The wellbeing of Slovenia's population by region: comparison of indicators with an emphasis on health

Authors

  • Lilijana Šprah
  • Tatjana Novak
  • Jerneja Fridl

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS54104

Keywords:

geography, medicine, population's wellbeing, composite wellbeing indicator, health, region, mental disorder

Abstract

In broader definitions, wellbeing is commonly described as a multidimensional concept, defined by the state of happiness, health, and prosperity. However, due to various understandings of conceptual issues regarding wellbeing, professionals encounter a number of methodological problems connected with measuring it. Composite indicators are thus being increasingly used to measure population's wellbeing. Health is an important area of wellbeing and is connected with indicators similar to those used for measuring general wellbeing. This article uses composite indicators to compare various areas of wellbeing, and especially health-related wellbeing, among the twelve Slovenian statistical regions. The findings show great differences between Slovenian regions. In western Slovenia (the Central Slovenia, Soča, Coastal-Karst, and Upper Carniola regions), the level of wellbeing is generally high, and in eastern Slovenia (the Carinthia, Lower Sava, Mura, and Central Sava regions) it is lower. Except for minor deviations, the level of general wellbeing in the regions matches the level of health-related wellbeing.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Apohal Vučkovič, L., Kajzer, A., Čelebič, T., Ferk, B., Kersnik, M., Kovačič, S., Kmet Zupančič, R., Kraigher, T., Lavrač, I., Murn, A., Pečar, J., Primožič, S., Zver, E. 2010: Socialni razgledi 2009. Ljubljana.

Avčin, B. A., Kučina, A. U., Sarotar, B. N., Radovanović, M., Plesničar, B. K. 2011: The present global financial and economic crisis poses an additional risk factor for mental health problems on the employees. Psychiatria Danubina 23-1.

Boarini, R., Johansson, A., d'Ercole, M. M. 2006: Alternative measures of wellbeing. OECD social, employment and migration working papers 33.

Bole, D. 2004: Daily mobility of workers in Slovenia. Acta geographica Slovenica 44-1. DOI: http: //dx.doi.org/10.3986/AGS44102

Bole, D. 2008a: Ekonomska preobrazba slovenskih mest. Geografija Slovenije 19. Ljubljana.

Bole, D. 2008b: Cultural industry as a result of new city tertiarization. Acta geographica Slovenica 48-2. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3986/AGS48202

Bole, D. 2011: Changes in employee commuting: a comparative analysis of employee commuting to major Slovenian employment centers from 2000 to 2009. Acta geographica Slovenica 51-1. DOI: http: //dx.doi.org/10.3986/AGS51104

Buzeti, T., Djomba, J. K., Gabrijelčič Blenkuš, M., Ivanuša, M., Jeriček Klanšček, H., Kelšin, N., Kofol Bric, T., Koprivnikar, H., Korošec, A., Kovše, K., Maučec Zakotnik, J., Mihevc Ponikvar, B., Nadrag, P., Paulin, S., Pečar, J., Pečar Čad, S., Rok Simon, M., Tomšič, S., Truden Dobrin, P., Zadnik, V., Zver, E. 2011: Neenakosti v zdravju v Sloveniji. Ljubljana.

Costanza, R., Hart, M., Posner, S., Talberth, J. 2009: Beyond GDP: the need for new measures of progress. The Pardee papers 4.

Cowie, A. P., Lewis, J. W. 1989: Oxford advanced learner's dictionary. Oxford.

Dernovšek, M. Z., Šprah, L. 2008: Assessment of mental health services in Slovenia with the European Service Mapping Schedule. Psychiatria Danubina 20-3.

Diener, E. 2000: Subjective well-being: the science of happiness and a proposal for a national index. American Psychologist 55-1. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.34

Diener, E., Seligman, M. E. P. 2009: Beyond money: toward an economy of well-being. Social Indicators Research Series 37. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2350-6_9

Gabrijelčič Blenkuš, M., Koprivnikar, H., Drev, A., Vračko, P., Pirnat, N., Hočevar, T., Vrdelja, M., Jeriček Klanšček, H., Pucelj, V., Kofol Bric, T., Martinovič, B., Kranjc, I., Martinovič, A. 2012: Vsevladni pristop za zdravje in blaginjo prebivalcev in zmanjševanje neenakosti v zdravju. Ljubljana.

Internet 1: http://pxweb.stat.si/pxweb/dialog/statfile2.asp (21. 10. 2011).

Internet 2: http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/slovenia/ (21. 10. 2011).

IVZ 2006–2008: Zdravstveni statistični letopis Slovenije. In{titut za varovanje zdravja Republike Slovenije. Internet: http://www.ivz.si/Mp.aspx?ni=202 (29. 8. 2012).

Kerber, B. 2012: Ageing at home with the help of information and communication technologies. Acta geographica Slovenica 52-1. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3986/AGS52107

Knežević Hočevar, D. 2012: Family farms in Slovenia: Who did the measures »setting up of young farmers« and »early retirement« actually address? Anthropological notebooks 18-1.

Korenič, R., Mavec, B. 2012: So ekonomske razlike med slovenskimi regijami velike? Statistični urad republike Slovenije. Internet: http://www.stat.si/novica_prikazi.aspx?id=4878 (29. 8. 2012).

Levy B. S., Sidel, V. W. 2009: The economic crisis and public health. Social medicine 4-2.

Malešič, K., Bregar, L., Rovan, J. 2009: Metodologija merjenja blaginje za občine v Sloveniji. IB revija 3-4. Ljubljana.

Matthews, E. 2006: Measuring wellbeing and societal progress: a brief history and the latest news. OECDJRC workshop »Measuring Wellbeing and Societal Progress.« Internet: http://crell.jrc.ec.europa.eu/Wellbeing/papers (30. 8. 2012).

Mikulić B., Sándor E., Leoncikas T. 2012: Experiencing the economic crisis in the EU: changes in living standards, deprivation and trust. European foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions. Internet: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2012/07/en/1/EF1207EN.pdf (29. 8. 2012).

Nared, J. 2002: Razvitost slovenskih občin in nadaljnje razvojne perspektive. Geografski vestnik 74-2. Nared, J. 2007: Prostorski vplivi slovenske regionalne politike. Geografija Slovenije 16. Ljubljana. OECD 2008: Handbook on constructing composite indicators: methodology and user guide. Paris.

OECD 2011: How's life? Measuring well-being. Paris. DOI: http://www.dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264121164-en

Pečar, J., Kavaš, D. 2006: Metodologija izračuna indeksa razvojne ogroženosti za obdobje od 2007 do 2013. Delovni zvezek 6. Ljubljana.

Perko, D. 1998: The regionalization of Slovenia. Acta geographica 38.

Ravbar, M. 2011: Creative social groups in Slovenia: contribution to geographic studying of human resources. Acta geographica Slovenica 51-2. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3986/AGS51204.

Ravbar, M., Bole, D., Nared, J. 2005: A creative milieu and the role of geography in studying the competitiveness of cities: the case of Ljubljana Acta Geographica Slovenica 45-2. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3986/ AGS45201

Razpotnik, N., Urbanc, M., Nared, J. 2009: Prostorska in razvojna vprašanja Alp. Georitem 12. Ljubljana.

Rovan, J., Malešič, K., Bregar, L. 2009: Blaginja občin v Sloveniji. Geodetski vestnik 53-1. Ljubljana.

Strategija razvoja Slovenije/Slovenia's Development Strategy. Urad Republike Slovenije za makroekonomske analize in razvoj. Ljubljana, 2005.

Stuckler, D., Basu, S., Suhrcke, M., Coutts, A., McKee, M. 2011: Effects of the 2008 recession on health: the first look at European data. The Lancet 378-9786. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S01406736(11)61079-9

Stuckler, D., Basu, S., Suhrcke, M., McKee, M. 2009: The health implications of financial crisis: a review of the evidence. The Ulster medical journal 78-3.

Suhrcke, M., McKee, M., Stuckler, D., Sauto Arce, R., Tsolova, S., Mortensen, J. 2006: The contribution of health to the economy in the European Union. Public health 120. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2006.08.011.

SURS 2006–2010: Slovenske regije v številkah. Internet: http://www.stat.si/publikacije/pub_regije.asp (30. 8. 2012).

Urbanc, M., Boesch, M., Jelen, I. 2007: Kultura in regionalna politika: kultura kot dejavnik regionalnega razvoja Alp. Geografski vestnik 79-1.

WHO 2011: Impact of economic crises on mental health. Copenhagen.

Downloads

Published

01-01-2014

How to Cite

Šprah, L., Novak, T., & Fridl, J. (2014). The wellbeing of Slovenia’s population by region: comparison of indicators with an emphasis on health. Acta Geographica Slovenica, 54(1), 67–87. https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS54104