a) Definition | Reference |
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" QOL is a multidimensional evaluation of an individual's current life circumstances in the context of the culture in which they live and the values they hold. QOL is primarily a subjective sense of well-being encompassing physical, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions. In some circumstances, objective indicators may supplement or, in the case of individuals unable to subjectively perceive, serve as proxy assessment of QOL." | Haas (1999b) |
"Quality of life is multidimensional in construct including physical, emotional, mental, social, and behavioural components" | Janse (2004), p. 654 410 |
"'Quality of life' and more specifically, 'health-related quality of life' refer to the physical, psychological, and social domains of health, seen as distinct areas that are influenced by a person's experiences, beliefs, expectations and perceptions (which we refer to here collectively as 'perceptions of health'. Each of these domains can be measured in two dimensions: objective assessments of functioning or health status, and more subjective perceptions of health." | Testa et al (1996), p. 835 411 |
"Quality of life is a feeling of overall life satisfaction, as determined by the mentally alert individual whose life is being evaluated. Other people, preferably those from outside that person's living situation, must also agree that the individual's living conditions are not life-threatening and are adequate in meeting that individual's basic needs." | Meeberg (1993), p. 37 |
"A multi-faceted construct that encompasses the individual's behavioural and cognitive capacities, emotional well-being, and abilities requiring the performance of domestic, vocational, and social roles". | Tartar et al (1988) quoted in Meeberg (1993), p.33 412 |
"The satisfaction of an individual's values, goals and needs through the actualisation of their abilities or lifestyle". | Emerson (1985) quoted in Felce and Perry (1995), p. 58 413 |
"A subjective matter, reflected in a sense of global well-being". | Lehman (1983) quoted in Oliver et al (1995), p. 1 414 |
"Personal values as well as life conditions and life satisfaction interact to determine quality of life. The significance of either the objective or subjective assessment of a particular life domain is interpretable only in relation to the importance the individual places on it." | Cummins (1992) referenced in Felce and Perry (1995), p. 58 415 |
"Quality of life is defined as an overall general well-being that comprises objective descriptors and subjective evaluations of physical, material, social and emotional well-being together with the extent of personal development and purposeful activity, all weighted by a personal set of values". | Felce and Perry (1995), p.60 |
"Quality of life is a concept that reflects a person's desired conditions of living related to eight core dimensions of one's life: emotional well-being, interpersonal relationships, material well-being, personal development, physical well-being, self-determination, social inclusion, and rights." | Schalock (2000), p. 121 |
"A conscious cognitive judgement of satisfaction with one's life." | Rejeski and Mihalko (2001), p. 23 |
"Community QOL is a function of the actual conditions in the environment as well as a function of how these conditions are perceived and experienced by the individual residing within the community". | Proshanky and Fabian (1986) cited in Sirgy (2000), p. 283 416 |
"Quality of life is a term that implies the quality of a person's whole life, not just some component part. It therefore follows that if QOL is to be segmented into its component domains, those domains in aggregate must represent the total construct." | Hagerty et al (2001), p. 7 |
"Quality of life is defined as an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns." It is a broad-ranging concept incorporating in a complex way the person's physical health, psychological state, level of independence, social relationships, personal beliefs and their relationship to salient features of the environment. This definition reflects the view that QOL refers to a subjective evaluation which is embedded in a cultural, social, and environmental context. As such, QOL cannot be simply equated with the terms "health status", "life-style", "life satisfaction", "mental state", or "well-being". Rather, it is a multidimensional concept incorporating the individual's perception of these and other aspects of life." | The WHOQOL Group (1995) |
"Quality of life is properly defined by the relation between two subjective or person-based elements and a set of objective circumstances. The subjective elements of a high quality of life comprise (1) a sense of well-being and (2) personal development, learning growth […] The objective element is conceived as quality of conditions representing opportunities for exploitation by the person living a life" | Lane (1996) quoted in Christoph and Noll (2003), p. 197 417 |
"Quality of life is both objective and subjective, each axis being the aggregate of seven domains: material well-being, health, productivity, intimacy, safety, community and emotional well-being. Objective domains comprise culturally relevant measures of objective well-being. Subjective domains comprise domain satisfaction weighted by their importance to the individual" | Cummins (1997) |