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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, August 13, 2009

Hawaii top state in well-being index


Advertiser Staff

Hawai'i residents come out on top when it comes to having a feeling of well-being, beating out all other states, according to a new Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.

The state's mid-2009 ranking moved up from No. 2 at the end of 2008 in the index drawn from surveys measuring how people are doing physically, emotionally, socially and economically.

In fact, Hawai'i's index score increased by 1.2 points from the 2008 score and came in at 69.4 on a 100-point scale (with 100 representing ideal well-being). Hawai'i switched places with Utah, the previous No. 1 state.

The index is computed from 1,000 daily telephone surveys taken nationwide. The overall ranking is a composite score on six areas that include life evaluation, emotional health, physical health, healthy behavior, work environment and basic access, a measure of availability of food, shelter and health care.

The Aloha State scored tops in the nation in the area of emotional health, which looks at 10 items, including smiling or laughter, learning or doing something interesting, respect, happiness, worry and stress. In the 2008 index the state ranked first in life evaluation (an evaluation of one's present situation and anticipated situation in five years) and in emotional health.

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