Quality of life and quality of life measurement

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenTilgangur þessarar greinar er að skýra þróun lífsgæðahugtaksins. Bakgrunnur hugtaksins er kannaður, nálgun þess við heilbrigðishugtakið og notkunargildi innan heilbrigðisvísinda. Skoðuð er fræðileg umfjöllun um hugtakið og fjallað um rannsóknir á lífsgæðum og að lokum er gerð grein fyrir hvernig hugtakið tengist og gagnast hjúkrun. Lífsgæði er hugtak sem mikið er vitnað til í rannsóknum sem og í daglegu tali. Bætt lífsgæði er eitt af meginmarkmiðum Alþjóðaheilbrigðismálastofnunarinnar og telst jafnmikilvægt og önnur markmið heilbrigðisþjónustunnar. Aukinn fjöldi langveikra hefur beint sjónum að því að það er ekki nóg að bæta árum við lífið heldur þarf einnig að gæða árin lífi. Daglegt líf fólks með langvinna sjúkdóma einkennist af vandamálum vegna heilsubrests sem hefur áhrif á lífsgæði þess. Frá sjónarhorni hjúkrunar er markmiðið að hver einstaklingur hafi tækifæri til að lifa því lífi sem hann telur innihaldsríkt og ánægjulegt að því marki sem er raunhæft. Hjúkrunarmeðferð beinist að því að gera fólki það mögulegt með því að greina og meðhöndla vandamál svo að einstaklingarnir séu færir um að viðhalda sem mestu sjálfstæði og njóta þess sem lífið hefur upp á að bjóða. Það krefst kunnáttu og skilnings á hvernig heilbrigðisvandamál hafa áhrif á lífsgæði. Mótsagnir í hvernig fólk metur lífsgæði er einnig ögrandi viðfangsefni hjúkrunar. Heilbrigði er ekki alltaf uppspretta hamingju né vanheilsa alltaf orsök slæmra lífsgæða.The purpose of this theoretical article is to describe the development of the quality of life concept. The background of the concept is explored, its relationship to the health concept and its usefulness in health sciences. Further we address quality of life research in health science, its purpose and usefulness and the usefulness of the concept in nursing. Quality of life is frequently a focus in research and daily life alike. Improved quality of life is one of the main targets of the World Health Organization and considered as important as others health care factors. The increasing number of people with chronic diseases has however shifted the focus from the importance of adding years to one‘s life to also adding life to years. Longevity increases the number of people with chronic diseases. A cure for these diseases is seldom possible and that shapes and influences the quality of life for people with chronic diseases. From a nursing perspective the aim is that each patient is capable of living as meaningful and joyful a life as possible. Nursing actions aim at helping each patient to preserve autonomy and quality of life. Understanding how health problems affect quality of life requires skills and knowledge. Contradictions in people‘s experience of quality of life is also a challenge to nursing. Health does not always constitute happiness nor does poor health always have to diminish the quality of life

Quality of life: Conceptual challenges in exploring the role of ICT in active ageing

The chapter aims to examine the definitional challenges associated with the term quality of life, measurement challenges, the challenges associated with enhancing quality of life, and the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in quality of life in old age, and finally comments on the challenges of a modern information society for older people. The term quality of life started as a social scientific index of the relative well-being of whole populations, i.e. the state of states. Nowadays quality of life is more likely to be viewed as an individualized aspect of the modern psyche. This shift in conceptualization is problematic in that, if quality of life is individualized, it cannot be meaningful to assess it in the same way for everyone. Nevertheless, over the years a vast range of methods of measuring quality of life has emerged, leading to several measurement challenges. Wealth, health and social relations have all been found to be prime determinants of subjective quality of life; for ICT to enhance quality of life for older people they need to mediate the relationships between these three important factors and quality of life. To date there is relatively little evidence that ICT has improved the quality of life of older people. Suggestions are made as to why ICT is unlikely to influence life quality for older citizens. The chapter is drawn to a close by asking if quality of life is a meaningless term and if the future is bleak for old people in a modern information society. The answer to both questions is no

Subjective Measures of Well-being

well-being, objective, subjective, measurement, quality of life, worth, happiness adjusted life years

Assessment of Changes in the Quality of Life of Emerging Economies in the Context of Developed Economies of the European Union

The present article has focused on the theoretical and practical aspects of the measurement of quality of life by the quality of life index (IQOL). A special focus of the present article is placed on complexity of quality of life measurement. In the article, an integrated Quality of Life Measurement Model and IQOL are formulated on the basis of theoretical assumptions and synthesis of factors of external and internal environments of quality of life and indicators reflecting them. The Quality of Life Measurement Model presented in the article has been empirically tested assessing quality of life in 20 purposefully selected developed and emerging economies of the European Union during the period from 2005 till 2013. The newly created IQOL is one of the ambitions to promote the methodological background for business and political actors and improvement of the quality of life in emerging economies

Integrating automated support for a software management cycle into the TAME system

Software managers are interested in the quantitative management of software quality, cost and progress. An integrated software management methodology, which can be applied throughout the software life cycle for any number purposes, is required. The TAME (Tailoring A Measurement Environment) methodology is based on the improvement paradigm and the goal/question/metric (GQM) paradigm. This methodology helps generate a software engineering process and measurement environment based on the project characteristics. The SQMAR (software quality measurement and assurance technology) is a software quality metric system and methodology applied to the development processes. It is based on the feed forward control principle. Quality target setting is carried out before the plan-do-check-action activities are performed. These methodologies are integrated to realize goal oriented measurement, process control and visual management. A metric setting procedure based on the GQM paradigm, a management system called the software management cycle (SMC), and its application to a case study based on NASA/SEL data are discussed. The expected effects of SMC are quality improvement, managerial cost reduction, accumulation and reuse of experience, and a highly visual management reporting system

Cultural differences in postnatal quality of life among German-speaking women - a prospective survey in two countries.

Assessment of quality of life after childbirth is an important health-outcome measurement for new mothers and is of special interest in midwifery. The Mother-Generated Index (MGI) is a validated instrument to assess postnatal quality of life. The tool has not been applied for making a cross-cultural comparison before. This study investigated (a) responses to the MGI in German-speaking women in Germany and Switzerland; and (b) associations between MGI scores on the one hand and maternity and midwifery care on the other

Parent and self-report health-related quality of life measures in young patients with Tourette syndrome

Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by tics and comorbid behavioral problems. This study compared child- and parent-reported quality of life and everyday functioning. We assessed 75 children with Tourette syndrome, of which 42 (56%) had comorbid conditions (obsessive-compulsive disorder = 25; attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder = 6; both comorbidities = 4). All patients completed psychometric instruments, including the Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome-Quality of Life Scale for Children and Adolescents (child report) and the Child Tourette's Syndrome Impairment Scale (parent report). Data were compared for patients with pure Tourette syndrome, Tourette syndrome + obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette syndrome + attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Tourette syndrome + both comorbidities. There were no group differences in quality of life. However, there were differences for total, school, and home activities impairment scores. Children and parents may not share similar views about the impact of Tourette syndrome on functioning. The measurement of health-related quality of life in Tourette syndrome is more complex in children than adults

With or Without You? Measuring the Quality of Relational Life Throughout the World

This paper proposes a new method for the measurement of the quality of relational life. Building on the recent literature on the determinants of subjective well-being, we use implicit valuations estimated from microeconometric life-satisfaction equations to weigh and aggregate scores on several dimensions of relational life. We apply the proposed method to a large sample of individuals from 82 countries, to construct indicators that focus on three dimensions of interpersonal relations: friends, family, and society. We use the constructed indicators to compare the quality of relational life across countries throughout the world and to explore its determinants at individual and country level. Overall, the results indicate that, ceteris paribus, better economic conditions are associated with higher quality of interpersonal relationships.subjective well-being, relational capital, quality of life

Methodological Approach to Measure the Quality of Life of the Region’s Population

The article is devoted to the urgent problem of the regional development, i.e. to the development of methodological tools to evaluate the quality of life of the population in the region. The article considers the concept of “quality of life”, and the terms related thereto; and substantiate the author’s position with respect to the concept. The existing domestic and foreign approaches to evaluate the quality of life of the population were analyzed, and the application of the comprehensive approach was reasoned within this study. The criteria for evaluation of the quality of life of the population were distinguished. The authors proposed the methodological approach that considers not only objective indicators of the quality of life presented in the statistical reports of the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, but also employs subjective evaluations of the local population enabling more appropriate evaluation of the quality of life in the region. The methodological tools of the research include mathematical methods of statistical data processing and online survey of the population about the level of satisfaction with various aspects of their life. The methodological tools were tested using the example of the Sverdlovsk Region that is characterized both by the steady improvement of statistical indicators of the quality of life and by low satisfaction of population with certain aspects of the quality of life, which generally decreases the integrated indicator of the quality of life despite positive dynamics of social and economic development of the region and vigorous social policy of the regional authorities. The proposed methodology was used in the evaluation of the quality of life of the Sverdlovsk Region population as part of the development of the Concept of comprehensive regional program “New quality of life of Ural residents” (Decree of the Governor of the Sverdlovsk Region No. 45-UG dated January 29, 2014 “On the Concept of the life quality improvement for the Sverdlovsk Region population before 2030 year — “New quality of life of Ural residents”).The article has been prepared with the support of the grant of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) No. 15-06-09169 “Development of methodical measurement tools and evaluation of the impact of social, economic, medical and demographic factors on mortality rates of working-age population”

QUALITY OF LIFE IN ROMANIAN CITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF STATE REFORM

Quality of life is a concept used in all areas of economic and social life. It is a subjective concept, complex, with a multidisciplinary and multidimensional features. In this paper we want to study quality of life and the hierarchy of Romanian cities in this regard. For the measurement the quality of life in the fourth Romanian cities it is necessary using a set of criteria and indicators. We considered relevant as parameters to be chosen and to be structured in five areas, which can provide a cumulative picture of the quality of life. So we tried both from the perspective of identifying indicators on quality of life and from the perspective of the individual, as a single entity. So we consider that when we talk about quality of life we must cover the following areas: environment, economics, social issues, education and culture. We tried to identify the most relevant indicators for these areas, but the choice is influenced by data availability. The data used for the preparation of this study are nationally available statistical data, and local later interpreted, discussed and compared.life quality, cities, indicators, criteria, consequences, utilities, improvement measures.