Happiness and air quality: microdata analysis in Indonesia.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Economics

Background:

• Indonesia faces a steady Happiness Index despite economic growth.
• Indonesia ranks sixth globally in average particle concentration, highlighting air quality concerns.
• Environmental factors, particularly air quality, are increasingly recognized as determinants of individual happiness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of air quality on subjective happiness in Indonesia.
• To examine the relationship between health status and happiness.
• To provide evidence for policy interventions aimed at improving national well-being.

Main Methods:

• Utilized microdata from Indonesia's Happiness Survey (SPTK) 2021 with over 70,000 respondents.
• Employed Ordered Probit regression analysis with subjective happiness as the dependent variable.
• Included air quality (Indonesian Air Quality Index - IKU), health status, age, gender, housing area, and marital status as independent variables.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant positive relationship exists between air quality meeting the target (IKU ≥ 84.2) and subjective happiness.
• Achieving air quality targets decreases the probability of lower happiness by up to 2.8% and increases very high happiness by 5.1%.
• Improved health status, indicated by less frequent illness, is positively associated with higher levels of happiness.

Conclusions:

• Air pollution negatively impacts happiness, while better health enhances it.
• Meeting air quality targets (IKU) and improving public health are crucial for increasing national happiness.
• Policy interventions should focus on environmental quality and public health initiatives.