The Origins of Happiness

Table 9.4.

Changes in characteristics of elderly people over an eight-

year interval (ELSA)

2004

2012

Change 2004–

12

Mean

(SD)

Mean

(SD)

Mean

(SD)

%

worse

%

better

Life-

satisfaction (0–

10)

7.28

1.89

6.97

2.07

−0.31

(2.06)

33

21

Age

62.8

(7.5)

71.1

(7.8)

8.25

(1.05)

Income (decile)

6.39

(2.79)

5.61

(2.72)

−0.79

(2.66)

53

25

Employed*

0.38

(0.49)

0.14

(0.35)

−0.24

(0.45)

25

1

Married*

0.73

(0.44)

0.68

(0.46)

−0.05

(0.28)

6

2

Cultural engagement

1.57

(1.07)

1.46

(1.08)

−0.11

(0.80)

43

31

Organizational involvement

1.74

(1.47)

1.67

(1.45)

−0.07

(1.29)

32

28

Social network

7.41

(4.18)

7.16

(4.10)

−0.25

(4.12)

25

21

Loneliness scale

$

1.31

(0.45)

1.36

(0.49)

−0.05

(0.46)

27

21

Positive support

3.12

(0.56)

3.20

(0.50)

0.08

(0.48)

41

55

Chronic lung disease*

0.01

(0.10)

0.05

(0.23)

0.04

(0.23)

5

0

Cancer*

0.03

(0.16)

0.06

(0.24)

0.04

(0.27)

6

1

continued