Individual subjective wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Long, Trinh Quang (2020): Individual subjective wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

This paper examines how contextual and institutional factors are associated with individual subjective wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data collected in China, Korea, Japan, Italy, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) in April 2020, we found that the financial effects (represented by employment and income change) and non-financial effects (representing by experiencing negative feelings and enjoying positive activities) of the pandemic are associated with individual wellbeing. Moreover, the degree to which people agree with their government’s approach to COVID-19 is positively correlated with their happiness. The risks associated with the pandemic, however, are only slightly associated with people’s happiness. We also found that the correlation between above factors and individual wellbeing varied from country to country.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: wellbeing, happiness, COVID-19
• Subjects: D - Microeconomics > D0 - General > D01 - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles; D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D60 - General; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty > I31 - General Welfare, Well-Being

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