Well-being

Well-being (also called wellness or quality of life) is a general condition assessed by how a person or society enjoys a good life. It encompasses physical health, mental state, social relationships, and economic capacity to meet basic needs. The term is used in two ways: a subjective sense (how a person evaluates their own life) and an objective measure (figures such as income, education, and health).

Well-being cannot be reduced to wealth alone. A person with high income may experience low well-being if mental health or social relationships are poor. Similarly, a society with moderate income may achieve high levels of well-being if its people have access to healthcare, social protection, and education.

Dimensions of well-being

Researchers generally divide well-being into several dimensions. Physical well-being covers health, adequate nutrition, and sleep. Mental well-being encompasses psychological stability and stress management. Social well-being rests on family relationships, friendship, and community participation. Economic well-being consists of stable income, housing, and job security.

Measurement

International organizations use combined indicators. For example, the Human Development Index combines life expectancy, education level, and income. Subjective well-being surveys ask people to rate their lives on a numerical scale. Neither approach is complete: figures do not capture inner feeling, while survey responses can be influenced by mood on the day asked.

Government policy

Many governments have made well-being a policy goal beyond economic growth. Under this approach, government performance is assessed by its effect on health, education, and security, not only by overall output growth. Debate exists over whether well-being indicators are open to political interpretation, making comparison between different countries difficult.