Social support

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Social support indicates the share of people who report having friends or relatives whom they can count on in times of trouble. Individuals who say they have family and friends they can count on to help them in times of trouble are consistently more likely to be satisfied with their personal health, and research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. Due to small sample sizes, country averages for horizontal inequalities (by age, gender and education) are pooled between 2010-20 to improve the accuracy of the estimates. The survey sample is ex ante designed to be nationally representative of the population aged 15 or over (including rural areas). This indicator is measured as a percentage of survey respondents. Education: Indicators sourced from the Gallup World Poll correspond to: completed elementary education or less (up to eight years of basic education) for “primary” level; completed some secondary education up to three years tertiary education (9 to 15 years of education) for “secondary” level; and completed four years of education beyond “high school” and/or received a four-year college degree for “tertiary” level. Age: Young people are those aged 15 to 29; middle-aged people are those aged 30 to 49, and older people are those aged 50 and over.

Social support

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Social support

Social support indicates the share of people who report having friends or relatives whom they can count on in times of trouble. Individuals who say they have family and friends they can count on to help them in times of trouble are consistently more likely to be satisfied with their personal health, and research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. Due to small sample sizes, country averages for horizontal inequalities (by age, gender and education) are pooled between 2010-20 to improve the accuracy of the estimates. The survey sample is ex ante designed to be nationally representative of the population aged 15 or over (including rural areas). This indicator is measured as a percentage of survey respondents. Education: Indicators sourced from the Gallup World Poll correspond to: completed elementary education or less (up to eight years of basic education) for “primary” level; completed some secondary education up to three years tertiary education (9 to 15 years of education) for “secondary” level; and completed four years of education beyond “high school” and/or received a four-year college degree for “tertiary” level. Age: Young people are those aged 15 to 29; middle-aged people are those aged 30 to 49, and older people are those aged 50 and over.

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