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Well-being Indicators at State Level

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Respondents aged 16 years and above were asked to rate their satisfaction levels with different aspects of their lives on a scale from 0 (‘Not at all satisfied’) to 10 (‘Completely satisfied’). The following well-being indicators were collected:

  • Overall life satisfaction
  • Satisfaction with the financial situation of one’s household
  • Satisfaction with personal relationships (e.g. family, friends, work colleagues)
  • Satisfaction with time use (i.e. time available for enjoyable activities)
  • Satisfaction with job
  • Perceived social inclusion (the respondent’s perception of feeling included in society)
  • Trust in other people

With the exception of satisfaction with personal relationships, which showed no change between 2013 and 2018, the mean score for each of the well-being indicators listed above increased over this period. The perceived social inclusion well-being indicator was not collected in 2013.

The mean score for overall life satisfaction increased from 7.5 in 2013 to 8.1 in 2018.  The largest increase in mean score was for financial satisfaction, which rose from 5.5 to 7.1, followed by trust in others which increased from 6.3 to 7.1. Satisfaction with personal relationships was the highest rated indicator in 2018 with a mean score of 8.6, which was unchanged from 2013. See figure 2.1.

X-axis label20132018
Overall life satisfaction7.58.1
Satisfaction with financial situation5.57.1
Satisfaction with personal relationships8.68.6
Satisfaction with time use77.5
Satisfaction with job7.27.8
Perceived social inclusion7.6
Trust in others6.37.1

Due to a processing error, the 2013 and 2018 values for the Low, Medium and High satisfaction indicators were incorrectly reported.  Figure 3.9, Table 2.1, and related text has been corrected as of 11.00am on 13/10/21.

The responses for the satisfaction level indicators were also grouped as follows: Low (0-5), Medium (6-8) and High (9-10).

In 2018, 44.4% of individuals rated their overall life satisfaction as high, compared to 30.8% in 2013, while the percentage of individuals that reported their overall life satisfaction as low dropped from 15.7% to 8.7% over this period. See table 2.1.

The percentage of individuals rating their satisfaction with their household’s financial situation as high more than doubled from 2013 to 2018, rising from 11.9% to 28.0%, while the percentage with a low rating more than halved over this period, falling from 48.9% to 22.5%.

Individuals were also more satisfied with their jobs in 2018, with 39.0% of people rating their job satisfaction as high, increasing from 28.2% in 2013.

In 2018, just over one in five individuals (20.2%) rated their trust in others as low compared with almost one in three individuals (33.2%) in 2013.

In 2018, 33.6% of individuals reported their perceived social inclusion (the respondent’s perception of feeling included in society) as high and 16.1% as low.

Table 2.1 Percentage satisfaction indicator at State level, 2013 and 2018
 Satisfaction level %
 Low  Medium High
Indicator20132018 20132018 20132018
Overall life satisfaction15.78.7 53.547.0 30.844.4
Satisfaction with financial situation48.922.5 39.149.5 11.928.0
Satisfaction with personal relationships 5.15.2 35.034.8 59.860.0
Satisfaction with time use (i.e. amount of leisure time)27.218.5 43.846.8 29.034.7
Satisfaction with job20.011.6 51.849.5 28.239.0
Perceived social inclusion1-16.1 -50.3 -33.6
Trust in others33.220.2 54.359.3 12.620.5
1 Only collected in 2018.
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Respondents were asked how often they felt ‘happy’, ‘calm and peaceful’, ‘down in the dumps’, ‘very nervous’, ‘downhearted or depressed’ or 'lonely' in the four weeks prior to interview. The responses were given on a 5-point scale, with answers ranging from ‘none of the time’ to ‘all of the time’.

In 2018, 80.4% of individuals reported being happy either all or most of the time, increasing from 76.9% in 2013. In 2018, almost seven in ten (69.8%) individuals reported feeling calm and peaceful all or most of the time. See figure 2.2.

X-axis labelAll of the timeMost of the timeNone/a little/some of the time
Being happy 201313.96323
Being happy 201817.662.819.6
Feeling calm and peaceful 201312.754.832.4
Feeling calm and peaceful 201815.554.330.3

The percentage of individuals who felt downhearted or depressed at least some of the time in the four weeks prior to interview was 13.2% in 2018, a decrease from 20.8% in 2013. In 2018, 16.6% of individuals reported that they felt lonely at least some of the time. The 2013 well-being module did not include a question on feeling lonely. See figure 2.3.

X-axis labelSome/most/all of the timeA little of the timeNone of the time
Being very
nervous
2013
21.123.455.5
Being very
nervous
2018
18.42061.6
Feeling
down in the dumps
2013
22.823.254.1
Feeling
down in the dumps
2018
16.928.255
Feeling
downhearted or
depressed
2013
20.826.253
Feeling
downhearted or
depressed
2018
13.223.463.4
Feeling
lonely
2018
16.619.963.5
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Respondents were asked about their ability to access material and non-material help from other people. These questions related to the possibility of receiving such help, not whether the help was actually needed.

Access to material help refers to the ability to get or borrow money or items from other people. Non-material help relates to having someone to discuss matters with or getting help with doing something.

In 2018, 13.6% of individuals felt they would be unable to receive material help if they needed it, while 5.2% felt they would be unable to receive non-material help. See figures 2.4(a) & (b).

Material help
Access86.4
No access13.6
Non-material help
Access94.8
No access5.2

Go to next chapter >>> Well-being indicators by demographic