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Measuring Quality of Life in Urban Areas: Toward an Integrated Approach

Author

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  • Jamal Al-Qawasmi

    (Department of Architecture, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

The paper examines the various aspects involved in contextualizing and measuring quality of life (QOL) in urban areas. The paper reports on an on-going research project that aims to establish multi-dimensional assessment system to measure QOL in Saudi Arabian cities. To develop a localized QOL measure that capture local aspects of QOL without losing the potential to compare data between different cities or regions, the paper critically analyzed and examined a wide range of conceptual and methodological issues related to QOL assessment and measurement. The study pointed out the need to adopt a multi-dimensional integrated approach that uses both a top-down and a bottom-up approach and incorporate secondary/objective data as well as primary data obtained through self-report surveys. An integrated framework to contextualize, operationalize and measure QOL in the Saudi context has been developed based on critical analysis of literature.

Suggested Citation

  • Jamal Al-Qawasmi, 2020. "Measuring Quality of Life in Urban Areas: Toward an Integrated Approach," International Journal of Environmental Sciences & Natural Resources, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 25(2), pages 67-74, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:adp:ijesnr:v:25:y:2020:i:2:p:67-74
    DOI: 10.19080/IJESNR.2020.25.556158
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jan Delhey & Petra Böhnke & Roland Habich & Wolfgang Zapf, 2002. "Quality of life in a European Perspective: The EUROMODULE as a New Instrument for Comparative Welfare Research," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 161-175, June.
    2. Sten Johansson, 2002. "Conceptualizing and Measuring Quality of Life for National Policy," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 13-32, June.
    3. ED Diener, 1995. "A value based index for measuring national quality of life," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 107-127, October.
    4. Ruut Veenhoven, 1991. "Is happiness relative?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 1-34, February.
    5. Michael Hagerty & Robert Cummins & Abbott Ferriss & Kenneth Land & Alex Michalos & Mark Peterson & Andrew Sharpe & Joseph Sirgy & Joachim Vogel, 2001. "Quality of Life Indexes for National Policy: Review and Agenda for Research," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 1-96, July.
    6. Ruut Veenhoven, 2000. "The Four Qualities of Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 1-39, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jamal Al-Qawasmi, 2021. "Selecting a Contextualized Set of Urban Quality of Life Indicators: Results of a Delphi Consensus Procedure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, April.
    2. Šťastná Milada & Vaishar Antonín, 2023. "Opportunities for the Development of a Borderland Rural Territory: A Case Study of the Hlučín Region," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 42(4), pages 91-106, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    earth and environment journals; environment journals; open access environment journals; peer reviewed environmental journals; open access; juniper publishers; ournal of Environmental Sciences; juniper publishers journals ; juniper publishers reivew;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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