How strongly related are health status and subjective well-being? Systematic review and meta-analysis

Health status is widely considered to be closely associated with subjective well-being (SWB), yet this assumption has not been tested rigorously. The aims of this first systematic review and meta-analysis are to examine the association between health status and SWB and to test whether any association is affected by key operational and methodological factors.

A systematic search (January 1980-April 2017) using Web of Science, Medline, Embase, PsycInfo and Global health was conducted according to Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analyses using a random-effects model were performed.

Twenty nine studies were included and the pooled effect size of the association between health status and SWB was medium, statistically significant and positive (pooled r = 0.347, 95% CI = 0.309-0.385; Q = 691.51, I2 = 94.99%, P < 0.001). However, the association was significantly stronger: (i) when SWB was operationalised as life satisfaction (r = 0.365) as opposed to happiness (r = 0.307); (ii) among studies conducted in developing countries (r = 0.423) than it was in developed countries (r = 0.336) and (iii) when multiple items were used to assess health status and SWB (r = 0.353) as opposed to single items (r = 0.326).

Improving people's health status may be one means by which governments can improve the SWB of their citizens. Life satisfaction might be preferred to happiness as a measure of SWB because it better captures the influence of health status.