An integrative approach to quality of life measurement, research, and policy

• DOI: 10.5194/sapiens-1-11-2008
• Publication Date: 2010-04-29T10:07:34Z
• Authors: R. Costanza; B. Fisher; S. Ali; C. Beer; L. Bond; R. Boumans; N. L. Danigelis; J. Dickinson; C. Elliott; J. Farley; D. Elliott Gayer; L. MacDonald Glenn; T. R. Hudspeth; D. F. Mahoney; L. McCahill; B. McIntosh; B. Reed; S. Abu Turab Rizvi; D. M. Rizzo; T. Simpatico; R. Snapp
• Keywords: Planning and Development; 360; Monitoring; Policy and Law; Quality of life -- Measurement; 3305 Geography; Well-being -- Measurement; Prevention; Social indicators; 0211 other engineering and technologies; 2306 Global and Planetary Change; 02 engineering and technology; Quality of life -- Psychological aspects; Sustainability; 2310 Pollution; 3322 Urban Studies; 2308 Management; Basic needs

While Quality of Life (QOL) has long been an explicit or implicit policy goal, adequate definition and measurement have elusive.Diverse "objective" "subjective" indicators across a range disciplines scales, recent work on subjective well-being (SWB) surveys the psychology happiness spurred renewed interest.Drawing from multiple disciplines, we present integrative QOL that combines measures human needs with happiness.QOL is proposed as multiscale, multi-dimensional concept contains interacting objective elements.We relate to opportunities are provided meet in forms built, human, social natural capital (in addition time) options available enhance these opportunities.Issues related defining, measuring, scaling concepts discussed, research agenda elaborated.Policy implications include strategies for investing maximize enhancement at individual, community, national scales.