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Article
Publication date: 1 September 2000

Alan Walker and Kristiina Martimo

This article focuses on researching quality of life in old age. Based on a review of the relevant literature, it argues that research has not reflected sufficiently the…

703

Abstract

This article focuses on researching quality of life in old age. Based on a review of the relevant literature, it argues that research has not reflected sufficiently the multifaceted nature of quality of life and has relied too much on the judgements of professionals rather than older people. It concludes that quality of life research in general has under‐emphasised the importance of material factors in people's lives. With regard to older people, research shows that relatively poor quality of life, as reported by older people themselves, is associated with only a minority and, among this minority, twice the proportion of older women to men. The article ends with an outline of the new Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Growing Older Research Programme on Extending Quality Life, which in three years time promises to provide usable information for policy makers and practitioners about the determinants of quality of life in old age.

Details

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-7794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2002

Christopher McKevitt and Charles Wolfe

Although ‘quality of life’ is thought to be an important concept in healthcare, there is a lack of agreement about what this term means. This paper arises from a study which made…

400

Abstract

Although ‘quality of life’ is thought to be an important concept in healthcare, there is a lack of agreement about what this term means. This paper arises from a study which made the idea of quality of life itself the object of enquiry. We report findings from qualitative interviews with 47 healthcare professionals working with stroke and elderly care patients, which sought their views of the meaning and uses of quality of life. Most defined quality of life in terms of happiness/life satisfaction. Poor health and disability were assumed to reduce quality of life; interviewees represented their work as aiming to improve patient quality of life through improving health. Most regarded formal quality of life measurement as a research tool but not feasible or appropriate in routine care. However, conversations and observations of patients and carers were represented as informal ways of judging patient quality of life, and were generally regarded as a useful or essential part of the therapeutic relationship. Such assessments were said to take place routinely and to provide opportunities for patients/carers to express their wishes, and for ‘real’ patient needs to be identified. This runs counter to evidence of low levels of patient/carer participation in decision‐making and discharge. The real value of the quality of life concept remains unproven but we suggest that in the context of our interviews it was used by professionals to reflect on the nature of the therapeutic encounter and to articulate ideas about healthcare practice.

Details

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-7794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2024

Jaffar Abbas, Gulnara Mamirkulova, Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti, Khalid Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti and Imran Bashir Dar

Mega-infrastructure development plans pave the way for policies to upgrade the infrastructure, environmental management and different aspects of locals’ well-being. These…

Abstract

Purpose

Mega-infrastructure development plans pave the way for policies to upgrade the infrastructure, environmental management and different aspects of locals’ well-being. These developmental dynamics can positively affect rural tourism including heritage sites destinations. The quality of life of local people can be linked to this positive developmental change through long-term and sustainable economic revitalization projects. In terms of this process, developing large-scale infrastructure and incorporating tourism sustainability can improve the quality of life-related to different dimensions that are critical to the community's well-being. Therefore, researchers have attempted to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected between September and October 2020. The study sample size was the residents of Zhabagly village, including Zhabagaly, Abaiyl and 115 Railway settlements. Moreover, the residents were older than 18 years. A systematic random sampling technique was utilised to reach the targeted sample size and the researchers received 243 responses from the locals. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used for analysis.

Findings

The findings from the structural equation modelling suggest that sustainable tourism increases due to the positive effect of mega-infrastructure development and positively impacts the locals' quality of life. Notably, no direct effect of mega-infrastructure development on quality of life reveals the pivotal role of sustainable tourism. Therefore, during the COVID-19 period, the dimensions of sustainable tourism – economic, market, socio-cultural and environmental – played a role in securing the positive impact of mega-infrastructure development on the locals’ quality of life.

Research limitations/implications

This research highlighted the fact that when infrastructure projects are implemented to their full potential, they will generate sustainable tourism activities, provide eco-adventure activities, relax, treat signatories and boost the economy of all stakeholders. The study used AMOS to test the hypotheses. Qualitative research methods, including interviews with citizens, government officials and tourism managers, require further study.

Practical implications

The infrastructural development on a mega-scale means building an upscaling tourism ecosystem. This ecosystem is marked by the availability of drinking water, waste and energy management facilities that support the elevation of living material, community, health, safety and emotional well-being. It reflects the policy-level implications for future Belt and Road initiatives (BRIs). The tourism industry's resilience during COVID-19 has practical lessons for other industries.

Originality/value

Large-scale infrastructure construction must create favourable conditions for the rapid development of tourism. The availability of clean water, waste and energy management facilities contributes to the food production, social cohesion, physical and mental health and general well-being of the ecosystem. This is one of the few studies that used sustainable tourism as a mediator between the impact of large infrastructure projects and their impact on the quality of life of locals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aksu-Zhabagly, a World Heritage Site in Kazakhstan, was the site of this field study.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 May 2020

Bojan Grum and Darja Kobal Grum

There is a lack of theoretical and empirical studies regarding concepts of social sustainability based on social infrastructure. The idea of understanding this paper is that…

6905

Abstract

Purpose

There is a lack of theoretical and empirical studies regarding concepts of social sustainability based on social infrastructure. The idea of understanding this paper is that quality social infrastructure leads to the general quality of people’s life in the built environment and that is rounded up to social sustainability. This paper aims to integrate these concepts into the network, hereinafter referred to as a social sustainability model.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used in this paper is desk research. The authors follow methodological steps in the building of conceptual network: setting up a research problem; choice of databases; reviewing the literature and categorizing the selected data; identifying and default conceptual definition; integrating the concepts; synthesis and making it all make sense; and assembly and validating the concept. Through that, a large volume of bibliographic materials was scanned, and a limited number of documents have been reviewed and critiqued. The documents have been selected from varied disciplines, including social infrastructure, quality of life, social sustainability, urban sociology, housing policy as among the articles.

Findings

The result is the model which represents the links between social infrastructure (utility equipment, public infrastructure, vital objects and fundamentals) and further between factors inside quality of life structure (users, quality of life, reflections). The result is the model which representing the links between social infrastructure (utility equipment, public infrastructure, vital objects and fundamentals) and further between factors inside well-being structure (users, quality of life, reflections).

Research limitations/implications

There is a potential risk of errors arising from the use of assumptions, limited desk reviews and data from secondary resources.

Originality/value

The authors portray the development of social sustainability model. Within this model, the authors can critically observe all levels within the existing built environment: user responses to the built environment, their satisfaction, social inclusion, health, etc. Within this model, they can observe the links between existing research, their frequency, capture, direction and not least to determine which areas have not been explored and where the lacks of research are. The conclusion outlines the framework and its main concepts of social sustainability based on social infrastructure and well-being, including their theoretical premises and components.

Details

Facilities , vol. 38 no. 11/12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2006

Suzanne Skevington and Fiona Gillison

The measurement of children's quality of life has an important role to play in improving their experience of health and social services, and in promoting a child‐centred approach…

259

Abstract

The measurement of children's quality of life has an important role to play in improving their experience of health and social services, and in promoting a child‐centred approach to service provision. This article provides a rationale for both the development of robust quality of life measures specifically for children and also the use of these measures in assessing the effectiveness of treatments and policy changes. It highlights recent advances in the development of quality of life measures and provides examples of two instruments that have incorporated these steps to produce reliable and valid measures that are not only comprehensible to children of different age groups, but also meaningful to parents and health professionals. The challenge of matching statistically significant change in quality of life to changes of perceived importance to the individual is also discussed in the light of the advantages to be gained from the increased uptake within health and social care of quality of life measures for children.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2024

Handan Kunkcu, Kerim Koc and Asli Pelin Gurgun

Work–family conflict is one of the most challenging stressors for construction industry professionals to cope with emotional problems. This study aims to propose a model linking…

Abstract

Purpose

Work–family conflict is one of the most challenging stressors for construction industry professionals to cope with emotional problems. This study aims to propose a model linking work–family conflict and high-quality relationships among project team members and explore mediating effects of life and job satisfactions.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical framework was established based on the spillover theory and social exchange theory. Data were obtained by a questionnaire survey conducted with 328 respondents working in construction projects. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test interrelationships among work–family conflict, job satisfaction, life satisfaction and high-quality relationship.

Findings

The results indicate that work–family conflict is negatively associated with both job and life satisfactions of construction professionals. In addition, there were direct and positive relationships between satisfaction domains and high-quality relationship capacity. The findings further support that job satisfaction plays a mediating role between work–family conflict and high-quality relationship among construction professionals, while life satisfaction does not mediate the relationship.

Originality/value

The effects of interrole conflicts on the context of satisfaction have been investigated previously; however, there is a lack of knowledge regarding its influence on high-quality relationship among project team members. This study extends the body of knowledge on high-quality relationships among project team members to understand how conflict and satisfaction factors influence interpersonal relationships in construction project management.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 March 2024

José Luis Alfaro-Navarro and María Encarnación Andrés-Martínez

Being awarded world heritage status is a distinguishing factor when it comes to promoting tourism in a city. Tourism in these cities should be developed in a way that does not…

Abstract

Purpose

Being awarded world heritage status is a distinguishing factor when it comes to promoting tourism in a city. Tourism in these cities should be developed in a way that does not compromise either the city’s heritage or the inhabitants' quality of life. Thus, the main purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of a European city achieving world heritage status on the subjective quality of life of its citizens.

Design/methodology/approach

First of all, we classify European cities according to whether or not they have been declared world heritage sites. Then, we analyze the effect of this classification on the main aspects used to measure the residents' perception of quality of life that are available in the Flash Eurobarometer 419.

Findings

The results show that achieving world heritage status has a negative effect on residents' perceptions of the noise level, air quality and feeling of safety. However, it does not affect their perceptions of public transport or cleanliness. In addition, world heritage status positively affects residents’ perceptions of the cultural activities in the city and their ease of finding a job. Residents report high levels of happiness in both world heritage and non-heritage cities, although levels are somewhat higher in non-heritage cities.

Originality/value

Residents' perceptions of the influence of tourism on their quality of life are undoubtedly of major importance; however, due to a lack of available data, few studies have examined this subjective quality of life at the city level.

Details

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 January 2023

Nguyen Dinh Tho

This study takes its basis in job demands-resources (JD-R) and psychological resource theories to investigate the role of two personal factors – psychological capital (PsyCap) and…

Abstract

Purpose

This study takes its basis in job demands-resources (JD-R) and psychological resource theories to investigate the role of two personal factors – psychological capital (PsyCap) and study crafting – in the quality of university life of business students.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 806 undergraduate business students in Vietnam was surveyed to collect data. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to validate the measures and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the model and hypotheses.

Findings

The results produced by SEM demonstrated that students' PsyCap had a positive effect on quality of university life. In addition, study crafting positively moderated the relationship between students' PsyCap and quality of university life.

Practical implications

The study findings suggest that universities could complement higher performance standards of universities with efforts to enhance quality of university life by developing and nurturing students' PsyCap and study crafting, enabling students to rise to the challenge posed by higher standards.

Originality/value

The study findings contribute to the literature on business education by confirming the overarching role that PsyCap plays in the quality of university life of students. Further, the study introduces the concept of study crafting and demonstrates that study crafting alone and in combination with PsyCap may help business students enjoy a higher quality of university life.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 65 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2001

Lim Lan Yuan

The teaching of subjects such as quality of life and sustainable development presents tremendous challenges because of the nebulous and multifaceted nature of the subject matter…

1637

Abstract

The teaching of subjects such as quality of life and sustainable development presents tremendous challenges because of the nebulous and multifaceted nature of the subject matter. An important advantage of the case‐study approach to teaching is its capacity for understanding complexity in particular contexts. The purpose of this article is to examine quality of life and the use of its case studies for teaching and learning. It will discuss some issues on quality of life research and their difficulties in definition and evaluation, illustrated with actual case studies.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 2 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1976

Ben‐chieh Liu

The American society is undoubtedly in a great transition period towards a post‐industrial state. While wholeheartedly celebrating the bi‐centennial birthday, uncertainty and…

Abstract

The American society is undoubtedly in a great transition period towards a post‐industrial state. While wholeheartedly celebrating the bi‐centennial birthday, uncertainty and confusion still pervade the United States, and a discontent with the quality of life seems to have been growing concomitantly with the technological know how and material wealth among people in America. These phenomena have developed as a result of conflicting values: “operative values” in the industrial state and the “declared values” important in the founding of the nation. While the former is characterised by the indefinite economic persuasion, the latter is highlighted by concerns with equality, justice and freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 3 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

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