Liane Schenk Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2021-07-21 Impact factor: 3.295