Overview and future directions

Although there has been a proliferation of quality of life (QOL) research for more than a half a century, this Handbook addresses QOL research in the context of place and space. This chapter summarizes the content of the Handbook and its organization into six main parts. Embedded in each part are empirical studies illustrating relationships between some aspect of space or place and QOL/well-being. This chapter also discusses the Handbook’s omissions and limitations, including topics such as happiness research and community indicators and their uses in public policy and planning. Additionally, the chapter assumes that given an ageing population worldwide and the exigencies of a changing climate and associated factors such as human health and population mobility, the importance of place in quality of life research is likely to grow. Under such circumstances, suggestions are made with respect to research designs, the collection and measurement of people’s subjective responses, and the use of technological tools (satellite imagery, drones, sensors) to measure objective environmental conditions.