Health as a Determinant of Happiness

 Health as a Determinant of Happiness

Does health equal happiness? Although this is a complex proposition, the answer might not be as convoluted as we think.  Individuals who experience happiness also encounter positive affect, which refers to “the extent to which an individual subjectively experiences positive moods such as joy, interest, and alertness” (Miller). According to Rebecca Alexander’s article “The neuroscience of positive emotions and affect: Implications for cultivating happiness and wellbeing,” positive affect correlates to prosperity in numerous aspects of life, one of which being physical health.  

In 2012, the United Nations compiled the first World Happiness Report, which compared countries to a mean global level of happiness.  Geographical areas and countries who scored above the average on this report, such as North America, Western Europe, and New Zealand, tend to be more developed countries with more wealth. Those who scored below the average, such as areas like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, tend to be developing countries who are less wealthy. In terms of predictors of a community’s health, income/wealth is one of the highest socioeconomic factors on the list, which would suggest that areas that scored higher also have better health outcomes.  

Why do wealthier nations tend to have better health outcomes? One answer is universal healthcare.  Wealthier nations have the money, resources, and professional workers to offer healthcare to all of their citizens, whether they are employed or not.  Countries like Japan, Germany, Switzerland, and Canada have constructed healthcare systems that offer a wide range of services for very limited cost to the consumer, while the rest is subsidized by taxes and the government.  The United States is an outlier compared to other wealthy countries; they are the only wealthy, more developed country who does not consider healthcare to be a right, and thus does not offer it to their citizens. The US healthcare system is actually more similar to the healthcare systems of developing countries, where the wealthy and elite can get all the healthcare they need, while the poor/middle to lower class can only get the healthcare they can afford, which in some cases is none. It’s no surprise that healthier countries that offer universal care tend to be happier, where medical bankruptcy is unheard of and people receive the care they need. 

Alexander, Rebecca. “The Neuroscience of Positive Emotions and Affect: Implications for Cultivating Happiness and Wellbeing.” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Pergamon, 8 Dec. 2020, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763420306801?via%3Dihub.

Cui, Xiaodong, and Ching-Ter Chang. “How Income Influences Health: Decomposition Based on Absolute Income and Relative Income Effects.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 13 Oct. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8535401/

Miller, David N. “Positive Affect.” SpringerLink, Springer US, https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_2193#citeas