9. On the Measurement of Multidimensional Well-Being in Some Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa

Using data from the AfroBarometer survey, this chapter derives measures of overall well-being for six Eastern African countries (Burundi, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique) for which enough data were available to take a broad enough view of well-being. Correspondence analysis is implemented to aggregate variables in each domain of well-being while overall well-being is derived through efficiency analysis. The chapter compares the findings concerning overall well-being with those based on its narrow view, one whose focus is only on material well-being. It appears that the two main determinants of material well-being are the educational level of the individual and his/her area of residence. For the measure of overall well-being the findings were less clear-cut.