Exploring the Association between Welfare State and Mental Wellbeing in Europe: Does Age Matter?

Jorid Kalseth (), Valeria Donisi, Marta Miret, Anna K. Forsman and Johanna Cresswell-Smith
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Jorid Kalseth: Department of Health Research, SINTEF Digital, Pb. 4760 Torgarden, 7465 Trondheim, Norway
Valeria Donisi: Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
Marta Miret: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Department of Psychiatry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28029 Madrid, Spain
Anna K. Forsman: Health Sciences, Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University, 65101 Vaasa, Finland
Johanna Cresswell-Smith: Mental Health Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, 00271 Helsinki, Finland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 17, 1-25

Abstract: Previous research reports show mixed results regarding the age gradient in population mental wellbeing, which may be linked to the role that welfare states play. In this study, we investigate whether an age gradient exists in relation to the association between welfare state and mental wellbeing within the adult population in Europe. We combine individual level data from Round 6 of the European Social Survey and country level data on welfare state and use multilevel regression analyses to explore population mental wellbeing. Subjective and psychological wellbeing dimensions were analyzed, and different approaches to measuring welfare state were explored, including a regime typology and composite welfare state measures constructed on the basis of a set of eight individual indicators. We found the age gradient for mental wellbeing to differ between welfare states, with the positive impact of the welfare state increasing with age. A universal and generous welfare state seems to be particularly important for older adults, who are also more likely to be in higher need of transfers and services provided by the welfare state.

Keywords: subjective wellbeing; psychological wellbeing; mental wellbeing; age gradient; welfare state (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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