ASSESSING PUBLIC WELL-BEING THROUGH COMMUNITY WELLNESS INDICES: CONCEPTUALIZATION, DIMENSIONS AND MEASUREMENT

Abstract

There is an increasing adoption of wellness index by policymakers and governments worldwide in assessing the effectiveness and impact of public programs and interventions. Indices serve as valuable tools for tracking progress, identifying disparities, and informing policy decisions. However, despite their widespread use, existing frameworks exhibit conceptual and methodological limitations that require further examination. This study presents a review of literature on community wellness indices, focusing on their conceptualization, dimensions, and measurement approaches. It critically evaluates existing indices, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and applicability in diverse socio-cultural contexts. Key findings reveal persistent gaps in integrating subjective and objective measures, issues of validity and reliability, and the challenge of contextualizing indices to specific communities. The review addresses a critical research gap by synthesizing existing knowledge on wellness indices while identifying areas for methodological improvement. The findings provide insights for policymakers and researchers aiming to develop more comprehensive, culturally relevant, and empirically robust wellness indices to enhance public well-being assessment and social policy implementation.