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Levnadsvillkor och livskvalitet

Levnadsvillkor och livskvalitet är en av de sex huvudsakliga verksamheterna i Eurofounds arbetsprogram för perioden 2021–2024. Eurofound kommer att fortsätta att kartlägga och analysera viktiga aspekter som har att göra med förbättring av levnadsvillkoren för människor i Europa, däribland information om deras upplevelse av livskvaliteten och samhället. I och med att covid-19 -pandemin och den efterföljande ekonomiska krisen har haft en stor inverkan på människors liv kommer Eurofound att göra ytterligare undersökningar om hur denna kris har drabbat EU-medborgare i olika skeden av livet.

Eurofounds forskning under 2021–2024 kommer att ge en viktig inblick i utmaningarna och utsikterna på området levnadsvillkor och livskvalitet i EU och rollen för olika initiativ som syftar till att mildra de sociala påfrestningarna på olika grupper av medborgare. Särskilt intressanta frågor är följderna för äldre människor och vårdbehov, ungdomar och deras sociala delaktighet och rörlighet samt de olika konsekvenserna av krisen för män och kvinnor .

Offentliga tjänster i hela EU har spelat en viktig roll i hanteringen av covid-19-krisen samtidigt som de har stått inför stora utmaningar. De kommer att undersökas närmare med fokus på frågor som kvalitet, tillgång och överkomlighet. Som framgått av tidigare undersökningar har krisen haft oproportionerliga konsekvenser för vissa grupper beroende på ålder, omsorgsansvar och balans mellan arbete och fritid , och detta kommer att undersökas närmare av Eurofound.

I samordning med Europeiska jämställdhetsinstitutet (EIGE) avser Eurofound undersöka de flerdimensionella klyftorna mellan könen genom att undersöka vilka konsekvenser covid-19-krisen har haft för män respektive kvinnor när det gäller deltagande i arbetslivet, materiella levnadsvillkor och välbefinnande, för att kunna fastställa skillnaderna och bedöma dess inverkan på klyftorna mellan könen.

”Kvaliteten på offentliga tjänster har varit avgörande för att skapa förtroende för institutioner i dagens Europa och kommer att spela en betydande roll i hanteringen av nuvarande och framtida utmaningar. Tjänster av hög kvalitet utgör även ett område för innovation, särskilt när det gäller en övergång till digitala, mer miljövänliga tjänster och beredskap för risker, som pandemin, i framtiden.”

Tadas Leončikas, forskningsledare, enheten för socialpolitik

Topic

Recent updates

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Viktiga politiska budskap

Infografik

De viktigaste resultat som framkommit från Eurofounds forskning utgör underlag för beslutsfattare så att de kan ta itu med några av de viktigaste frågorna inom detta område.

  • Upplevelsen av spänningar i samhället är den faktor som har störst skada för förtroendet för institutionerna, medan den upplevda kvaliteten på de offentliga tjänsterna är en central drivkraft för ett ökat förtroende för institutionerna.
  • Det finns ett behov av mer långvarig vård och omsorg – med större flexibilitet. Tillgången till vård och omsorg i hemmet bör förbättras, särskilt i de EU-medlemsstater med lägst inkomst.
  • Snabb tillgång till primärvård, social omsorg och långtidsvård kan bidra till tidigt ingripande och övervakning av ändrade behov och förhindra att problem med långtidsvård trappas upp.
  • Den psykiska ohälsan ökar hos unga människor, men det är oklart om det beror på högre förekomst eller ökad medvetenhet och förbättrad diagnostisering. Psykisk hälsa är nära förknippad med andra ungdomsproblem och kan både vara ett resultat av ojämlikhet och i sig vara en källa till ojämlikhet. Bland riskfaktorerna för psykisk ohälsa finns funktionsnedsättning, långvarig sjukdom, familjeproblem, problem i kontakten med jämbördiga samt omfattande användning av sociala medier.
  • Förtroendet och den sociala sammanhållningen har överlag återhämtat sig i EU sedan den ekonomiska krisen, men utbrottet av covid-19 har haft stora konsekvenser på välbefinnandet i de länder som drabbats hårdast av pandemin.
  • Ungdomar håller på att bli en av de grupper som har förlorat mest på nedstängningen. Tillsammans med gruppen arbetslösa rapporterar ungdomar om de lägsta nivåerna av välbefinnande, trots vissa förbättringar sedan pandemins utbrott. Tillfredsställelsen med livet och optimismen har ökat sedan april 2020, men ungdomar känner sig fortfarande utestängda från samhället och löper fortfarande störst risk för depression, vilket visar att de har påverkats mer av restriktionerna under nedstängningen.
  • Åtgärder för att minska de psykiska hälsoriskerna för arbetslösa och ungdomar i sviterna av covid-19 kommer att vara avgörande vid nya vågor av coronaviruset. Att tillhandahålla riktat stöd för att göra det möjligt för arbetssökande att komma tillbaka på rätt spår och hantera effekterna av pandemin samt att se till att ungdomar kan delta fullt ut i samhället måste vara en del av de pågående politiska åtgärderna.
  • Covid-19-krisen har slagit hårt mot optimismen och påverkat balansen mellan arbete och fritid i högre grad för kvinnor än för män. Att reparera dessa skador kommer att vara avgörande för att se till att kvinnor inte betalar ett oproportionerligt högt pris för pandemin.
  • Att upprätthålla medborgarnas förtroende för nationella och europeiska institutioner måste fortsätta att stå i centrum i kristider, eftersom efterlevnaden av åtgärderna för att bekämpa covid-19 i hög grad är beroende av förtroendet för institutioner och vetenskaplig rådgivning. Det ökade förtroende för institutioner som rapporterades av de svarande som fått ta del av stödåtgärderna sänder också ett tydligt budskap till de nationella regeringarna och EU.

2021–2024 work plan

During 2021–2024, Eurofound’s research will provide an important insight into the challenges and prospects in the area of living conditions and quality of life in the EU and the role played by various initiatives aimed at alleviating the social hardship of various groups of citizens. Of particular interest are the implications for older people and care needs, youth and their social inclusion and social mobility, and the varying consequences of the crisis on men and women.

Public services across the EU played a major role in addressing the COVID-19 crisis while facing significant challenges and they will be assessed in greater detail, focusing on issues such as quality, access and affordability. As previous findings have shown, the crisis has had disproportionate effects on certain groups according to age, care responsibilities and work-life balance, and Eurofound will analyse this further.

In coordination with the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), Eurofound intends to research the multidimensional gender gap by investigating the impact on men and women of the COVID-19 crisis in terms of employment participation, material living conditions and well-being – in order to identify the differences and assess its effect on gender gaps.

Addressing stakeholder priorities

Eurofound’s research aims to assist policy action addressing the challenges and opportunities for the EU and national levels in the area of living conditions and quality of life. In particular, it will monitor the impact of COVID-19 and the ensuing economic crisis by providing knowledge on status, trends, risks, as well as ways to improve living conditions in the EU. Eurofound will focus on identifying and analysing pressing issues for the most vulnerable groups, specifically older citizens and young people. Eurofound will also inform policymakers by producing evidence on trends and drivers in relation to the delivery of public services, also linking in, for example, with the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The Agency’s work plan is aligned with the European Commission’s political guidelines over the next four years, directly feeding into a number of key policy areas aimed at creating a strong social Europe. In particular, the research will support policy initiatives and activities linked with the implementation of the European Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025, the Youth Guarantee, the Child Guarantee and the European Semester and its country-specific recommendations.

 

Eurofound research

In 2024, Eurofound continues to monitor trends in living conditions and quality of life, against the backdrop of the health-related and economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, the implications of the war in Ukraine, rising energy prices, and increases in costs of living. Building on the various rounds of the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey, as well as on data gathered in 2023, the Agency investigates the impact of these challenges on the living conditions of Europeans.

The European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) commences in 2024, including some questions on working conditions and living conditions relevant to the aftermath of COVID-19. The European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) follows in 2026 using lessons drawn from the 2024 EWCS.

Research concludes on identifying groups not covered by social protection, due to coverage gaps and non-take-up of minimum income and unemployment schemes. It also looks at adequacy of these benefits, digitalisation of application procedures, linked service entitlements and sanctioning measures. Eurofound also publishes its findings on EU citizens’ rights and opportunities to live independently. It analyses the situation faced by various vulnerable groups and provides an overview of measures that facilitate family- and community-based care and support in the Member States.

Building on previous work on young people, research concludes on the life and prospects of young people in the post-pandemic era. Using new data collected in 2023, this research assesses the long-term impact of the pandemic on this group, looking into changes in the social situation of young people, as well as their quality of life, mental health and future prospects.

Analysis of the monitoring framework of the European Child Guarantee comes to an end in 2024, while new research starts to support national governments and the EU institutions in the implementation and evaluation of the Child Guarantee since it came into force. This work investigates the Member States’ levels of performance and their disparities, building on its previous work on convergence. It focuses on the workforce needed to deliver the Child Guarantee in areas of early childhood education and care, education, healthcare and other relevant sectors.

Considering the importance of care provision in EU societies, new research investigates informal care provision in the EU, the challenges faced by informal caregivers, and the measures in place to support them. This research considers care provided to people of all ages, while taking into consideration the diversity among informal carers. 

Eurofound launches new research on mental health services, investigating trends in and prevalence of mental health problems for different groups and how these needs are met in various countries in light of the pandemic and the arrival of Ukrainian refugees. 

Key outputs

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Eurofound's 2024 work programme is set in the context of the upcoming European elections, war in Ukraine, renewed Middle East conflict and rising cost of living across the EU.

23 januari 2024
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Eurofound expert(s)

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Hans Dubois is a senior research manager in the Social Policies unit at Eurofound. His research topics include housing, over-indebtedness, healthcare, long-term care, social...

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Social policies research unit
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Massimiliano Mascherini has been Head of the Social Policies unit at Eurofound since October 2019. He joined Eurofound in 2009 as a research manager, designing and coordinating...

Head of Unit,
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Publications results (309)

This report focuses on unemployment and minimum income benefits for people of working age. Individuals with short or no employment records (mainly young people), the self-employed, those with non-standard working arrangements, and the long-term unemployed are often not entitled to higher-tier, or

08 October 2024

During the pandemic, many young people had to change their plans for the future. While at the end of 2023 young people’s labour market situation was more favourable than it had been in recent years, many obstacles remained on their route to independence, such as the rising cost of living and

21 May 2024

The post-pandemic recovery of Europe continued in 2023, with strong job creation despite subdued economic growth, against a background of rising geopolitical tension. Eurofound’s research over the year brought to light evidence on the key issues shaping the daily lives and work of Europeans.

02 May 2024

This background paper focuses on one important aspect of social protection: unemployment benefits, both first tier (usually contributory) and lower tier (predominantly tax-based, non-contributory and means-tested). Unemployment benefits help to cushion the impact of job loss on household finances an

02 February 2024

The various economic and social shocks of the past decade and a half – most recently the COVID-19 pandemic – have ongoing consequences for the living standards and prospects of Europeans, and sometimes these outcomes have been uneven across age groups. Social policies – such as those in the areas of

19 December 2023

The urban-rural divide in EU countries has grown in recent years, and the depopulation of certain rural areas in favour of cities is a challenge when it comes to promoting economic development and maintaining social cohesion and convergence.

18 October 2023

I denna rapport behandlas covid-19-krisens inverkan på de sociala tjänsterna i EU. Pandemin hade en negativ inverkan på de sociala tjänsterna, men tack vare den drog vi samtidigt lärdomar av hur vi kan anpassa de sociala tjänsterna för att hantera nya utmaningar och sociala risker. En lärdom är att

16 August 2023

Bostäder till oöverkomliga priser är ett stort bekymmer i EU. Det leder till hemlöshet, otrygga bostadsförhållanden, ekonomiska påfrestningar och undermåliga bostäder. Det är också ett hinder för unga människor när det gäller att flytta hemifrån. Dessa problem påverkar människors hälsa och

30 May 2023

År 2022 inleddes med försiktig optimism. Europa höll på att återhämta sig från två år med covid-19-pandemin, och genom NextGenerationEU fastställdes en plan för återhämtning för en stark och hållbar framtid. Den ryska attacken mot Ukraina i början av året förändrade dock situationen drastiskt och

04 May 2023

This paper presents an analytical summary of current academic and policy literature on the impact of climate change and policies to manage the transition to a carbon-neutral economy on four key domains: employment, working conditions, social dialogue and living conditions. It maps the main empirical

12 April 2023

Online resources results (219)

In this episode of Eurofound Talks, Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound researchers Eszter Sandor and Massimiliano Mascherini about the situation for young people in Europe.

25 juni 2024

In this episode Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Senior Research Manager Hans Dubois on the issues that feed into housing insecurity in Europe, and the actions that need to be taken to address them. Together, they analyse findings from Eurofound’s recent Unaffordable and inadequate housing in Eu

15 juni 2023

The rise in cost of living and energy poverty: Social impact and policy responses. 14 October 2022, Informal Meeting of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers (EPSCO). Presentation by Ivailo Kalfin, Executive Director, Eurofound.

14 oktober 2022
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Wages in long-term care and other social services 21% below average

New data from the EU Structure of Earnings Survey (SES) show that, on average, EU Member States paid their social services workers 21% less than the average national hourly earnings in 2018: this compares with 19% less than the average in 2010 and 20% less in 2014. The majority of social services

European Quality of Life Survey 2016 New results for the EU candidate countries Event on Improving quality of life in Europe – Sharing data to shape better policies, 26 June 2018, Belgrade, Serbia Presentation by Tadas Leončikas, Senior Research Manager, Eurofound

26 juni 2018

Germany: Trade unions' approach to climate change policies

While the international trade union movement is calling for a more effective implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, national trade unions differ regarding the way forward. German unions are taking a traditional path in joining forces with employers and calling for governmental

Malta: Latest working life developments – Q3 2017

Compensating workers for weekend public holidays, the effect of legalising marijuana in the workplace, and a proposal that the first day of sick leave should be unpaid are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Malta in

Finland: Major reform to healthcare and social services underway

The Finnish government is preparing a major reform to health, social services and regional government which will make regional governments a new level of public administration. Healthcare and social services and public employment services will be transferred from local governments to regional


Blogs results (32)

The housing crisis could be tackled by improving public services, better urban planning and ensuring that social protection benefits reach the people who need them most.

2 maj 2024

The state in which the EU finds itself has been described as a ‘permacrisis’, whereby the Union is confronted by challenge after challenge, and citizens are constantly having to adapt to a ‘new normal’.

11 december 2023
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Spiralling housing costs are causing despair across the EU. The situation is making people anxious that they will lose their accommodation or become homeless; they may become overburdened financially or forced to live in substandard accommodation; and many young people are unable to leave home. Whil

4 april 2023
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A cocktail of insecurity, misinformation and mistrust imperil Europe’s future. Reliable, accessible data are at a premium.

14 december 2022
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Lower levels of health, increasing financial pressure and a significant degree of unmet healthcare: these are the findings of the fifth round of the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey: Living in a new era of uncertainty – a report that presents an overview of responses from over 200,000 people

6 oktober 2022
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Rising energy prices are putting more people under increased financial pressure and at greater risk of energy poverty. In this data story, we take a closer look at the data from the fifth round of the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey to explore the extent of the issue and the threat of energy

3 augusti 2022
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Trust in national institutions has declined across the EU over the past two years. Driven by increasingly difficult economic circumstances and unreliable news sources, even people who previously expressed higher trust levels – such as those in financially secure positions – have become less trusting

25 juli 2022
Image of people waiting for tram in city street and man cycling on cycle path

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions have caused energy prices to soar. Governments seeking to alleviate the negative impacts of price increases on households have introduced energy subsidies and VAT reductions for electricity, gas and fuel. While such policies may be needed

10 juni 2022
Image of family cooking around camp fire outside home under bombardment in Ukraine

We are 100 days on from the invasion by Russia of Ukraine on 24 February, when peace in Europe was shattered. As the human tragedy began to unfold and with more than 6.8 million Ukrainians, mostly women and children, escaping their country since the start of the war, European citizens have been watc

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The European Pillar of Social Rights states that ‘everyone has the right to affordable long-term care services of good quality, in particular home-care and community-based services’. Taking a step to make this principle a reality, the European Commission is currently preparing a European Care Strate

5 maj 2022

Upcoming publications results (3)

This factsheet will provide a snapshot of society and quality of life in spring 2024. It will look at a number of issues, including mental well-being, trust, access to healthcare, social support and coping with increases in the cost of living. The analysis is based on the Living and working in the

December 2024

This report analyses data from Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS), the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey and official statistics to examine employment trends, working conditions and social inclusion challenges experienced by young people in the Western Balkans (Alba

November 2024
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report

This report explores the implications of the right of all EU citizens to live independently. It investigates the barriers faced by people who wish to live independently, and the situation of people at risk of living in institutional settings. It maps the various measures taken by EU Member States to

October 2024
Data results (1)
24 oktober 2023
Reference period:

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