WELLBEING AND QOLWELLBEING AND QOLW4W4

Learning outcomesLearning outcomes

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What is wellbeing?What is wellbeing?In general term well –being means

a contented state of being happy and healthy and prosperous.

It is also synonymous to happiness

It is used for individual being and social systems

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Concept of WellbeingConcept of WellbeingAn ambiguous concept, lacking a

universally acceptable definition and often faced with competing interpretations.

Wellbeing is a notion that people and policymakers generally aspire to improve.

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Definition of wellbeingDefinition of wellbeingWellbeing is generally viewed as a description of the state of people’s life situation (McGillivray 2007, p. 3).

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Measurement of Measurement of WellbeingWellbeing

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OBJECTIVE MEASURE OF WELLBEINGOBJECTIVE MEASURE OF WELLBEING

OBSERVABLE HARD FACTS AND FIGURE

Economic data – income in RMSocial data-living space in square

meters.Environmental data- percentage of

clean river

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OBJECTIVE MEASUREOBJECTIVE MEASURE

One dimension

Material wellbeing measured by income or GDP.

The link between income and wellbeing rests on the assumption that income allows increases in consumption and consumption increases utility (preferences in meeting desires and wants).

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OBJECTIVE MEASUREOBJECTIVE MEASURE

Multi Dimensional

GDP does not capture all the aspects of human life.

Wellbeing encompasses broader dimensions such as social and environmental aspects, and human rights.

Since the 1970s many non-economic indicators have been created to complement GDP.

Indicators in areas such as education, health and nutrition, environment and empowerment and participation have been elaborated to complement GDP.

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OBJECTIVE MEASUREOBJECTIVE MEASURE

Wellbeing Index

Composite measures that would capture the multidimensional aspect of wellbeing.

Constructed using different components, weighted in some way to form a single index.

Examples: 1) Human Development Index (HDI) (1990) combining

income per capita, life expectancy at birth, adult literacy and education enrollment ratios.

2) Physical Quality of Life Index (PQLI) (1979) combined infant mortality, life expectancy and adult literacy

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Subjective wellbeingSubjective wellbeingSubjective measures ‘soft’ matters

such as self reported happiness and life satisfaction, satisfaction with income and perceived adequacy of dwelling.

Some economists use the phrase “subjective wellbeing” as a synonym for “happiness” but in psychology, happiness is a narrower concept than SWB.

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Definition of SWBDefinition of SWBVeenhoven (1984) defines subjective

wellbeing as a degree to which an individual judges the overall quality of her/his life as a whole in a favourable way.

McGillivray and Clarke (2006, p. 4) state that “subjective wellbeing involves a multidimensional evaluation of life, including cognitive judgments of life satisfaction and affective evaluations of emotions and moods.”

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SWBSWB

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Indicate a person’s level of happiness

individuals’ perceived distance from their aspirations

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Measures of HappinessMeasures of Happiness

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Example of Dimensions of Happiness Example of Dimensions of Happiness MeasureMeasure

Happiness is defined as the degree to which an individual judges the overall quality of her/his life as-a-whole favorably. Four main dimensions:

16ENVIS Centre on Human Settlement- Department Of Environmental Planning, SPA, New Delhi

Why QOL?Why QOL?QOL emerged and discussed for 3 concerns:1. The feeling on the part of modern industrial

society, despite impressive gains in affluence, ease of communication and leisure, has not made any significant overall progress in improving man’s lot. Mankind prospect is less attractive than they were 25 years ago.

2. The desire for an index of social well-being analogous to measures of economic wellbeing. This measurement can provide for purposes of government decision-making and intellectual interest to measure social progress.

3. Understanding, measurement, improvement of human experiences have been the major goals of individual, community and government.

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General meaning of QOLGeneral meaning of QOLQOL represent either how well

human needs are met or the extent to which individuals or group perceived satisfaction or dissatisfaction in various life domains.

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Method of measurementMethod of measurement

1.Use quantifiable, objective measure of social/ or economic indicators to reflect the extent to which human needs are met;

2. Self reported levels of happiness, pleasure, fulfillment and alike which is termed well-being.

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Objective MeasureObjective MeasureCenter on economic, social, health

and environmental indicators.

Economic- income, poverty levelSocial- unemployment rate, accident

rate at workplaceHealth- life expectancy, doctor

population ratioEnvironment- water quality, air

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Subjective MeasureSubjective Measure

Typically focus on personal reports of life experiences that complement social, economic and health indicators.

QOL is primarily a subjective sense of well-being, a proxy used for QOL

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Issues with Subjective Issues with Subjective MeasureMeasure1. People judge their well-being in

comparison with peer groups than in absolute terms

2. Influence of cultural and religious norms

3. May be bound by time, socio-demographic factors etc.

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Integrative definition of Integrative definition of QOLQOLA more complete picture of QOL at

multiple spatial (space/places) and temporal ( time) scale.

Both objective and subjective measures independently has some limitations.

A combined approach of subjective and objective measures of QOL is proposed.

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Integrative Definition of Integrative Definition of QOLQOL

QOL is the extent to which objective human needs are fulfilled in relation to personal or group perceptions of subjective well-being (SWB).

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Human NeedsHuman Needs

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SWBSWB

SWB is individual’s or groups’ responses to questions regarding happiness, life satisfaction, utility or welfare.

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Relationship between Relationship between variablesvariablesThe relation between specific

human needs and perceived satisfaction with each of them is affected by mental capacity, cultural context, information, education, temperament etc in a complex manner.

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Relationship between Relationship between variablesvariablesThe relation between fulfillment

of those needs and overall subjective well-being is affected by weightage/importance individuals, groups and culture give to fulfilling of each of those needs relative to others.

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OPPOTUNITIES to meet

human needs HUMAN NEEDSSubsistence

ReproductionSecurityAffection

UnderstandingParticipation

LeisureCreativityIdentityFreedom

SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING

Happiness, Utility

Welfare

How needs are met

How need fulfillmentis perceived

QUALITY OF LIFE

OpportunitiesOpportunities

The ability to satisfy basic human needs come from the opportunities available and constructed from social, built, human and natural capital.

Policy and culture help allocate the four types of capital as a means of providing these opportunities

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Types of CapitalTypes of Capital1. Social capital- network and norms

that facilitate cooperative actions2. Human capital –knowledge and

information stored in our brain and our labour

3. Built capital- manufactured goods and services such as tools, equipment, building

4. Natural capital- renewable and non renewable good and services provided by ecosystem

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Examples of Indicators for measuring needs at Examples of Indicators for measuring needs at individual and national scalesindividual and national scales

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Need Individual Scale National Scale

Subsistance Self reports on calorie intake, access to clean water, air, health care

National data on: calorie deficiencies;

Affection Self report on level of attachment to others

National data on suicide, homicide

Leisure Self report on time use, activities pursued and money spent

National data on time use, money spent and activities involved

Security Self report on who provide care in case of illnesses, care for elderly

National data on nursing home, multigenerational household

ConclusionConclusionThe concept of QOL has been

conceptualised differently by different QOL researchers.

QOL concept can be viewed by these theoretical perspectives:◦ Ideal theories◦Personal utility theories◦QOL as happiness versus life satisfaction◦Opulence theories◦Theories of the just society◦The needs approach◦The social judgment approach

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Framework for measuring QOLFramework for measuring QOL

Some international frameworks and methodology have set the foundation for QOL indicator research.

• United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948

• Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements, 1976

• Habitat Agenda- Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements, 1996

• Declaration on Cities and Other Human Settlements in the New Millennium, 2001

• Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 2001• State of the World’s Cities 2008/2009-

“Harmonious Cities”• United Nations Human Development Index

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