Edouard, Roberson and Gerard Duhaime (2013) The well-being of the Canadian Arctic Inuit: the relevant weight of economy in the happiness equations, Social Indicators Research, 113(1): 373-392
Keywords: housing conditions, Survey of Living Conditions in the North, well-being
This paper seeks to identify and analyze the social factors that determine Canadian Inuit happiness by using data from the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey, the 2001 Canadian Census, and the 2001 Survey of the Living Conditions in the Arctic. Edouard and Duhaime used the Allardt model of ‘having, loving, or being’ to predict which state was most significant to Inuit’s sense of well-being. Conditions of housing were one factor in the ‘having’ model.
The survey data indicate that an Inuk who lives in good housing conditions is 1.42 times more likely to be satisfied with life in their Arctic community than an Inuk who lives in a house in need of repairs (p. 383). Analysis of the results revealed that along with status on the job market, housing conditions were the best indicator for an Inuk’s feelings of satisfaction in the community for the ‘having’ model (p. 386). As well, poor housing conditions were the 3rd best predictor for feelings of despair within the community (p. 387).