Happiness among young adults in Iran: a nationwide cross sectional study

To assess happiness and its correlates among young adults in Iran.
This was a national cross sectional study among a representative sample of young adults in Iran, in 2017. Happiness was measured using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was performed in order to examine association between happiness and independent variables.
In all 14292 young adults were studied. The mean (SD) happiness score for the study sample was 4.09 (0.57) which was suggestive of ‘rather happy; pretty happy’ condition. Proportional to mean score 51.1% (n = 7306) of the respondents were ‘happy’ and the remaining 48.9% (n = 6986) were ‘unhappy’. In multivariate logistic regression analysis no significant association was observed between happiness, age, gender, and education. However, the association between happiness and income [OR for poor/very poor= 1.69, 95% CI: 1.51-1.90] and employment status [OR for unemployed = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.53-2.32] was evident.
The findings suggest that overall young adults in Iran feel ‘rather happy’. To improve happiness at individual level equal distribution of opportunities and wealth seems essential.