SILC Module on the Impact of Childhood Poverty Experiences on Adult Life 2023

Satisfaction

As part of the annual SILC survey, respondents are asked to rate their current satisfaction levels with their overall life and the financial situation of their households on a scale from 0 (‘Not at all satisfied’) to 10 (‘Completely satisfied’). In this publication, the responses for the satisfaction level indicators are also grouped as low (0-5), medium (6-8), and high (9-10). 

Past research has demonstrated that experiencing poverty during childhood has a significant detrimental effect on an individual’s well-being and health and therefore negatively affects their prospects in adult life (See ESRI report on Intergenerational Poverty in Ireland). 

In SILC 2023, one in four (25.2%) of those who grew up in households with bad financial circumstances rated their current overall life satisfaction as low, compared with one in ten of those who grew up in households with either moderate (10.0%) or good (9.3%) financial circumstances (See Figure 5.1 and PxStat Table SID27).

A similar trend is observed when looking at how financial circumstances experienced during childhood may affect one’s current financial situation. Nearly one in five (19.6%) respondents who rated the financial situation of their teenage household as good had low satisfaction with the current financial situation of their household. In comparison almost two in five (38.9%) of those who rated the financial situation of their teenage household as bad had low satisfaction with the current financial situation of their household (See Figure 5.2 and PxStat Table SID27).

Health

In the annual SILC, respondents are asked to provide their self-perceived general health status, with the response options; Very Good; Good; Fair; Bad; Very Bad. 'Bad' and 'Very Bad' have been combined for the purpose of this report.  

In 2023, individuals aged 25-59 who experienced bad financial circumstances as a teenager were almost twice as likely to report their general health as being bad or very bad when compared with those who reported the financial situation of their teenage household as good, 6.6% and 3.4% respectively (See Figure 5.3 and PxStat Table SID28).

Global Activity Limitation Indicator (GALI) status

To determine Global Activity Limitation Indicator (GALI) status, SILC survey respondents are asked the following question with three answer options. 

Are you limited because of a health problem in activities people usually do? Would you say you are: 

1. Severely limited 
2. Limited but not severely  
3. Not limited at all 

Respondents who answer ‘Severely limited’ or ‘Limited but not severely’ are asked whether they have they been limited for at least the past six months. Respondents who are severely limited in usual activities for at least six months prior to their interview date are classified as ‘severely limited’, while those limited but not severely for at least six months are classified as ‘limited but not severely’. Respondents who answered, ‘Not limited at all’, along with respondents limited for less than six months, are classified as ‘not limited’. 

One in four (24.6%) of those who grew up in households with bad financial circumstances were limited in activity (either severely or non-severely) in SILC 2023. In comparison 13.3% who grew up in households with good financial circumstances were limited in activity (See Figure 5.4 and PxStat Table SID29).