An Integrative Approach to Quality of Life Measurement, Research, and Policy

Robert Costanza; Brendan Fisher; Saleem Ali; Caroline Beer; Lynne Bond; Roelof Boumans; Nicholas L. Danigelis; Jennifer Dickinson; Carolyn Elliott; Joshua Farley; Diane Elliott Gayer; Linda MacDonald Glenn; Thomas R. Hudspeth; Dennis F. Mahoney; Laurence McCahill; Barbara McIntosh; Brian Reed; S. Abu Turab Rizvi; Donna M. Rizzo; Thomas Simpatico; Robert Snapp

An Integrative Approach to Quality of Life Measurement, Research, and Policy

Robert Costanza, Brendan Fisher, Saleem Ali, Caroline Beer, Lynne Bond, Roelof Boumans, Nicholas L. Danigelis, Jennifer Dickinson, Carolyn Elliott, Joshua Farley, Diane Elliott Gayer, Linda MacDonald Glenn, Thomas R. Hudspeth, Dennis F. Mahoney, Laurence McCahill, Barbara McIntosh, Brian Reed, S. Abu Turab Rizvi, Donna M. Rizzo, Thomas SimpaticoRobert Snapp

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

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

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	16-21
Journal	S.A.P.I.EN.S
Volume	1
Issue number	1
Publication status	Published - 2008

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http://hdl.handle.net/1885/37861

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Costanza, R., Fisher, B., Ali, S., Beer, C., Bond, L., Boumans, R., Danigelis, N. L., Dickinson, J., Elliott, C., Farley, J., Gayer, D. E., Glenn, L. M., Hudspeth, T. R., Mahoney, D. F., McCahill, L., McIntosh, B., Reed, B., Rizvi, S. A. T., Rizzo, D. M., ... Snapp, R. (2008). An Integrative Approach to Quality of Life Measurement, Research, and Policy. S.A.P.I.EN.S, 1(1), 16-21. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/37861

@article{babec1738e944ca6ae911010d8378fb7,

title = "An Integrative Approach to Quality of Life Measurement, Research, and Policy",

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

author = "Robert Costanza and Brendan Fisher and Saleem Ali and Caroline Beer and Lynne Bond and Roelof Boumans and Danigelis, {Nicholas L.} and Jennifer Dickinson and Carolyn Elliott and Joshua Farley and Gayer, {Diane Elliott} and Glenn, {Linda MacDonald} and Hudspeth, {Thomas R.} and Mahoney, {Dennis F.} and Laurence McCahill and Barbara McIntosh and Brian Reed and Rizvi, {S. Abu Turab} and Rizzo, {Donna M.} and Thomas Simpatico and Robert Snapp",

year = "2008",

language = "English",

volume = "1",

pages = "16--21",

journal = "S.A.P.I.EN.S",

number = "1",

}

Costanza, R, Fisher, B, Ali, S, Beer, C, Bond, L, Boumans, R, Danigelis, NL, Dickinson, J, Elliott, C, Farley, J, Gayer, DE, Glenn, LM, Hudspeth, TR, Mahoney, DF, McCahill, L, McIntosh, B, Reed, B, Rizvi, SAT, Rizzo, DM, Simpatico, T & Snapp, R 2008, 'An Integrative Approach to Quality of Life Measurement, Research, and Policy', S.A.P.I.EN.S, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 16-21. <http://hdl.handle.net/1885/37861>

TY - JOUR

T1 - An Integrative Approach to Quality of Life Measurement, Research, and Policy

AU - Costanza, Robert

AU - Fisher, Brendan

AU - Ali, Saleem

AU - Beer, Caroline

AU - Bond, Lynne

AU - Boumans, Roelof

AU - Danigelis, Nicholas L.

AU - Dickinson, Jennifer

AU - Elliott, Carolyn

AU - Farley, Joshua

AU - Gayer, Diane Elliott

AU - Glenn, Linda MacDonald

AU - Hudspeth, Thomas R.

AU - Mahoney, Dennis F.

AU - McCahill, Laurence

AU - McIntosh, Barbara

AU - Reed, Brian

AU - Rizvi, S. Abu Turab

AU - Rizzo, Donna M.

AU - Simpatico, Thomas

AU - Snapp, Robert

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - While Quality of Life (QOL) has long been an explicit or implicit policy goal, adequate definition and measurement have been elusive. Diverse "objective" and "subjective" indicators across a range of disciplines and scales, and recent work on subjective well-being (SWB) surveys and the psychology of happiness have spurred renewed interest. Drawing from multiple disciplines, we present an integrative definition of QOL that combines measures of human needs with subjective well-being or happiness. QOL is proposed as a multiscale, multi-dimensional concept that contains interacting objective and subjective elements. We relate QOL to the opportunities that are provided to meet human needs in the forms of built, human, social and natural capital (in addition to time) and the policy options that are available to enhance these opportunities. Issues related to defining, measuring, and scaling these concepts are discussed, and a research agenda is elaborated. Policy implications include strategies for investing in opportunities to maximize QOL enhancement at the individual, community, and national scales.

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

M3 - Article

VL - 1

SP - 16

EP - 21

JO - S.A.P.I.EN.S

JF - S.A.P.I.EN.S

IS - 1

ER -

An Integrative Approach to Quality of Life Measurement, Research, and Policy

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