science in ACTION
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
www. epa. gov/resea rc h
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E PA/601/F-16/004
Human Well-being Index:
A Sustainable Outcome Measure for Multiple Scales
Local communities face multiple and sometimes conflicting priorities when it comes to balancing immediate goals with
long-term needs and stability. To meet those challenges, decision makers need measurement tools that allow them to
characterize current conditions, develop meaningful and quantifiable objectives, and accurately compare and contrast the
likely consequences of alternative choices. Additionally, these same tools should help them track progress, to take action
or to confirm that their decisions and investments are yielding the intended results.
What is the Human Well-being
Index (HWBI)?
EPA's Human Well-being Index
(HWBI) lias been developed as an
endpoint for characterizing
sustainable outcomes that are
responsive to changes in economic,
social and ecological provisioning.
The index is a composite measure of
eight domains (Connection to Nature,
Cultural Fulfillment, Education,
Health Leisure Time, Living
Standards. Safety and Security and
Social Cohesion), represented by 24
indicators, calculated from 80
metrics. HWBI and domain scores
have been calculated at the county ,
state, regional and national levels for
the years 2000-2010.
Is the HWBI approach
transferable?
The HWBI approach lias been
demonstrated for multiple scales and
has also been adapted for different
population groups and specific
locations (American Indian/Alaska
Native populations, children and
Puerto Rico municipalities). The
index structure allows for metric
substitutions that may better reflect
characteristics of specific groups,
given appropriate data are available.
Even with these substitutions, the
integrity of the index structure is
maintained, allowing for comparisons
of scores at the domain level.
> X
«10
10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-60 80-90 >90
Intensity map showing spatial distribution of HWBI scores for counties across the
US (2000-2010). Darker colors indicate lower HWBI scores; lighter colors indicate
higher HWBI scores,
¦	U.S. (AIAN-specific metrics)
A IAN (AlAN-specific metrics)
¦	U.S. (fuli suite of metrics)
¦	AIAN (full suite of metrics)
Cultural Education Health Leisure Time Living Safety and Social	HWBI
Fulfillment	Standards Security Cohesion
Comparison of HWBI scores across domains for the general U.S. population and
American Indian/Alaskan Native (AIAN) populations after metric substitutions.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development

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Prototype for the HWBI scenario builder visualization tool based on the forecast model equations.
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Vizualizing Relationships Between Services and Weil-Being
Well-Being Domain Indicators and Human Well-Being Index
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HWBI and decision support
Relationship function equations have
been derived to link HWBI domains
to 22 selected economic, social and
ecosystem services. These
relationships have been translated into
a forecast model which characterizes
the likely direct impacts of decisions
on future well-being, considering
intended and unintended
consequences. Forecast model
equations have been used in SHC
decision support tools to link land use
decisions to changes in ecosystem
services in context of social and
economic services for evaluating
changes in HWBI scores.
Additionally, the HWBI model is
being tested as an interoperable
module for a broader range of
web-based tools.
Impact: The HWBI approach and
methodologies provide decision-
makers an approach to visualize and
model the influences community and
natural resource decisions may have
on human well-being. Tracked over
time, the index lias the potential to
serve as a measure of sustainable
human well-being when linked to
alternative decisions that change the
ecological, economic, and social
states of defined populations. The
HWBI framework has been used in a
series of community engagement
workshops. Participants in these
workshops used components of the
HWBI to consider those tilings they
value most about their community in
relation to sustainability goals. The
HWBI approach for quantify ing
well-being and related components
has been demonstrated for twelve
unique communities.
The user-friendly, on-line version of
the forecast tool being developed is
intended to engage a broad audience
and help increase their understanding
of services provisioning, well-being
and the decisions that may influence
them.
Contact: Lisa M. Smith,
Gulf Ecology Division, NHEERL,
ORD, 850-934-9352;
S mith. lisamVycpa. gov
2
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development

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