Quality of Life

     As a small, peaceful country, Denmark gets little attention in the media. Replying to the posting about the high quality of life in Canada, Elena Danielson says:
     Canada is not the only country with a higher quality of life than the US. Staying with family in Denmark is an exercise is the joys of civilized life. Tourists only rarely see the real thing.


     My comment: Let's look at the figures. Scandinavia has the highest rate in Europe of births out of wedlock. Following Iceland (65%), Sweden (54%). Norway (49%), comes Denmark (46%). Out of wedlock births in the United States (32%) are often cited as the cause of social breakdown in the United States. Is Scandinavian society breaking down?
     After France and Portugal, Denmark has the highest alcohol consumption rate in Europe, higher than in the rest of Scandinavia. Is this civilized drinking, or is it alcoholism?
     Denmark has one of the highest suicide rates in Europe, 15.7 per 100,000, higher than Germany (14.3), Sweden (14.2), but lower than Finland (26.3), Austria ( 20.7), and France (19.8). What does this mean?
     Life expectancy rates are high in Scandinavia: Sweden (76.7 males, 81.8 females), Iceland (76.4, 81.3), Norway (75.4, 81). Denmark (73.1, 78.2) is below the European average, behind Switzerland (76.1, 82.2), Greece (75.1, 81.4) and Spain (74.4, 81.6).
     In all categories, the U.S. has a worse record than the EU, with the exception of alcohol consumption, which surprisingly is lower. Presumably the Europeans drink more red wine and less hard liquor and eat more garlic.
     What does these figures mean? Statistically, Denmark does not do too well, but life there is more fun than in other Scandinavian countries.Does it mean that Elena stayed with an especially nice family? I find that affects my judgment of a country. Is the suicide rate significant, or just a result of the long winter nights? Quality of life, meaning happiness, is largely a personal matter. Jaqui White would be happy anywhere, whereas many Romantics toured Europe dragging their melancholy with them. Are you happy? What do you think of the quality of life in your community? What do the statistics say?

Ronald Hilton - 11/1/99