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Relative deprivation and subsequent health, happiness, and human flourishing: A longitudinal outcome-wide analysis

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  • Kuo, Chun-Tung
  • Hsieh, Shu-Hui
  • Liao, Pei-Shan
  • Kawachi, Ichiro

Abstract

Relative deprivation induced by unfavorable social comparisons due to income disparity has been linked to adverse health outcomes. However, its association with broader aspects of human flourishing has not been well established. Furthermore, most prior studies rely on cross-sectional data, limiting causal interpretation and raising concerns about reverse causality.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuo, Chun-Tung & Hsieh, Shu-Hui & Liao, Pei-Shan & Kawachi, Ichiro, 2025. "Relative deprivation and subsequent health, happiness, and human flourishing: A longitudinal outcome-wide analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 384(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:384:y:2025:i:c:s0277953625008688
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118537
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Tyler J. VanderWeele & Byron R. Johnson, 2025. "Why we need to measure people’s well-being — lessons from a global survey," Nature, Nature, vol. 641(8061), pages 34-36, May.
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    6. Gero, Krisztina & Yazawa, Aki & Kondo, Naoki & Hanazato, Masamichi & Kondo, Katsunori & Kawachi, Ichiro, 2022. "Comparison of three indices of relative income deprivation in predicting health status," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    7. Kuo, Chun-Tung & Chiang, Tung-liang, 2013. "The association between relative deprivation and self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and smoking behavior in Taiwan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 39-44.
    8. Piotr Bialowolski & Christos A. Makridis & Matt Bradshaw & Dorota Weziak-Bialowolska & Craig Gundersen & Noémie Pertel & Cristina Gibson & Sung Joon Jang & R. Noah Padgett & Byron R. Johnson & Tyler J, 2025. "Analysis of demographic variation and childhood correlates of financial well-being across 22 countries," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 9(5), pages 917-932, May.
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