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SUMMARY:The impact of economic crisis on mental well-being and happiness -
  Dora Gudrun Gudmundsdottir\, psychologist / a former Director of The Publ
 ic Health Institute of Iceland
DTSTART:20101203T130000Z
DTEND:20101203T140000Z
UID:TALK27791@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Simon Richard White
DESCRIPTION:Imagine if it would be possible to study the effects of econom
 ic crisis with experimental methods placing a whole nation on an island wh
 ere their mental well-being and happiness would be monitored before\, duri
 ng and after the exposure of a major economic downfall. This sounds like a
 n impossible\, at least unethical task to complete. However\, this is the 
 situation with the experimental island: Iceland. In 2007\, a year prior to
  the collapse of the whole banking system in Iceland\, the Public Health I
 nstitute of Iceland (PHI) did send out a comprehensive questionnaire on he
 alth and well-being to a random sample of 10.000 Icelanders with a 60% res
 ponse rate followed up in 2009. This information gives a good baseline for
  the situation a year before the economic downfall and a year after. To mo
 nitor the well-being of the population even further\, the PHI sent another
  questionnaire to four smaller samples of 1200 Icelanders just weeks after
  the collapse in the end of October 2008\, followed up in January and June
  2009 and then again in December 2009. Here\, the objective is to explore 
 how the fall of the banking system in Iceland has affected the mental well
 -being and happiness in Iceland by comparing measures made in 2007\, 2008 
 and 2009. The focus will be on changes in emotions like anger\, sorrow\, a
 nxiety and depression. Changes in optimism regarding the future\, usefulne
 ss\, stress\, task solving\, clear thinking\, closeness to others\, decisi
 on making and happiness before and after the economic downfall will also b
 e explored. 
LOCATION:Large Seminar Room\, 1st Floor\, Institute of Public Health\, Uni
 versity Forvie Site\, Robinson Way\, Cambridge
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