“Well-being index” predicts population cardiovascular risk

Well-being index (WBI) is a comprehensive measure of an individual’s satisfaction with their career, social and community relationships, finances and health. 

Researchers compared results from a Gallup national WBI survey to CDC cardiac death data, and found a nearly 14% higher cardiac death rate in counties ranked in the bottom 20% in WBI compared to those in the top 20%.

WBI remained significant even when controlling for income inequality and population health metrics.