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Synthetic Indicators of Quality of Subjective Life in the EU: Rural and Urban Areas

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  • María-Carmen Sánchez-Sellero
  • Beatriz García-Carro
  • Pedro Sánchez-Sellero

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to develop subjective synthetic indicators that quantify the quality of life in the different countries of the EU-28, with data from the 2016 European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS). We add other indicators to the general synthetic ones in order to quantify the different dimensions of quality life due to its multidimensional nature. The successive but unchained application of the principal component analysis and the Mazziota-Pareto analysis allows us to classify 5 dimensions of quality of life: subjective component of governance, public services, environment, general satisfaction with life, and socioeconomic issues. We verify that countries with the lowest or highest positions in the general index usually keep that position in most dimensions. The spatial perspective is fundamental to study of regional development. For this reason, the next objective is the analysis of differences by spatial location using the variance analysis. The general indicator shows significant differences between EU countries but it does not show differences in the quality of life of European citizens in urban and rural areas.

Suggested Citation

  • María-Carmen Sánchez-Sellero & Beatriz García-Carro & Pedro Sánchez-Sellero, 2021. "Synthetic Indicators of Quality of Subjective Life in the EU: Rural and Urban Areas," Prague Economic Papers, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2021(5), pages 529-551.
    • Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlpep:v:2021:y:2021:i:5:id:783:p:529-551
    DOI: 10.18267/j.pep.783
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andrew E. Clark & Paul Frijters & Michael A. Shields, 2008. "Relative Income, Happiness, and Utility: An Explanation for the Easterlin Paradox and Other Puzzles," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 46(1), pages 95-144, March.
    2. Nicky Rogge & Ilse Nijverseel, 2019. "Quality of Life in the European Union: A Multidimensional Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 141(2), pages 765-789, January.
    3. Krzysztof Zagorski & Mariah Evans & Jonathan Kelley & Katarzyna Piotrowska, 2014. "Does National Income Inequality Affect Individuals’ Quality of Life in Europe? Inequality, Happiness, Finances, and Health," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(3), pages 1089-1110, July.
    4. Krzysztof Zagorski & Mariah Evans & Jonathan Kelley & Katarzyna Piotrowska, 2014. "Erratum to: Does National Income Inequality Affect Individuals’ Quality of Life in Europe? Inequality, Happiness, Finances, and Health," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(2), pages 939-939, September.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Quality of life; European Union; subjective indicators; aggregation methods; spatial dimension; satisfaction;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C42 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Survey Methods
    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
    • F01 - International Economics - - General - - - Global Outlook
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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