Main predictors
The Gini coefficient for the 79 local districts was used as an indicator of income inequality (De Maio, 2007). The Gini coefficient was used as a continuous variable ranging from 0-completely equal distribution of equivalent income, to 1 - completely unequal distribution of equivalent income.
There are two distinct components of social capital: cognitive and structural (Islam et al., 2006). Cognitive social capital refers to what people feel and structural social capital to what people do (Harpham, 2008). We used both trust (cognitive social capital) and volunteer participation (structural social capital) as measures of social capital.
Trust was measured by the following question; “Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted?” (response alternatives: “yes”, “depends” and “no”). The responses “yes” and “depends” were grouped together for analysis. Respondents were also asked whether they belonged to a volunteer group (responses: “yes” or “no”).
A community-level social capital variable was created by aggregating individual-level data (Kawachi et al., 2008). Rates of subjects reporting mistrust and non-volunteering in each 79 local district were used as cognitive and structural community-level social capital variables.