Keys to sustainable living – wellbeing among Kela’s benefit recipients
This research project uses survey methods to gain an understanding of the wellbeing of Kela’s benefit recipients in different life situations and the factors that contribute thereto based on the theory of sustainable wellbeing. According to the sustainable wellbeing theory (the HDBL model), people have needs related to living standards (having), social relationships (loving), meaningful activities (doing), and being human (being). The survey conducted during the research project aims to assess how well these needs are met through the application of both objective (e.g. income, living conditions, functional capacity) and subjective (e.g. satisfaction with life, sense of belonging, experience of agency and a sense of meaning in life) indicators.
The lives of our most vulnerable benefit recipients, in particular, are affected in many different ways by increasingly stringent social and societal policies, underlying general attitudes, and ecological and other crises in our growingly interdependent world. Survey data are collected both via email and through printed paper forms available at Kela service points in order to ensure that data are collected also on the wellbeing of Kela benefit recipients who are reliant on minimum income security (basic social assistance) and the special characteristics thereof compared to other Kela benefit recipients.
In addition to survey data, the research project makes use of data recorded in Kela’s social assistance registers to provide data on the different life situations of Kela benefit recipients and how they use Kela’s services that function as background information for the project.
The data generated by the research project will support the work carried out at both Kela and more widely in social policy decision-making when benefits and services are developed to better meet the needs of benefit recipients and to help them live a good and meaningful life. The research project is carried out by Kela’s Research Unit, and it is funded by Kela.
Researchers
- Hanna-Mari Heinonen, principal investigator
- Tuija Korpela
- Hannu Mattila
- Lauri Mäkinen
Project duration
8.2.2024–31.12.2026
