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On applying synthetic indices of multidimensional well-being: health and income inequalities in selected EU countries

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  • Andrea Brandolini

    (Bank of Italy, Department for Structural Economic Analysis)

Abstract

The multidimensional view of well-being is receiving growing attention, both in academic research and policy-oriented analysis. This paper examines empirical strategies to measure poverty and inequality in multiple domains, concentrating on two problems in the use of synthetic multidimensional indices: the weighting structure of different functionings and the functional form of the index. These problems are illustrated by comparing inequality and deprivation in income and health in the four largest countries of the EU: France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Brandolini, 2008. "On applying synthetic indices of multidimensional well-being: health and income inequalities in selected EU countries," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 668, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_668_08
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesca Parente, 2019. "A Multidimensional Analysis of the EU Regional Inequalities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 1017-1044, June.
    2. Ivaldi, Enrico & Bonatti, Guido & Soliani, Riccardo, 2016. "Is there a two-speed europe also in the well-being? - Esiste un’Europa a due velocità anche nel benessere ?," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 69(1), pages 45-68.
    3. Gordon Anderson, Alessio Farcomeni, Maria Grazia Pittau and Roberto Zelli, 2019. "Multidimensional Nation Wellbeing, More Equal yet More Polarized: An Analysis of the Progress of Human Development Since 1990," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 44(1), pages 1-22, March.
    4. Jeni Klugman & Francisco Rodríguez & Hyung-Jin Choi, 2011. "The HDI 2010: new controversies, old critiques," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 9(2), pages 249-288, June.
    5. Michael Binder & Georgios Georgiadis, 2010. "Determinants of Human Development: Insights from State-Dependent Panel Models," Human Development Research Papers (2009 to present) HDRP-2010-24, Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
    6. Enrico Ivaldi & Gian Marco Ugolini, 2015. "The Nautical Quality Index (NaQi): Methodology and Application to the Case of Italy," Review of Economics & Finance, Better Advances Press, Canada, vol. 5, pages 43-58, May.
    7. GUIO Anne-Catherine & FUSCO Alessio & MARLIER Eric, 2009. "A European Union Approach to Material Deprivation using EU-SILC and Eurobarometer data," IRISS Working Paper Series 2009-19, IRISS at CEPS/INSTEAD.
    8. Guido Bonatti & Enrico Ivaldi, 2016. "Un indicatore per la misurazione della partecipazione culturale e sociale nelle regioni italiane," ECONOMIA E DIRITTO DEL TERZIARIO, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(2), pages 283-302.
    9. Elisabeth Tovar & Lise Bourdeau-Lepage, 2013. "Well-being Disparities within the Paris Region: A Capabilist Spatialised Outlook," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(8), pages 1575-1591, June.
    10. Sabina Alkire, James Foster, 2009. "Counting and Multidimensional Poverty Measurement (Short Version)," OPHI Working Papers 7_5, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    11. Enrico Ivaldi & Guido Bonatti & Riccardo Soliani, 2016. "The Construction of a Synthetic Index Comparing Multidimensional Well-Being in the European Union," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(2), pages 397-430, January.
    12. Michele Costa & Flavio Delbono & Francesco Linguiti, 2021. "Cooperative Movement and Prosperity across Italian Regions," Working Papers wp1161, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    13. Aristei, David & Perugini, Cristiano, 2010. "Preferences for redistribution and inequality in well-being across Europe," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 176-195, March.
    14. Botti, Fabrizio & D’Ippoliti, Carlo, 2014. "Don’t ask don’t tell (that you’re poor). Sexual orientation and social exclusion in Italy," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 8-25.
    15. Botti, Fabrizio & D'Ippoliti, Carlo, 2012. "Sexual orientation and social exclusion in Italy," MPRA Paper 39246, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. E. Bárcena-Martín & B. Lacomba & A. I. Moro-Egido & S. Pérez-Moreno, 2014. "Country Differences in Material Deprivation in Europe," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(4), pages 802-820, December.
    17. Thi Kim Thanh Bui & Guido Erreygers, 2020. "Multidimensional Inequality in Vietnam, 2002–2012," Economies, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-31, April.
    18. Ana I. Moro-Egido & María Navarro, 2023. "Child material deprivation: within region disparities by degree of urbanization," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(9), pages 1798-1815, September.
    19. Nesson, Erik T. & Robinson, Joshua J., 2015. "An information theory based framework for the measurement of population health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 86-103.
    20. Manuela Coromaldi & Mariangela Zoli, 2012. "Deriving Multidimensional Poverty Indicators: Methodological Issues and an Empirical Analysis for Italy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 107(1), pages 37-54, May.
    21. Dalila Rosa, 2022. "Are Italians Getting Multidimensionally Poorer? Evidence on the Lack of Equitable and Sustainable Well-Being," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 8(1), pages 145-174, March.
    22. Nicholas Rohde & Ross Guest, 2013. "Multidimensional Racial Inequality in the United States," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 591-605, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    inequality; poverty; multidimensional analysis; capability approach;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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