Quality of Life (defined by WHO) An individual's PERCEPTION of their position in life in the context of culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns 1. Physical health (arthritis, diabetes)
Physical health aspects that will affect quality of life: 1. Self-acceptance (key to psychological health) 2. Environmental mastery 3. Positive relations with others 4. Autonomy (can you use the bathroom alone?) 5. Purpose in life (friendships/cat even) 6. Personal growth (trying new things) - giving meaning to life
An important takeaway from their definition is that quality of life is a subjective measure of one’s well-being. Of course, even this key point is debated, with some researchers insisting that quality of life must involve objective as well as subjective measures (Karimi & Brazier, 2016).
Physical health (arthritis, diabetes) 2. Psychological state (happiness vs. depression) 3. Level of independence (not having a car) 4. Social relationships (friends?) 5. Personal beliefs (faith may provide comfort) 6. Relationship to salient features of their environment (able to walk up steps?) Things that affect quality of life:
Quality of life became a significant point of discussion in the fields of medicine and psychology during the 20th century, as scientific advances meant that research no longer needed to remain as focused on simply increasing life expectancy. Since the medical field had made huge advances in being able to keep people alive longer, theorists were able to be concerned with life quality as well as quantity. Questions arose such as whether to keep an individual alive as long as possible at the expense of quality of life. One’s overall health and well-being were deemed to involve more than just efficient biological functioning, which had implications both for treatment design and measurements of population health (Karimi & Brazier, 2016).
However, when discussing quality of life, psychologists do tend to focus less on basic factors such as money and food, and more on subjective mental experiences like positive emotion, life satisfaction, and overall psychological well-being (Sirgy, 2012). Those in the field of psychology also often discuss health-related quality of life (HRQoL), “those aspects of overall quality of life that can be clearly shown to affect health—either physical or mental” (CDC, n.d.).
There are countless lists of the best countries to live in that differ depending on which index is used and which dimensions of a country’s quality of life are assessed and incorporated. There is no one specific quality of life index that is widely used, but rather many different indices that different organizations design.
For example, the World Health Organization Quality of Life measure (WHOQOL) was developed by a large group of collaborators including many psychologists. The WHOQOL can be considered a broad measure of overall quality of life including the following six domains (WHOQOL Group, 1995): Physical. Psychological.
Those in the field of psychology also often discuss health-related quality of life (HRQoL), “those aspects of overall quality of life that can be clearly shown to affect health—either physical or mental” (CDC, n.d.).
Quality of life and standard of living are both related to well-being but refer to different specific constructs. Economists Bérenger and Verdier-Chouchane support the aforementioned theory of quality of life that centers on “capabilities” (2007). As we saw, this theory discusses an individual’s freedom to choose different paths in life, and as such involves much subjectivity. In contrast, the authors present “standard of living” as a more objective measure of well-being that centers on resource availability. By this definition, a country’s standard of living can be measured more easily than its quality of life. The two concepts are related, of course, as standard of living provides some of the basic factors needed to afford one the choices in life that define quality of life.
Remember to track your progress, either by taking a quality of life assessment now and after a period of time, or by reflecting regularly in a journal. Seeing your progress can motivate you to continue your journey.
Quality of life refers to how well we live, i.e., the general well-being of people and societies. It is the standard of happiness, comfort, and health that a person or group of people experience. It is an inherently ambiguous and subjective term.
According to Wikipedia, quality of life observes “life satisfaction, including everything from physical health, family, ...
Standard of living. Standard of living refers to people’s level of prosperity (wealth), comfort, material possessions, and necessities. When we calculate a society’s standard of living, we take into account factors such as employment, poverty rates, affordable housing, and GDP. GDP stands for G ross D omestic P roduct.
Collins Dictionary has the following definition of the term: “A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”.
Medical treatment vs. quality of life. The instinct of most doctors and other healthcare professionals is to treat patients. In other words, to extend a person’s lifespan as long as possible.
Quality of life. The factors that make up quality of life are abstract, intangible, and subjective. The factors include the freedom to do things and freedom from bad things. Freedom of movement, of thought, and of religion, for example, are some of these factors.
However, measuring or rating happiness is not easy. Happiness is a subjective thing. We could, for example, send out a team of people to determine how often people smile.