Economic disadvantage,perceived family life quality,and emotional well-being in Chinese adolescents: A longitudinal study

Over three consecutive years, Chinese secondary school students experiencing and not experiencing economic disadvantage (n = 280 and 2,187, respectively) responded to measures of perceived family life quality (parenting attributes and parent-child relational quality) and emotional well-being (hopelessness, mastery, life satisfaction and self-esteem). While participants experiencing economic disadvantage generally had more negative perceptions of parenting quality and parent-child relational quality than did adolescents not experiencing economic disadvantage, the differences were more pronounced for the father-adolescent dyad than for the mother-adolescent dyad. Emotional well-being was also different in adolescents with and without economic disadvantage. Although adolescents experiencing different intensity of economic disadvantage differed on some paternal parenting processes, no related differences were observed for other measures of family life quality and emotional well-being. The present study fills the research gap pertinent to the relationship between economic disadvantage and family as well as emotional quality of life in early adolescence in the Chinese culture. This work was financially supported by the Research Grants Council of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong (Grant CUHK4293/03H) and Wofoo Foundation. The author wishes to thank Britta Lee and Joyce Chow for their assistance in collecting the data.     

Quality of life as a mediator of leisure activity and perceived health among older women

Despite consistent evidence to suggest that participating in leisure is associated with perceived health status among older adults, there have been few attempts to determine the possible underlying mechanisms in this relationship, including the role of quality of life (QoL). This study examined the role of perceived quality of life in the relationship between leisure and perceived health in older women. Correlations, regression, and mediation analysis were conducted on data from the Woman’s College Alumnae Women’s Health Study. Results indicate that QoL partially mediates the relationship between leisure and perceived health in older women. Findings further establish the link between leisure and perceived health with QoL playing an important role in the relationship.     

Individual quality of life: can it be accounted for by psychological or subjective well-being?

There is ongoing discussion in the scientific literature about the need for a more theoretical foundation to underpin quality of life (QoL) measurement. This paper applied Keyes et al.’s [J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 82 (2002) 1007] model of well-being as a framework to assess whether respondents (n = 136 students) focus on elements of subjective well-being (SWB), such as satisfaction and happiness, or on elements of psychological well-being (PWB), such as meaning and personal growth, when making individual QoL (IQoL) judgments using the Schedue of the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life (SEIQoL). The Keyes et al.’s model was confirmed and explained 41% of the variance in SEIQoL scores. Both SWB and PWB were correlated with the SEIQoL Index Score and SWB was found to be an important mediating variable in the relationship between PWB and SEIQoL. When analyzing different well-being combinations, respondents with high SWB/high PWB had significantly higher SEIQoL scores than did those with low SWB/low PWB. Respondents with high PWB/high SWB had higher SEIQoL scores than did those with high PWB/low SWB. Longitudinal studies in different patient groups are needed to explore the dynamic relationship between IQoL and well-being. Further investigation of the relationship between PWB and SWB with other instruments purporting to measure QoL would contribute to an enhanced understanding of the underlying nature of QoL.     

Measuring and understanding the well-being of South Africans: Everyday quality of life in South Africa

South Africa has a Gini co-efficient of 62, one of the world’s highest (Finmark: Project FinScope 2004 and 2005, FinMark Trust, Johannesburg). Hence, measures of wealth are ubiquitous social indicators in South Africa. However, a growing emphasis in government towards measurable service delivery targets and remedial action to redress the inequalities of our past makes the reliable measurement of people’s quality of life in greater depth in quantitative terms an imperative.We have developed a simple framework to measure people’s quality of life in key domains that extend beyond that simply of wealth, using composite indices to allow progress to be tracked and to make valid comparisons across our diverse population. Termed the Everyday Quality of Life Index (EQLi), it comprises a suite of measures encompassing socio-economic status (with special reference to poverty), urbanisation, health (nutrition, exercise and fitness), stress/pressure, quality of the environment, satisfaction of human needs, connectivity, optimism, subjective well-being (happiness, after Diener and Lucas: 2000, in M. Lewis, J.M. Haviland (eds.), Handbook of Emotions. (2nd ed) (Guilford, New York)), and the overall measure of well-being, the EQLi itself.The initial framework was developed from a structured questionnaire administered to a probability sample of 2000 South African adults in 2002. From this, a 52-item shortlist was derived to create the series of measures. This has been tested and refined in three subsequent annual studies, each of 3500 people across urban and rural South Africa. In 2004, items involving work as well as determining the balance of skills and challenges at work using the concept of “flow” (Csikszentmihalyi: 1990, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (Harper and Row, New York)) were added.This paper outlines the rationale behind the selection and development of these measures, describes the EQL of South Africans using these and other key measures and concludes with implications for policy-makers and service providers in South Africa. Some marketing implications are also given: there is a growing emphasis worldwide on corporate social investment initiatives and, particularly in South Africa, on community upliftment and development – poverty alleviation and improving the lives of the disadvantaged (“people” rather than “consumers”). Further, people’s well-being affects how they react to marketing activities.     

Health and quality of life of older people,a replication after six years

Replicating a survey of 875 people 55 years old or more undertaken in September 1999 throughout the former Northern Interior Health Region (NIHR) of British Columbia, in September 2005 a sample of 656 people completed a 22-page questionnaire. The average age of the respondents was 68, with a range running from 55 to 96 years, and 64% were women. Responses to the SF-36 questionnaire indicated that for male respondents aged 55–64, the mean score for the 8 dimensions was 76.1. This mean was a bit higher than the 74.4 mean of 1999. For male respondents aged 65 and older the mean was 69.0, which was also higher than the 68.3 mean of 1999. For females aged 55–64, the mean score for 8 dimensions was 73.1, versus 73.0 in 1999. For female respondents aged 65 and older, the mean score was 67.0, versus 65.4 in 1999. Based on these mean scores for the 8 dimensions, then, it is fair to say that the overall health status of males and females aged 55 years and older in the region in 2005 was at least as good as (i.e., the same as or better than) that in 1999. Comparing 28 average figures for the 2005 respondents on satisfaction with specific domains of life (e.g., financial security, health, sense of meaning) and three global indicators (satisfaction with life as a whole and with the overall quality of life, and happiness) with those of the 1999 respondents, we found that the scores for the 2005 sample were at least as high as those of the other sample. Thus, it seems fair to say that the perceived quality of life of older people in the former NIHR so far as it is revealed in domain and global satisfaction and happiness scores, is at least as good as the perceived quality of life of a similar sample in 1999. Although a large majority perceived increases in crime in the 2 year periods prior to both surveys, smaller percentages of the 2005 sample than of the 1999 sample thought that crime had increased over the past two years, avoided going out at night, feared for their safety, had crime-related worries, engaged in crime-related defensive behaviours and were actually the victims of any crimes. Therefore, it seems fair to say that, so far as crime-related issues are concerned for the two samples of seniors responding to our surveys, there is more evidence of improvement than of deterioration. Applying stepwise multiple regression, each of the eight dependent variables was explained on the basis of four clusters of predictors separately and then a final regression was run using only the statistically significant predictors from the four clusters. Broadly speaking, 7 SF-36 health status scales explained from 28% to 45% of the variance in the 8 dependent variables, running from satisfaction with the overall quality of life (28%) to the single item measure of general health (45%). The seven predictors in the Social Relations cluster explained from 7% of the variance in the SF-36 General Health scale scores to 57% of the variance in the Life Satisfaction scores. The four predictors in the Problems cluster explained from 10% of the variance in the SF-36 General Health scale scores to 24% of the variance in the SWLS scores. The 11 predictors in the Domain Satisfaction cluster explained from 14% of the variance in the SF-36 General Health scale scores to 64% of the variance in the SWB scores. Putting all the significant predictors together for each dependent variable, in the weakest case, 4 of 11 potential predictors explained 33% of the variance in the SF-36 General Health scale scores and in the strongest case, 9 of 15 potential predictors explained 70% of the variance in Life Satisfaction scores. Among other things, these results clearly show that respondents’ ideas about a generally healthy life are different from, but not independent of, their ideas about a happy, satisfying or contented life, or about the perceived quality of their lives or their subjective wellbeing. Finally, the 7 core discrepancy predictors of MDT plus incomes were used to explain the eight dependent variables. From 13% of the variance in the SF-36 General Health scale scores to 57% of the variance in SWLS scores was explained using those predictors. Based on an examination of the Total Effects scores for the predictors of the 8 dependent variables, the most influential predictors were Self-Wants, followed by Self-Others and then Self-Best. In other words, the most influential discrepancy predictors of respondents’ overall life assessments were those between what respondents have versus what they want, followed by what they have versus what others of the same age and sex have, and then by what they have versus the best they ever had in the past. We would like to thank the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for support of this research with funds granted to Alex C. Michalos through the Gold Medal Award in 2004.     

Gender differences in health promotion behaviors and quality of life among community-dwelling elderly

The differences of basic attributes, health promotion behaviors, and quality of life between elderly males and females in Taiwan were compared. Several scales were used to examine the gender differences and the factors associated with quality of life. Regression analysis revealed that gender, education level, depression level, and healthy diet were key factors influencing the overall quality of life. The education level of females was lower, and their depression level was higher; however, females had healthier diets. With regards to their satisfaction in the quality of life, elderly males scored higher than females in both the physical and psychological domains.     

Coffee intake,health-related quality of life,and associated factors of overactive bladder in older Korean women living in rural South Korea

ABSTRACT

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common health problem in older women. The aim of the study was to investigate coffee consumption, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and associated factors of OAB in older Korean women living in rural South Korea. A total of 248 women aged 65 years and older participated in this study. Chi-square tests, t-tests, and multivariable logistic regressions were performed. The means of coffee consumption between OAB and non-OAB groups were not significantly different. Women with OAB showed significantly lower HRQOL than women with stress urinary incontinence only. OAB was associated with high body mass index and poor health status.     

The quality of life in historical perspective France: 1695–1990

Attempts to evalute the quality of life in historical perspective have been hindered by the absence of data on the perceptions that people held about their well-being as well as by the absence of a broad base of social indicators concerning their physical environment. Given these constraints, in this paper we develop a framework for discussing the well-being of the inhabitants of Aix-en-Provence during the past three centuries. We discuss the quality of life implications of the historical changes in life styles as expressed in the socio-economic structure and in family and work arrangements as well as those based on a limited knowledge of their physical environment as measured by the Physical Quality of Life Index.We presented an earlier version of this paper in Bielefeld, Germany at the XIII World Congress of Sociology, July, 1994. Grand Valley State University provided financial support for research and travel. We thank the staffs of the various French archives who helped us locate historical documents. Bernard Bernos of the University of Provence suggested several historical works that provided us with useful insights about the evolution of human well-being in France. Our longtime colleague and mentor, Doh Shin, located references for us when we were far from an American library and contributed extensive intellectual counsel from which we benefitted enormously.     

Does midwifery continuity of care make a difference to women with perinatal mental health conditions: A cohort study,from Australia

BackgroundPerinatal mental health (PMH) conditions are associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes including preterm birth. Midwifery caseload group practice (continuity of care, MCP) improves perinatal outcomes including a 24 % reduction of preterm birth. The evidence is unclear whether MCP has the same effect for women with perinatal mental health conditions.AimTo compare perinatal outcomes in women with a mental health history between MCP and standard models of maternity care. The primary outcome measured the rates of preterm birth.MethodsA retrospective cohort study using routinely collected data of women with PMH conditions between 1st January 2018 – 31st January 2021 was conducted. We compared characteristics and outcomes between groups. Multivariate logistic regression models were performed adjusting for a-priori selected variables and factors that differ between models of care.ResultsThe cohort included 3028 women with PMH, 352 (11.6 %) received MCP. The most common diagnosis was anxiety and depression (n = 723, 23.9 %). Women receiving MCP were younger (mean 30.9 vs 31.3, p = 0.03), Caucasian (37.8 vs 27.1, p < 0.001), socio-economically advantaged (31.0 % vs 20.2, p < 0.001); less likely to smoke (5.1 vs 11.9, p < 0.001) and with lower BMI (mean 24.3 vs 26.5, p < 0.001) than those in the standard care group. Women in MCP had lower odds of preterm birth (adjOR 0.46, 95 % CI 0.24–0.86), higher odds of vaginal birth (adjOR 2.55, 95 % CI 1.93–3.36), breastfeeding at discharge (adj OR 3.06, 95 % CI 2.10–4.55) with no difference in severe adverse neonatal outcome (adj OR 0.79, 95 % CI 0.57–1.09).ConclusionsThis evidence supports MCP for women with PMH. Future RCTs on model of care for this group of women is needed to establish causation.     

Religiosity and quality of life in South Africa

Using nationally representative survey data, this paper explores the relationship between religiosity and quality of life. Three indicators of religiosity are used: (i) frequency of attendance at religious services or meetings, (ii) orthodoxy of beliefs in relation to Biblical teachings and (iii) religious denomination. Quality of life (QoL) is measured in terms of (i) household access to modern conveniences, (ii) self-assessed life satisfaction and (iii) level of satisfaction with government institutions. The data shows a significant but not very strong statistical relationship between religiosity and QoL. People who attend religious meetings most frequently and who hold the most orthodox religious views are thus more likely to have access to modern conveniences and to be satisfied with their lives. Satisfaction with government, however, tends to be highest amongst nominally religious people and lowest amongst both the most orthodox and the least religious.     

Patterns of pain and well-being in older women: a 10-year longitudinal study

The relationships among pain, health, and psychological well-being were examined in a secondary analysis of a ten-year study of community-dwelling older women. Over time, there was an increase in the percentage of women reporting pain and a significant increase in the mean level of pain, although 24% of the women never reported pain. Subjective health declined as pain increased. Psychological well-being did not differ between women whose pain increased over time compared to women whose pain did not increase. Future research needs to examine how women maintain psychological well-being as they age in spite of increased pain.     

Quality of life and sexual function in postmenopausal women

This study examined the relationship between quality of life (QoL) and sexual function among postmenopausal women. As a cross-sectional study, it was conducted among 405 postmenopausal women selected using a multistage sampling method. The data-collection tools were the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire, the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire, and a researcher-administered questionnaire. Sexual dysfunction was observed in 61% of the participants. The total scores of FSFI had a positive correlation with the WHOQOL-BREF total scores and all QoL domain scores. Therefore, sexual function needs to be covered by health-care packages aiming to improve postmenopausal women’s QoL.     

Quality of College Life (QCL) of Students: Developing and Validating a Measure of Well-Being

This paper reports a study designed to develop and validate a measure of quality of college life (QCL) of students. Using a theoretical model based on a build-up approach to QCL, the authors provide an empirical examination of various hierarchical components and their properties. The method is executed in two stages. The first stage is used to clarify the particular elements for inclusion in the model. The second phase uses a sample of students drawn for the campuses of three major universities in the United States. These samples were used to test several hypotheses regarding the model and its components. The results generally provide support. Finally, the discussion centers on the value of the model in application by both university officials and public policy officials in the at-large community.     

Changes in quality of life perceptions in Saskatoon,Saskatchewan: comparing survey results from 2001 and 2004

There is a growing interest in quality of life (QoL) as an integrated approach to addressing key social, environmental and economic determinants of health. The University of Saskatchewan’s Community-University Institute for Social Research (CUISR) has examined the process and results of a multi-stakeholder approach to the ongoing sustainability of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan as a healthy city with an improving and a more equitably distributed QoL. Using quantitative and qualitative analysis, this research has examined QoL across three locales in Saskatoon—representing Low, Middle and High socio-economic status neighbourhoods. Two large telephone surveys were conducted with residents of the city in 2001 and 2004. This paper presents the major findings from these two surveys according to four overarching research questions posed by the CUISR QoL team. The questions relate to a number of QoL issues including the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, place related measures, aspects influencing excellent or very good QoL in Saskatoon and feelings of a strong sense of place. The paper also assesses the changes in the results of the four questions between 2001 and 2004.

Leisure and quality of life in an international and multicultural context: what are major pathways linking leisure to quality of life?

This paper aims at advancing the conceptualization of leisure as a contributor to quality of life (QOL) in an international and multicultural context, based on an extensive and critical review of literature on leisure and QOL from a global, international perspective. Given the central role of culture in conceptualizing this notion, this paper gives attention to various cultural contexts world-wide. To illustrate the diversity of our societies, examples are introduced specifically from three culturally unique contexts in this paper – i.e., Asian, Middle-East, and Indigenous contexts. Also, some examples are drawn from other cultural groups in global and international contexts, particularly, in non-western contexts. Then, the final section of this paper aims at integrating and synthesizing the knowledge gained from this review to develop a tentative/working proposition about how leisure can contribute to QOL from international and cross-cultural perspectives. Specifically, based on such integration, this paper identifies and describes major pathways linking leisure to QOL. Overall, an overarching theme common to almost all cultural contexts examined appears to be the role of leisure-like activities as a context or space for creating meanings which then help to promote the quality of people’s lives. Major pathways or mechanisms that can facilitate meaning-making and life-quality-enhancement highlighted in this review include: (a) positive emotions and well-being experienced from leisure, (b) positive identities and self-esteem gained from leisure, (c) social and cultural connections and a harmony developed through leisure, and (d) leisure’s contribution to learning and human development across the life-span. Also, emphasized in this paper is the role of leisure as a context for realizing and utilizing human strengths and resilience. It is important, however, to stress that in people’s quest for a meaningful life, the benefits of meaning-making through leisure involve both “remedying the bad” and “enhancing the good,” as shown throughout this paper. Despite these benefits, we should not ignore that leisure experiences are socially and culturally constructed and shaped by the inequalities of society. Thus, the reality of power imbalance and inequalities should be acknowledged and appropriately addressed socially, culturally, and politically. Particularly, providing culturally relevant and meaningful leisure opportunities for less privileged population groups world-wide is clearly a top priority.     

Experiencing undesired daily life events, instrumental functioning, social support and well-being of Israeli elderly women: comparison between caregivers/non-caregivers for adult children with mental retardation

The purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which 160 mothers who care for an adult child with mental retardation differ in respect to undesired daily life events, instrumental functioning, social support and well-being from a comparably matched group of age peers. Findings indicated that caregivers for adult children with mental retardation reported more undesired daily life events in comparison to the matched group. However, no differences were found in respect to their instrumental functioning, social support and well-being. A detailed analysis showed significant variations in measures of undesired daily life events and social support.     

Health related quality of life of women at the sixth week and sixth month postpartum by mode of birth

Background

Health-related quality of life of women in the postpartum period may depend on the mode of birth. However, previous findings are contradictory.

The Influence of Value Orientations and Demographics on Quality-of-Life Perceptions: Evidence from a National Survey of Singaporeans

This paper explores the linkages between value orientations, demographics and the quality of life perceptions for Singaporeans based on a nationwide values and lifestyles study conducted in 2001. The quality of life perception is assessed using cognitive evaluations of satisfaction with life in general (subjective personal well-being) and with aspects of living in Singapore (subjective social well-being). Five different value orientations, namely family values, materialism, status consciousness, societal consciousness and traditionalism, are examined for their effects on quality of life. The key demographics used are gender, age, marital status, education and personal income.     

Personal and Planetary Well-being: Mindfulness Meditation,Pro-environmental Behavior and Personal Quality of Life in a Survey from the Social Justice and Ecological Sustainability Movement

Employing data from a mailed survey of a sample of ecologically and spiritually aware respondents (N = 829), the study tests the hypothesized relationship between ecologically sustainable behavior (ESB) and subjective well-being (SWB). The proposed link between ESB and SWB is the spiritual practice of mindfulness meditation (MM). In multiple regression equations ESB and MM independently explain statistically significant amounts of variance in SWB, indicating, for at least the study’s sample, that there can be a relationship between personal and planetary well-being. The inter-relationships among SWB, ESB and MM suggest that for specific segments of the general population (e.g., the spiritually inclined) there may not necessarily be an insurmountable conflict between an environmentally responsible lifestyle and personal quality of life. The research reported here also points to the potential for meditative/mindful experiences to play a prominent role in the explanation of variance in SWB, a direction in QoL studies recently highlighted by several researchers (Layard 2005, pp. 189–192; Nettle 2005, pp. 153–160; Haidt 2006).

A Comparison of Older Informal Caregivers and Non-Caregivers Living in Non-Metropolitan Areas

The primary purpose of this study was tocompare the quality of life, health, and socialsupport of caregivers and non-caregivers age 65or older. A secondary purpose was to examineage identity in these two groups. This samplewas taken from a large quality of life surveyof 875 individuals age 55 or older living incommunities in northern British Columbia,Canada (Michalos et al.,2001). We restricted our sample to (a)individuals 65 years or older because we wereparticularly interested in seniors, and (b)married individuals because preliminaryanalyses indicated that marital status was apotentially confounding variable in thecaregiver/non-caregiver comparisons. Thus, oursample consisted of 239 married,community-dwelling respondents ranging in agefrom 65 to 86 years, with an average age of71.8 years. Of these respondents, 48.5% werefemales and 26.4% were caregivers. Generallyspeaking, caregivers and non-caregivers werenot significantly different in terms of qualityof life, self-reported health, and most aspectsof social support and age identity. Seniors,whether they were caregivers or not, reportedpositive levels of quality of life and healthstatus. Caregivers and non-caregivers, however,did differ in terms of: (a) their satisfactionwith their romantic relationships, withcaregivers being less satisfied, and (b) theage they felt mentally with caregivers feelingslightly older mentally than non-caregivers.Thus, caregiver status alone does not appear toresult in lower levels of quality of life,poorer mental and physical health, lower levelsof social support, or older age identitiesoverall in older, married adults living innon-metropolitan areas.