Among one-person households, life satisfaction levels varied depending on whom those living alone hung out with the most during their spare time. (Image: Kobiz Media)
GYEONGGI, Jul. 31 (Korea Bizwire) — Those living alone are over 10 percent less satisfied with their life than four-person households, a new report has claimed.
The report, released by the Gyeonggi Research Institute on the quality of life among residents of Gyeonggi Province, reveals a link between the number of household members and one’s life satisfaction level, with the figure for over four-person households estimated at over 60 percent while that of single households stood at just below 50 percent.
While the life satisfaction figures for two-person and three-person households stood at 56.8 and 56.4 percent, respectively, the average figure for the 20,000 households surveyed between July and August was 57 percent.
Among one-person households, life satisfaction levels varied depending on whom those living alone hung out with the most during their spare time.
The life satisfaction level among one-person households who spend most of their spare time meeting family was estimated at nearly 62 percent, while the figures for those who socialize with work colleagues and friends or acquaintances stood at 52.7 and 49.6 percent, respectively.
While the level of life satisfaction for those who regularly meet members of clubs with similar interests was 48.7 percent, the figure among single households that spend their spare time mostly alone turned out to be 40.6 percent, the lowest among lifestyles adopted by single households.
Though life satisfaction levels jumped among those with little to no human interaction when pets were thrown in the mix to 45.5 percent, the number for those who owned a pet but no longer do plunged to 34.1 percent.
Researcher Lee Eun-hwan at the Gyeonggi Research Institute says the government is being urged to recognize the rapidly growing number of single-households as an issue that affects all across the age spectrum, and should come up with measures to lend support to not only single senior citizens but also young people.
“Recently, single households have been on the rise across the age spectrum, becoming a social phenomenon and one of the most common types of household.
“Rather than designing policy for single elderly people or marginalized groups alone, support must be provided to single households of all age groups.”
M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
