The subjective wellbeing of 'at-risk' indigenous and non-indigenous Australian adolescents

Quantitative comparisons of subjective wellbeing (SWB) between samples of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian adolescents are scarce. This paper contributes to this literature by studying adolescents 'at-risk' of disengaging, or who have already disengaged, from school, their families or society. A three-group cross-sectional comparative design was employed, comparing Indigenous (N = 3,187) and non-Indigenous (N = 14,522) 'at-risk' adolescents with a mainstream sample of Victorian high-school students (N = 1,105). Age and gender differences in SWB within the three groups were also explored. All participants completed the Personal Wellbeing Index-School Children (PWI-SC), which measures SWB. Mean SWB was significantly higher in the mainstream sample than in both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous 'at-risk' groups. However, within the at-risk adolescents, the Indigenous sample scored higher than the non-Indigenous. In the mainstream sample, male and female SWB did not significantly differ, whereas males scored higher than females in both at-risk groups-with males scoring higher on all seven PWI-SC domains. Finally, in all three samples, a decline in SWB from early to mid-adolescence was observed. This suggests that mid-adolescence is a challenging time for all young people as they approach adulthood. The implications of this research for educational and government policy concerning youths in Australia is discussed. For example, the importance of obtaining normative data that will assist in the identification of young people who are most at-risk for experiencing low personal wellbeing and who are in the greatest need of support. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Subjective wellbeing among adults with diabetes : results from Diabetes MILES—Australia

This study examines the subjective wellbeing of Australian adults with diabetes who completed the Diabetes MILES—Australia survey, investigating by diabetes type and treatment, and by comparing with the subjective wellbeing of the general Australian adult population. In addition, the extent to which depression and socio-demographic factors account for subjective wellbeing is investigated. People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have significantly lower subjective wellbeing compared to the general population, even after controlling for covariates (demographic and socio-economic status, diabetes duration, body mass index, number of diabetes-related complications, and depression). Furthermore, adults with type 2 diabetes using insulin to manage their condition report the lowest levels of subjective wellbeing, and are also most likely to report dissatisfaction with their current health. These findings suggest that living with diabetes, and in particular, living with type 2 diabetes and using insulin, strongly challenges the maintenance of subjective wellbeing.

Der WHO Wellbeing Index (WHO-5) als Depressivitätsmaß

Der WHO-5 erfasst mit fünf Items psychisches Wohlbefinden, er dient auch als Screeninginstrument zur Erfassung depressiver Symptomatik. Wenige Studien untersuchten diesen Validitätsaspekt jedoch im klinischen Kontext. Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, die Messinvarianz des WHO-5 zwischen depressiven und nicht-depressiven Stichproben sowie Art und Spezifität des Zusammenhangs mit Skalen zur Erfassung der Depressionsschwere zu überprüfen. Insgesamt 414 Personen füllten den WHO-5 und das BDI-II aus. Aktuell erfüllten 207 Personen die DSM-IV-Kriterien einer Major Depression (SKID-I). Eine Teilstichprobe erhielt zusätzlich das Beck-Anxiety-Inventory (BAI) und wurde auf der Hamilton-Depression-Rating-Scale (HAM-D) und der Hamilton- Anxiety-Rating-Scale (HAM-A) durch trainierte Rater eingeschätzt. Der WHO-5 wies hohe Messinvarianz bezüglich des Vorliegens/Nichtvorliegens einer Major Depression auf. Er zeigte hohe negative Zusammenhänge mit selbst- und fremdeingeschätzter Depressivität (BDI-II, HAM-D), insbesondere bei milderer und moderater Symptomschwere und auch nach Kontrolle gleichzeitig bestehender Angstsymptomatik. Diese Ergebnisse unterstützen die Verwendung des WHO-5 als Depressionsmaß, zumindest im Bereich milder und mittlerer Depressionsschwere.

City dweller aspirations for cities of the future: How do environmental and personal wellbeing feature?

This paper explores city dweller aspirations for cities of the future in the context of global commitments to radically reduce carbon emissions by 2050; cities contribute the vast majority of these emissions and a growing bulk of theworld's population lives in cities. The particular challenge of creating a carbon reduced future in democratic countries is that the measures proposed must be acceptable to the electorate. Such acceptability is fostered if carbon reduced ways of living are also felt to bewellbeing maximising. Thus the objective of the paper is to explore what kinds of cities people aspire to live in, to ascertain whether these aspirations align with or undermine carbon reduced ways of living, as well as personal wellbeing. Using a novel free associative technique, city aspirations are found to cluster around seven themes, encompassing physical and social aspects. Physically, people aspire to a city with a range of services and facilities, green and blue spaces, efficient transport, beauty and good design. Socially, people aspire to a sense of community and a safe environment. An exploration of these themes reveals that only a minority of the participants' aspirations for cities relate to lowering carbon or environmental wellbeing. Far more consensual is emphasis on, and a particular vision of, aspirations that will bring personal wellbeing. Furthermore, city dweller aspirations align with evidence concerning factors that maximise personal wellbeing but, far less, with those that produce lowcarbonways of living. In order to shape a lower carbon future that city dwellers accept the potential convergence between environmental and personal wellbeing will need to be capitalised on: primarily aversion to pollution and enjoyment of communal green space.

The effect of holiday haemodialysis treatments on patient mood, adverse symptoms and subjective wellbeing using the Big Red Kidney Bus

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: People with end-stage kidney disease receiving haemodialysis are restricted to holidays where dialysis services are readily available. Holiday dialysis in regional, rural and remote areas is particularly challenging. The aims of this study were to (1) evaluate the wellbeing of those who received dialysis in a holiday haemodialysis bus, and (2) to measure patient wellbeing with that of a comparable cohort of haemodialysis patients. METHODS: A three machine haemodialysis bus, the Big Red Kidney Bus, was built to enable people, their families and carers to take holidays across a range of tourist destinations in Victoria, Australia. Measures included pre-post subjective wellbeing, dialysis symptoms and mood questionnaires complemented by post semi-structured telephone interviews. RESULTS: Participating holidaymakers were positive about the haemodialysis bus service and the standard of care experienced. They reported decreased dialysis side effects of fatigue, muscle cramp, and dry skin. The overall number of reported symptoms decreased and the perceived level of bother associated with symptoms also decreased. No changes in subjective wellbeing and mood were detected. Mean Personal Wellbeing Index scores were significantly higher than in a comparative haemodialysis sample. CONCLUSION: The Big Red Kidney Bus provided a safe and feasible holiday dialysis service. Holidaymakers' wellbeing was reflected by the decreased dialysis patient side effects.

Need for belonging, relationship satisfaction, loneliness, and life satisfaction

Loneliness and the need to belong are two subjective states that, on the basis of prior research and theory, would appear to be related both to one another and to wellbeing. This study explored these relationships with a sample of 436 volunteer participants drawn from the Australian Unity Wellbeing database. Participants completed a survey that included a measure of satisfaction with personal relationships embedded in the Personal Wellbeing Index, the UCLA Loneliness scale, a measure of life satisfaction, and the Need to Belong Scale. While loneliness was weakly related to need to belong, it was strongly associated with the discrepancy between need to belong and satisfaction with personal relationships, which we used to measure unmet need for belonging. People living alone reported a lower need to belong and less satisfaction with personal relationships than those living with others. However, the discrepancy scores, life satisfaction scores and loneliness scores did not differ between these groups. Loneliness mediated the relationship between unmet need for belonging and wellbeing (life satisfaction). These findings support Baumeister and Leary’s “belongingness hypothesis” and clarify the relationship between these variables.

Quality of life of Australian family carers : implications for research, policy and practice

Abstract As part of an international,multicentered project, the burden of care, health, and subjective well-being experienced by select Australian family carers supporting a relative with disability at home were investigated. Some 448 family carers residing in New South Wales and Tasmania completed a battery of instruments, including a self-report demographic survey, the Family Caregiver Burden Inventory, the General Health Questionnaire, and the Personal Wellbeing Index. Respondents were predominantly females (mean
age = 48 years), married, and supporting a son or daughter with an intellectual disability (mean age = 18 years). Although caring for their family member was not perceived to be a burden, respondents reported notable limitations on their social networks and social activities. They reported higher levels of unemployment than would be expected for the general population and were over represented in lower income groups. They reported seriously low levels of mental health and personal well-being when compared with the general population. The findings revealed that this group of family carers were at high risk of social and economic disadvantage and at high risk of mental health challenges. Social policy makers and service providers should take these factors into account, both in the interests of promoting the health and well-being of the carers and considering the long-term needs of family members with disability who rely on family carers for daily support when designing services.

Recovering from an acute cardiac event – the relationship between depression and life satisfaction

Aims. This study sought to measure the rates and trajectory of depression over six months following admission for an acute cardiac event and describe the relationship between depression and life satisfaction.
Background. Co-morbid depression has an impact on cardiac mortality and is associated with the significant impairment of quality of life and well-being, impairments in psychosocial function, decreased medication adherence and increased morbidity.
Design. This was a descriptive, correlational study.
Method. The study was undertaken at a large public hospital in Melbourne. Participants were asked to complete a survey containing the cardiac depression scale (CDS) and the Personal Well-being Index.
Results. This study mapped the course of depression over six months of a cohort of patients admitted for an acute cardiac event. Significant levels of depressive symptoms were found, at a level consistent with the literature. A significant correlation between depressive symptoms as measured by the CDS and the Personal Well-being Index was found.
Conclusions. Depression remains a significant problem following admission for an acute coronary event. The Personal Wellbeing Index may be a simple, effective and non-confrontational initial screening tool for those at risk of depressive symptoms in this population. Relevance to clinical practice. Despite the known impact of depression on coronary heart disease (CHD), there is limited research describing its trajectory. This study makes a compelling case for the systematic screening for depression in patients with CHD and the importance of the nursing role in identifying at risk individuals.

Life quality and wealth : a qualitative and quantitative comparison of affluent and poor people

It is well-documented that auent people, on average, have higher subjective wellbeing (SWB) than do poor people. is phenomenon has been explained using SWB homeostasis theory. However, a more precise understanding of the dierences in personal experience that lead to homeostatic failure remains to be documented. We sought such understanding through qualitative interviews and a quantitative examination of SWB domains. Twenty auent people and 20 people dependent on social welfare completed an interview and the Personal Wellbeing Index. As expected, the two groups diered signicantly in SWB. Moreover, the poor group reported a preponderance of negative life experiences while the auent group concentrated on the positive events in their lives. Most telling was the nding that both the qualitative and quantitative methods identied the area of ‘relationships’ as representing the greatest degree of divergence between the two groups. is life domain is especially relevant in the maintenance of normative levels of SWB.

Subjective well-being of Beijing taxi drivers

This study investigates subjective well-being among a sample of Beijing taxi drivers in the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games using the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI). The specific aims of this study are (a) investigate the psychometric properties of the PWI in this unique population; (b) ascertain whether Beijing taxi drivers are satisfied with their lives; and (c) examine whether the responses to the PWI from participants falls within the narrow range predicted by the 'Theory of Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis'. The PWI demonstrated good psychometric properties and was consistent with previous studies for Western and non-Western samples. The data revealed a moderate level of subjective well-being (PWI score = 61.1). While Beijing taxi drivers work long hours for low wages, the PWI was nonetheless within the normative range predicted for Chinese societies by the 'Theory of Subjective Wellbeing Homeostasis'. The results suggest that the homeostatic mechanism is fairly resilient, even when the individual leads relatively a hard life based on objective indicators. Specifically, for Beijing taxi drivers, it appears that external, buffers such as personal relationships and feeling part of the community, act to assist the homeostatic system. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.