GPI Community Profile of Glace Bay May 2008

Majority of residents are satisfied with their lives

% who are satisfied

Life Satisfaction • Highest income more than twice as likely as lowest-income • Highest among retirees • Mid-range for employed persons, students and homemakers • Lowest among unemployed

What would increase lifesatisfaction? More financially secure 77. 2 Less stress 74. 7 Spend more time with family and friends 73. 7 More money 63. 7 Doing more to make a difference in my community More possessions 54. 5 26. 5

Core Values

Values and Life Satisfaction • Positive social values associated with lifesatisfaction • Materialistic values were not • Consistent with literature

Alienation?

Spirituality • 72% reported that spiritual values play important role in their life • Higher in females (79%) than males (62%) • Lowest among 15 to 34 (50%) and rises progressively to 88% among 65+

Unemployment • 26. 4% much higher than corresponding NS and Cdn rates • Highest among 20 to 24 (45%) and lowest among 35 -44 (18%)

Strongly associated with education

Unemployed • 62% of unemployed were long-term (25 weeks+) • 41% were pessimistic about finding work • No significant differences between males and females

Part-time • • 16% working part-time Higher in females (22%) than males (9%) 15% of part-timers are involuntary No significant difference between males (16%) and females (14%)

Benefits Full-time Part-time Pension 57 27 Health 62 19 Dental 53 12 Sick 62 23 Vacation 78 40

Self-reported Health Status • 47% reported health as very good or excellent • Lower than NS and Canadian average (58%) • Females reported better health than males but both were below provincial and national rates

Strong Relationship with Income

Also in chronic disease prevalence

Activity Limitation • 24% reported an activity limitation due to physical or mental health problem • Lower than NS average (29%) and similar to Canadian (24%) • Males (27%) higher than females (22%)

Again, Strong Relationship with Income

High rates of smoking among males and females

Highest among middle-aged

Higher quit rates among higher incomes

High rates of obesity among both males and females

Middle-aged bulge

Obesity by Income

Sedentary • • 19% lived a sedentary lifestyle Highest among young and old No gender differences U-shaped relationship with income

Physical activities at least 5 X per week • 46% • Males (48%) slightly higher than females (44%) • U-shaped with age- lowest among middleaged • No strong income effects (A good thing!)

Preventive practices last year Mammogram 40% Close to NS Below Canada BP Monitoring 76% Pap Smear 45% Lower than NS and Canada rate Income effect Breast Exam by Professional 35% Strong income effect

Mental Health • Strong age effects

Thinking clearly & solving problems • 20% have some difficulty thinking clearly and solving daily problems • Highest rate of difficulty among young persons (33%) • Lowest income group almost four times as likely to report problems as highest income group (30% vs 8%)

Emotional Distress • 22% reported two or more symptoms of emotional distress with highest rates among young (40%), decreasing across age groups to 13% among elderly • Lowest income almost twice as likely as highest income (32% vs 17%) • High rates among unemployed (36%) and students (35%)

Depressed Mood (2+ weeks in past 12 months) • 16% with females slightly more likely than males (17% vs 14%) • Highest among young (20%) and 35 -44 (20%)

Depressed Mood by Income

Childhood Risk Factors • Parental unemployment (19. 5%) • Parental substance use (17. 66%) • Physical abuse (6%) – female 7. 5% and male 4%

Number of risk factors

Depressed mood by risk factors

Stress • 7% very stressful, 40% somewhat stressful • Stress levels were highest between 25 and 44 (59%) and fell to 26% among 65+ • Females reported highest stress, particularly time-related stresses • Two income families higher than oneincome families (65% vs 38%)

Job Stresses Male Female Total Too many demands 23. 7 30. 9 27. 5 Too many hours 10. 1 9. 6 9. 8 Too few hours 12. 3 15. 3 13. 9 Lack of autonomy/control 9. 8 9. 1 9. 4 Risk of injury/accident 13. 4 11. 4 12. 3 Interpersonal relations 8. 4 9. 1 8. 9 Threat of layoff/job losses 26. 8 14. 1 20. 0 Other 6. 7 7. 9 7. 3

Would trade pay increases for fewer hours

Volunteering • 29% gave unpaid help to group or organization • Highest among 35+ • Positive relationship with income • 60% very satisfied and 33% somewhat satisfied

Reasons for not volunteering No time 39% Not interested 14% Not asked 15% Health problem 22% Not aware 4%

Informal volunteering • Provided by 59% • Somewhat higher in females (54%) than males (49%)

Willing to do more if asked • • 52% would give more of asked Males 57% Young (15 to 24) 78% Low income (58%)

Unpaid care-giving

Inside home higher in low income

Social support Male Female Total Someone you can count on 94. 8 in crisis 96. 1 95. 5 Someone to give advice for important decisions 93. 3 95. 6 94. 6 Someone who makes you feel loved and cared for 96. 4 97. 1 96. 8

Social support • Strong income gradient across categories • Lowest among unemployed

Crime Victimization • 8% had been victimized during past five years • No significant gender difference • Highest rate among young (11%) and fell across age groups to lowest rate among 65+ (5%) • No relationship with income

Satisfaction with Sense of Safety

Feeling Safe Walking in Neighbourhood

Understanding the ecological footprint- Nova Scotia Income 1 st Quintile 2 nd Quintile 3 rd Quintile 4 th Quintile 5 th Quintile Consumption Expenditure ($/persons) 9, 949 10, 550 11, 131 12, 995 17, 001 Ecological Footprint (ha. /person) 6. 2 6. 6 7. 0 8. 1 10 -. 7

Vehicle use Vehicles per household Kms/Vehicle per Household Kms household -20, 000 . 6 15, 975 11, 182 20, 000 -34, 999 1. 1 17, 899 21, 479 35, 000 -49, 999 1. 4 19, 949 29, 923 50, 000 -69, 999 1. 7 20, 576 37, 039 70, 000 + 1. 9 21, 835 43, 670 Higher income households more likely to own minivans and SUVs

Ecological attitudes Male Female Total The way we live produces too much waste 83. 2 80. 7 81. 8 The way we live consumes too many resources 72. 9 67. 3 69. 7 We focus too much on getting what we want now and not enough on conserving resources for future generations 83. 8 81 82. 2 Most of us buy and consume more than we need. 85. 2 83. 5 84. 2 Today’s youth are too focussed on buying and consuming things 81. 6 84. 5 83. 3 I spend nearly all of my money on the basic necessities of life 60. 8 64. 0 62. 6 If I wanted to, I could choose to buy and consume less than I do. 64. 8 59. 4 61. 7

Out of balance lives • Socially motivated people who see themselves as living in a materialistic society • Materialism is about economic security, not possessions

Continuing inequities • Lower income residents have poorer mental and physical health (including disabilities) • Lowest levels of social support • Higher levels of caregiving

Health challenges • Higher rates of obesity and smoking • Don’t forget the young – Mental health issues

The positive • • High levels of health and wellbeing High levels of social support Volunteerism Strong ecological commitment