Objective Social Indicators Research Articles

Social isolation, mental health, and use of digital interventions in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic: A nationally representative survey.

Public health measures to curb SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates may have negative psychosocial consequences in youth. Digital interventions may help to mitigate these effects. We investigated the associations between social isolation, COVID-19-related cognitive preoccupation, worries, and anxiety, objective social risk indicators, and psychological distress, as well as use of, and attitude toward, mobile health (mHealth) interventions in youth. Data were collected as part of the "Mental Health And Innovation During COVID-19 Survey"-a cross-sectional panel study including a representative sample of individuals aged 16-25years (N=666; Mage=21.3; assessment period: May 5, 2020 to May 16, 2020). Overall, 38% of youth met criteria for moderate or severe psychological distress. Social isolation worries and anxiety, and objective risk indicators were associated with psychological distress, with evidence of dose-response relationships for some of these associations. For instance, psychological distress was progressively more likely to occur as levels of social isolation increased (reporting "never" as reference group: "occasionally": adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 9.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.3-19.1, p<0.001; "often": aOR 22.2, CI 9.8-50.2, p<0.001; "very often": aOR 42.3, CI 14.1-126.8, p<0.001). There was evidence that psychological distress, worries, and anxiety were associated with a positive attitude toward using mHealth interventions, whereas psychological distress, worries, and anxiety were associated with actual use. Public health measures during pandemics may be associated with poor mental health outcomes in youth. Evidence-based digital interventions may help mitigate the negative psychosocial impact without risk of viral infection given there is an objective need and subjective demand.

Examining The Socioecological Correlates Of Physical Activity Among Middle-aged And Older Women

Physical activity (PA) is the well-known lifestyle behavior determining individual health. However, public health concerns exist regarding the low level of PA, particularly among middle-aged and older women, with limited understanding of its modifiable determinants at individual and environmental levels. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the socioecological factors explaining PA among middle-aged and older women, with specific focuses on subjective social status (SSS) and perceived neighborhood characteristics. METHODS: The survey data were collected from a total of 588 women (mean ages: 56.79). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess PA levels in leisure-time (LTPA). Individuals were categorized into the three PA groups (i.e., no-LTPA and low-/upper-LTPA groups based on 50th percentile of LTPA levels). Perceived neighborhood characteristics were measured using the Neighborhood scale consisting of 31 items with the Likert scale across seven environmental dimensions (e.g., walkability, safety, social cohesion). SSS was assessed using a 10-rung ladder ranking with higher rungs indicating higher SSS in their neighborhood. A multinomial logistic regression model was established to examine the associations of perceived neighborhood characteristics and SSS with LTPA, after controlling for study covariates including demographic characteristics (i.e., age, race, marital status), objective social status (i.e., education, household income), and health conditions (i.e., body mass index, number of chronic diseases). RESULTS: Overall, neighborhood walkability was the environmental characteristic significantly associated with greater odds of being low- (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.10, 1.86) and upper-LTPA (OR = 1.76; 95% CI = 1.34, 2.31), when compared to no-LTPA. Additionally, women with higher SSS demonstrated greater odds of being low- (OR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.09, 2.71) and upper-LTPA (OR = 1.88; 95% CI = 1.18, 2.99). CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified perceived walking environment within a neighborhood as a potential ecological factor determining PA levels in middle-aged and older women. Further, it is suggested that SSS has a unique impact on PA levels, independent of objective social status indicators.

Examining health literacy disparities in the United States: a third look at the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL).

BackgroundIn the United States, disparities in health literacy parallel disparities in health outcomes. Our research contributes to how diverse indicators of social inequalities (i.e., objective social class, relational social class, and social resources) contribute to understanding disparities in health literacy.MethodsWe analyze data on respondents 18 years of age and older (N = 14,592) from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) restricted access data set. A series of weighted Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models estimate the association between respondent’s demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status (SES), relational social class, social resources and an Item Response Theory (IRT) based health literacy measure.ResultsOur findings are consistent with previous research on the social and SES determinants of health literacy. However, our findings reveal the importance of relational social status for understanding health literacy disparities in the United States. Objective indicators of social status are persistent and robust indicators of health literacy. Measures of relational social status such as civic engagement (i.e., voting, volunteering, and library use) are associated with higher health literacy levels net of objective resources. Social resources including speaking English and marital status are associated with higher health literacy levels.ConclusionsRelational indicators of social class are related to health literacy independent of objective social class indicators. Civic literacy (e.g., voting and volunteering) are predictors of health literacy and offer opportunities for health intervention. Our findings support the notion that health literacy is a social construct and suggest the need to develop a theoretically driven conceptual definition of health literacy that includes a civic literacy component.

Accelerated increase and decrease in subjective age as a function of changes in loneliness and objective social indicators over a four-year period: results from the health and retirement study

Objectives: The study examined the role of changes in loneliness and objective social indicators in the formation of changes in subjective age over a four-year period. Methods: The Health and Retirement Study is a US nationally representative study of older adults over 50 and their spouse of any age. We restricted the sample to individuals, 65 years of age and older (n = 2591). An accelerated increase in subjective age was defined as an increase in subjective age over the two waves greater than five years. An accelerated decrease in subjective age was defined as a difference that was lower than three years. These were examined against a change in subjective age in the range of three to five years (i.e., change consistent with the passage of time). Results: For 23.4% of the sample, changes in subjective age were consistent with the passage of time. A total of 38.3% had an accelerated decrease in subjective age, whereas 38.3% had an accelerated increase. A decrease in loneliness over the two waves resulted in an accelerated decrease in subjective age, whereas an increase in depressive symptoms resulted in an accelerated increase in subjective age. Changes in objective social indicators, physical difficulties or medical comorbidity did not predict changes in subjective age. Conclusions: This is one of very few studies that examined changes in subjective age over time. Changes in subjective age represent an important construct that corresponding to other changes in subjective experiences.

Measuring Well-being: a Case for Municipalities in Slovenia

This paper explores the differences in well-being across Slovenia as well-being is one of the key social goals of modern progress. Well-being is defined by objective social, economic, demographic and environmental indicators, which reflect different dimensions of well-being. Overall well-being of municipalities was evaluated by two approaches. First, a composite indicator of well-being was calculated with the application of principal component method for 68 indicators. Second, cluster analysis was applied to further explore regional differences in well-being. The results show prevailing higher level of well-being in the west, while lower well-being is observed in the east of Slovenia.

The relationship between loneliness and passive death wishes in the second half of life

Both passive death wishes and loneliness are prevalent in old age and both have been shown to be associated with a variety of detrimental effects. The overall goal of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between loneliness and passive death wishes in the general population of Europeans over the age of 50 years. Passive death wishes were evaluated in waves 1 and 2 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, using the question "in the past month, have you felt that you would rather be dead?" Loneliness was evaluated by the question: "how frequently have you felt lonely over the past week?" taken from the Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression questionnaire. All predictors were gathered in wave 1. Analysis was stratified into three age groups (50-65, 66-75, >75 years). Both passive death wishes (15.6%) and loneliness (mean (SE) = 1.68(0.03)) were highest in those over the age of 75, relative to the other two age groups (age 50-65: 4.6%, mean (SE) = 1.43(0.01); age 66-75: 7.3%, mean (SE) = 1.50(0.02), respectively). Loneliness remained a significant risk for passive death wishes, net of the effect of demographic, health, mental health, and various social indicators in those aged 50-65 years (OR = 1.47, 95%CI: 1.10-1.97) and 65-75 (OR = 1.74, 95%CI: 1.28-2.38), but not in those over the age of 75 (OR = 1.12, 95%CI: 0.84-1.47). None of the objective social indicators was associated with passive death wishes. The present study emphasizes the differential role of loneliness across the lifespan. Any intervention to alleviate passive death wishes in the general population will benefit from addressing the subjective sense of loneliness more so than objective indicators of social interaction.

Quality of life of male outpatients with personality disorders or psychotic disorders: a comparison

Quality of life (QoL) has become increasingly important as an outcome measure in community-based psychiatry. QoL refers to an individual's sense of well-being and satisfaction with his current life conditions. It is measured both through objective social indicators and life domain-specific subjective indicators. People with a personality disorder (PD) or a major mental disorder (MMD) tend to show poor social adjustment, but their relative subjective QoL is not known. To compare the QoL of male outpatients in treatment for PD or MMD overall and by means of specific social and subjective indicators. A sample of 135 men under treatment for PD in Dutch forensic outpatient facilities were compared with 79 men with MMD using the extended Dutch version of the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile (LQoLP). Almost all of the objective indicators of QoL were significantly poorer among men with MMD than those with PD, but the groups did not differ on domain-specific subjective ratings of QoL. Indeed, global subjective QoL was lower in the PD than in the MMD patient group. PD outpatients seemed to have a more complex concept of QoL than the MMD outpatients for whom almost half of the variance in subjective QoL rating was related to their everyday activities and their objective sense of safety. Further study of QoL among PD patients would be warranted to test the extent to which subjective dissatisfaction is intrinsic to PD and to explore the possibility of improving it with targeted treatments.

Someone to live for: social well-being, parenthood status, and decision-making in oncology.

Little is known about the influence of social factors on treatment preferences and desire for aggressive cancer therapy. The present study assessed subjective and objective social indicators in patient preferences for treatment. Cancer patients (N = 296) with diverse diagnoses and stages read sets of hypothetical vignettes describing patients with early-stage and advanced disease. In the first set, patients made decisions about treatment acceptance given varying levels of either increasing cure or extending survival. In the second set, the point at which patients shifted preferences from mild to severe treatment to improve likelihood of 1-year survival (switch point) was the dependent measure. We assessed the impact of quality-of-life (QL) domains measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), having children, marital status, and living arrangements on treatment preferences and switch points. The Social Well-Being (SWB) subscale of the FACT-G predicted both treatment acceptance (P = .007) and switch point (P = .043) in the advanced-disease vignettes, with lower SWB associated with less aggressive preferences. Children living at home was likewise associated with more aggressive intent both in treatment preferences (P = .003, advanced-disease vignette) and switch point (P < .001 and P = .001 for early- and advanced-disease vignettes, respectively). Living with others predicted more aggressive intent in the advanced-disease vignette (P = .03). Marital status did not predict either treatment acceptance or switch point. Positive social well-being, as well as having children living at home, predicted patient willingness to accept aggressive treatment. Willingness to receive aggressive treatment may explain or mediate previously reported salutory effects of social support on cancer outcomes.

Social indicators of well being: A comparitive study between students in Bahrain

This study compares a sample of 76 male and 100 female university students with the Bahraini sample which formed part of Michalos's 1984 global study of well-being. Using MDT, temporal changes were explored in students' perceptions of their aspirations and actual living conditions after a decade of major social changes. Within sample comparisons were made between males and females and those majoring in education and business to investigate the differences on the various discrepancies. Regression results were at variance with those of 1984. The Self/Needs gap (person-environment fit theory) had the greatest influence on Life Satisfaction, followed by Self/Wants and Self/Progress discrepancies. The Self/Deserves gap (equity theory) had the greatest influence on Happiness followed by Self/Wants and Self/Progress. The strong influence of social comparison (Self/Others gap) has been presently overtaken by needs and equity. A socio-historical explanation was offered for these temporal changes in students' perceived gaps between what they have and aspire to. This and other results regarding the effect of gender and specializaton on perceived gaps suggest a useful link between wide gaps and objective social indicators. The subjective meaning of Satisfaction and Happiness to a female sample was qualitatively explored. Results highlight the centrality of religion as an ethical, social and cultural idiom. Using the life meaning construct of Zika and Chamberlin (1992), religion seems to provide personal meaning, which in turn mediates to well-being.

Objective and subjective indicators of community evaluation: A Pennsylvania assessment

The relationships between subjective and objective measures of well-being were assessedusing data from a survey of Pennsylvania residents and county-level statistical measures complied from secondary sources. Following Ross, Bluestone, and Hines (1979), objective social indicators were derived to measure socioeconomic status, family status, health status, and alienation for Pennsylvania countries. These indices were only modestly intercorrelated, suggesting that they measured somewhat different ideas. Subjective well-being was assessed by asking more than 3000 individual respondents to a mail survey to rate the quality of their communities. Responses were dichotomized and logistic regression used to assess the effects of the objective indicators of county well-being to individual community evaluations. The relationships were small, and inconsistent. Implications of the findings are discussed.

The relationship between objective and subjective social stress indicators: some Israeli findings

The relationship between objective and subjective social stress indicators: some Israeli findings

Subjective quality of life in the planning and evaluation of programs

This paper attempts to develop a more thorough understanding of the different components of subjective quality of life (SQL). Based on that understanding and other theoretical considerations, the utility of SQL measures in evaluation and planning is discussed. It is concluded that the use of SQL measures in evaluation will mostly be limited to community support programs for chronic mental patients. Contrary to prior research focus, the potential of SQL measures seems to lie in its contribution to need assessment, when considered together with objective social indicators. Life-domains scales are most relevant for the purposes discussed above.

Preferences for domains associated with quality of life

Abstract Research pertaining to sujective social indicators deals with people's feelings about their external circumstances of living. This subjective information completes the picture depicted by objective social indicators research. Both subjective and objective social indicators are required by policy makers as inputs for social policy formulation. The present study is concerned with people's preferences for the various domains which contribute to a general feeling of happiness - a subject not studied enough in the research on subjective indicators. The relative importance attributed to various domains which contribute to a happy life and the universality and stability of the ranking were studied on three groups of students. The results were compared with findings obtained in the United States. Good health, family life, and peace of mind were considered the most important domains. Furthermore, these preferences were found to be universal and stable. The findings indicate that the universality and stabi...

The Present Status of Objective Social Indicators: A Review of Theory and Measurement

We will not draw sharp distinctions at outset between social data systems, social indicators, and social accounts. A ago there were few social data systems worthy of name in United States. Doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and teachers-the only educated people-thought they knew causes and cures of social ills; mere facts would not have swayed them. Between 1885 and 1910, a handful of Ph.D.s organized various American social science associations. Similar associations developed in Europe, and international standards of adequacy in research methods and supporting data gradually emerged. B. R. Mitchell (p. viii) asserts that [European] statistics prior to 1900 were byproducts of taxation or military preparedness, though population censuses had outgrown their origins somewhat earlier than that. He cites Robson, in Man and Social Sciences, to effect that the most important methodological development of present century is the introduction of measurement in varying degrees in virtually every one of social sciences. It is only with this development that there has been much collection and publication of statistical material for its relevance to concerns of social scientists. In 1920s there was considerable communication among various categories of social scientists, and Social Science Research Council was established in 1924 to sustain and improve that communication. In 1929, when President Hoover called for a systematic study of recent social trends in United States, he appointed a committee consisting of past-presidents of American Economic Association (Wesley Clair Mitchell), American Political Science Association (Charles E. Merriam), and American Sociological Association (William F. Ogburn). It was Ogburn who served as director of research for massive report, Recent Social Trends (1933), and I believe it was Ogburn who wrote impressive sixty-five page summary of committee's findings. There were no conspicuous differences in uses of data and supporting arguments by economists, sociologists, and political scientists who authored various signed chapters. Duncan and Shelton have documented revolution in federal statistics from 1926 to 1976. From early 1930s into 1970s, serious efforts were made to coordinate activities of various statistical agencies, albeit loosely, and to maintain some balance among rates of development of different data systems. But breakdown in national and world economies 1929-32 had precipitated intense activity in economic policy, ecoKarl A. Fox is distinguished professor in sciences and humanities and a professor of economics, Iowa State University.

Economic Activity and Social Indicators: A Rural‐Urban Discontinuum?

Abstract. Comparisons of urban and rural areas tend to assume that a rural‐urban continuum exists as regards economic and social indicators of well‐being and that rural places are fairly homogeneous. Analysis of Kentucky counties indicates that rural‐urban differences exist as regards economic well‐being and objective social indicators. However, rural‐urban differences are not consistent with respect to subjective social indicators; and there are important differences among economic types of rural counties as regards both economic and social indicators. Thus, the rural‐urban continuum is not general and it is important to distinguish types of rural counties.

The eco-behavioural view of human societies and its implications for systems science†

The OECD List of Social Indicators (1982) represents a new level of scientific maturity and consensus in specifying objective social indicators and relating them to well-established economic and social data systems. This paper proposes, as a next step, the experimental development of social system accounts and models incorporating the new indicators and the established data systems within a more comprehensive framework based on behaviour settings. As the immediate environments of all human behaviour and experience in market and non-market organizations alike, behaviour settings collectively contain the entire living-time of the population of a community, region, or nation in a given accounting period. An exhaustive classification of behaviour settings in (say) the United States would include about 400 categories analogous to, and in some cases identical with, industries ; the paid roles in behaviour settings are occupations and the unpaid ones could be classified into a limited number of quasi-occupations...

Analysis of Social Preference

Since 1973 Government of Japan has made a survey of social preference, i.e. how people feel about their living conditions, once for three years. This paper presents results of the analysis of the data of the most recent survey, i.e. in 1978. The main purpose of the paper is to identify quantitative relations between satisfaction indices which are essentially subjective, and objective social indicators specific to the region where they live. Canonical correlation analysis and principal component analysis for regression have been used as main tools for the analysis. The results show that income and stability in employment are major factors giving effects on almost all satisfaction indices.

Subjective and objective social indicators in studies of regional social well-being

Dale B. (1980) Subjective and objective social indicators in studies of regional social well-being, Reg. Studies 14, 503–515. Studies of regional well-being carried out so far have often produced confusing and conflicting results, in particular regarding the degree of correspondence between results based on, respectively, subjective and objective indicators. In this paper some explanations of these contradictory results are suggested. These stress the lack of explicit definitions of “subjective” and “objective” indicators, the failure to take account of the relationship between indicators and life-domains and failure to pay attention to the influence of the spatial context. The explanations are first related to a sample of case studies. Thereafter, they are elaborated in the light of recent Norwegian research on social well-being.

Objective and subjective social indicators of the quality of life in American SMSA'S: A reanalysis

The paper examines and critiques Schneider's work that related the subjective and objective indicators of quality of life in American cities. The work then employs data collected by Liu in 1973, and the Institute for Survey Research in 1972 as part of their national election study for 41 large and medium-sized Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSA's) to re-examine the question of the relationship between the objective and subjective factors. Although the results of this paper are in general comparable with those obtained by Schneider, there are individual cases where they differ. The paper then concludes with a discussion of the reasons why objective and subjective indicators may coincide.

Collective preferences as predictors of interstate migration

The comparison of objective and subjective social indicators can be illuminated by comparing their relations to individual choice, of which migration is an important instance. We have replicated for U.S. states Lowry's (1966) regression model of migration among SMSA's, and added an indirect subjective measure of quality of life in each state. This measure is based on a Gallup survey asking respondents about their preferences among states of the United States as places to live. A measure of collective preference for each state, as viewed by outsiders, is constructed from these responses. This new variable increases R2 from 0.798 to 0.828, and is itself predicted with an R2 of only 0.355 by objective variables. Objective indicators of well-being had increased R2 only from 0.762 to 0.798. We conclude that collective preferences — the subjective measure we have used — play an independent part in predicting migration.