the social impacts of the economic crisis in slovakia

THE  SOCIAL  IMPACTS  OF  THE  ECONOMIC   CRISIS  IN  SLOVAKIA:  IN  WHAT  AREAS  OF   LIFE  DO  PEOPLE  FEEL  THE  IMPACT  OF   THE  CRISIS?     Lukas  Pavelek  –  Kris/na  Traegerova     University  of  Trnava   Department  of  Public  Health  and  Social  Work   Tagung  der  Sek/on  Soziale  Indikatoren  der  DGS   Subjek'ves  Wohlbefinden  in  der  Lebensqualitätsforschung.  Ergebnisse  vor  dem  Hintergrund  einer  neu  belebten  Diskussion   19.  september  2013   WissenschaKszentrum  Berlin  für  Sozialforschung  /  Berlin  

Introduction   •  The  ques/on  if  the  subjec/ve  wellbeing  of  the  popula/on  is   affected  by  the  crisis  and  in  what  way.  Also  to  what  content   does  the  situa/on  in  Slovak  republic  differ  from  the  EU     •  Our  research  consists  of  two  parts.  Firstly  we  performed  a   secondary  analyze  of  available  sta/s/c  data.  Consequently  we   conducted  semi-­‐standardized  interviews  that  were  recorded   and  analyzed.  The  main  research  design  for  this  part  was   grounded  theory     •  At  the  /me  of  realiza/on  of  this  pilot  study  there  was  not  any   specific  data  on  subjec/ve  well-­‐being  available  in  Slovakia   except  studies  about  social  disparity  (Bunčák,  2010)  or  life   enviroment  (Džambazovič,  2010).  A  new  study  on  subjec/ve   well-­‐being  from  Central  European  Labour  Studies  Ins/tute   (CELSI)  was  published  8.2013        

Monitoring  the  social  impact  of  the  crisis:   public  perceptions  in  the  European  Union     •  Surveys  conducted  2009-­‐2012  by  The  Gallup  Organiza/on   upon  the  request  of  Directorate-­‐General  Employment,  Social   Affairs  and  Equal  Opportuni/es   •  Wave  2,  3,  4,  5,  6     •  Views  on:  Existence  of  poverty,  financial  difficul/es,  changes   in  health  care  and  social  care  affordability,  expecta/ons  about   household  financial  situa/on,  future  affordability  of   accommoda/on,  employment,  future  finances.      

(2010  data,  wave  2)    

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Poverty   In  2010-­‐2011  around  the  average  levels  among  EU27  (58%  -­‐  61%).  In  2012  s/ll  under  the   EU27  average.    

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Poverty   In  2010-­‐2011  around  the  average  levels  among  EU27  (58%  -­‐  61%).  In  2012  the  levels   increased  up  to  73%,  s/ll  not  as  high  as  Greece,  Hungary  Romania,  Bulgaria.    

Degree  of  >inancial  dif>iculty   2010-­‐2011  (waves  2,3,4,5)  Slovakia  being  above  average  of  the  EU27,  but  s/ll  not  reaching   top  levels  of  RO,  BG,  HU  although  this  indicator  also  increased  in  2012  (26%,  EU27  –  18%).    

Changes  in  health  care   Under  EU27  average  in  the  ability  of  providing  health  care  for  the  family  (also  in  the  long-­‐ term).  Over  EU27  average  in  childcare.  (2011  data,  wave  5)    

(2011  data,  wave  5)    

Expectations  for  the  household’s  >inancial  situation   2010-­‐2011  slightly  above  average  compared  to  EU27.  At  EU  level,  the  propor/on  of  respondents  who   expect  their  financial  situa/on  to  worsen  has  risen  substan/ally,  from  26%  in  October  2010  to  36%  in   2012.  For  Slovakia  it  means  +14  points.  

Future  affordability  of  accommodation   Not  much  changes  during  the  monitored  years.  For  the  Slovaks  however,  it  has  to  be  men/oned  that   87,5%  of  the  popula/on  are  homeowners  (source:  Popula/on  Census,  portal.sta/s/cs.sk,  2011).        

The  Employment  situation   Unemployment  in  Slovak  Republic  (2001  –  2013)  

Level  of  con;idence  in  respondents’  ability  to  keep   their  job  in  the  next  12  months  (2012  data,  wave  6)       •  Slovakia  has  the  3rd   highest  propor/on  of   respondents  who   express  pessimism   about  their  job   security  in  EU     •  But  this  is  not  a   significant  shiK  in   recent  years  

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Chances  of  >inding  a  new  job   Slovakia  scores  over  the  EU  average.     (2012  data,  wave  6)  

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Concerns  about  futue  >inances     The  level  increased  significantly  between  2010  -­‐  2012  (+13  points),  but  increase  is  recorded   overall  at  the  EU  level.  

Subjective  well-­‐being  (source:  OECD  in  Numbers  and  Facts  2010)   Representa/ve  samples  in  countries  (about  1000  people)  –  but  bias  admimed    

Life  satisfaction  in  Slovakia     (source:  oecdbetterlifeindex.org)  

•  When  asked  to  rate  their  general   sa/sfac/on  with  life  on  a  scale   from  0  to  10,  Slovaks  gave  it  a  5.9   grade,  lower  than  the  OECD   average  of  6.6.   •  Limle  gender  differences:  Men   gave  their  life  a  6.0  grade  and   women  5.9     •  Significant  educa/on  differences:     primary  educa/on  (life   sa/sfac/on  level  of  5.6)  -­‐  ter/ary   educa/on  (6,7)   •  In  the  Slovak  Republic  75%  of   people  reported  having  more   posi/ve  experiences  in  an   average  day  (feelings  of  rest,   pride  in  accomplishment,   enjoyment,  etc)  than  nega/ve   ones  (pain,  worry,  sadness,   boredom,  etc).  This  figure  is   lower  than  the  OECD  average  of   80%.  

Methods   •  Can  we  iden/fy  in  what  way  is  the  sample  affected  by  the   crisis?  How  did  the  life  situa/on  of  the  par/cipants  change?   •  18  semi-­‐structured  interviews   •  3  regions,  different  overall  levels  of  unemployment   •  Grounded  theory     •  This  research  was  considered  as  a  pilot  study  with  the  goal  to   receive  funding  for  a  future  project  on  measuring  the  effects   of  the  crisis  on  the  popula/on  and  to  determine  a  suitable   way  of  measuring  subjec/ve  well-­‐being    

Results   Talking  about  the  crisis  

•  Lack  of  money,   unemployment,   “conspira/on”,  not  ready   to  commute  or  move,     euro,  high  costs  of  living,   skep/cism,  personal   problems,  nostalgy,   blaming  the  authori/es,   stressing  solidarity,  leaving   the  country,  lack  of  belief   in  the  European  authori/es    

Quotes   The  crisis  is  only  a  fake  to  fool  the   society.  All  the  banks  got  the  money   (P7).   We  do  not  have  anything  that  is   made  in  Slovakia  (…)  we  got  factories   but  they  are  all  German,  Korean,   Japanese…(P11).   Life  was  beau/ful  when  I  was  a  kid,   we  had  everything,  I  do  not  know   what  happened  (P4).     People  should  help  others  more  than   themselves  (P5).     We  should  not  help  Greece,  give   them  milions  or  miliards  we  should   invest  in  our  companies  (P9|.  

Results   Talking  about  unemployment,   bills  payment,  subjec've  life   situa'on  

•  Contracts,  public  works   programs,  cuung  life   expenses     •  Limita/ons  –  bemer  than   unemployment,   insecurity,  undeclared   work,      

Quotes   The  income  of  the  whole  family  is   enough..  but  very  /ght  (P2).   My  daughter  pays  for  my  living,   before  that  I  was.  So  basically  we   switched  (P12).   I  got  300  Euro,  200  is  my  rent,  well   that  is  it  (P4).     I  know  we  are  not  doing  good  but  we   are  not  doing  bad,  I  guess  (P7  –  700   Euro  monthly  income  for  a   household  of  2).   I  can  not  afford  to  be  sick  (P2).   No  trips,  no  dinners,  basic  needs   (P15).    

Results   Talking  about  the  employment   market  

  •  Lack  of  jobs,  possible   exploita/on  on  the  market,   clientelism,  bureaucra/c   barriers   •  Since  jan.  2013  new  rules   leading  to  employers  laying   off  people  with  temporary   contracts   •  Feelings  of  insecurity,   limita/on  

Quotes   I  could  work  but  I  would  have  to   commute  and  I  can  not  (P15).   The  say  they  are  sa/sfied  with  my   work,  but  they  do  not  want  to  give   me  a  full  /me  contract  (P6).     I  worked  188  hours  and  my  employer   paid  me  156.  He  said  if  I  do  not  like  it   I  can  go  (P16).     I  worked  16  years  for  the  Slovak   Commercial  Inspec/on  (…)  now  if   employers  read  that  they  say  “oh,  we   do  not  need  a  spy  here!”  (P17).          

Results   Talking  about  family  and  friends,   housing  

•  Social  support,  social   capital,  reciprocity   •  Mul/genera/onal   households     •  Stressing  the  role  of  the   family,  helping  ethics  

Quotes   I  take  my  daughters  kids  to  school   (…)  I  take  care  of  my  mother,  she  sits   in  a  wheelchair  (…)  I  feel  like  I  am   needed  (P13).       I  feel  responsibility  towards  my   parents  (P14).   I  do  not  have  friends,  basically  only   colleagues  (P6).   I  have  a  daughter,  she  is  married  and   has  kids,  but  she  told  me  I  can  come   and  live  with  her  any/me  I  need  (P4).    

Results   Talking  about  health  and  psychic  

•  Par/cipants  claiming   worsen  health  aKer  loss   of  work,  claiming  about   stress,  not  taking  a  lot  of   drugs  and  not  visi/ng   the  physicians  oKen  

Quotes   I  need  to  take  bemer  care  about   myself  (P2).     I  would  love  to  play  my  part  in  the   society  but  it  somehow  seems  not  to   work  (P7).     I  never  had  anything  like  that  in  my   life  but  now  I  am  afraid  that  if  I  do   not  pay  my  rent  I  get  kicked  out  on   the  street  (P4).     Since  I  lost  my  job,  my  sleeping   habits  got  worse  (P16).    

Results   Talking  about  future  and   expecta'ons  

•  Almost  all  answers  in  this   cathegory  reflected   topics  of  employments   and  family  

Quotes   I  just  need  a  job,  everything  else  will   manage  by  itself  (P6).     I  would  like  to  do  something.  Bu  I  do   not  know  what  (P11).    

Discussion  and  conclusion   •  The  pilot  study  showed   that  there  are  common   areas  in  studying  the   effects  of  the  crisis  on  a   EU  level  and  in  Slovakia,   however  we  assume  that   some  areas  should  be   studied  specifically   •  Geographical   differences,  employment   market,  different   housing  situa/on,   prejudices    

Unemployment  

Status  change  

Employment   market  

Future   expecta/ons  

Family  and   friends  

Health  and   psychic  

Thank  you  for  your  attention.   Lukas  Pavelek,  PhD.   University  of  Trnava   Univerzitné  nám.  č.1   918  43  Trnava   Slovak  Republic  

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