Social Well-being and Quality of Life – UGC NET Geography – Notes

Quality of Life (QOL) is a multidimensional concept that refers to a person’s overall sense of wellbeing. In recent decades, the discussion and use of QOL as a measurable outcome in health have increased significantly. This change reflects a broader shift in healthcare from a disease-focused biomedical model to a more holistic biopsychosocial model that values wellbeing, functioning, and lived experience. Alongside this shift, improvements in medical treatment and disease management have led to longer life expectancy, especially among people living with chronic conditions, making it increasingly important to consider not only how long people live, but how well they live.

Despite its widespread use, there is no single agreed-upon definition of QOL. Researchers continue to debate its meaning because quality of life differs between individuals, social groups, and cultures. What one person considers a good quality of life may not be the same for another. This subjectivity makes QOL difficult to define in precise terms and challenging to measure in a way that is meaningful for every individual. The individual’s own perspective is central to QOL, yet this same feature complicates its use in clinical practice and research.

Confusion surrounding QOL is further increased by the inconsistent use of related terms. In both literature and practice, concepts such as health, perceived health, health status, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and quality of life are often used interchangeably, even though they do not represent exactly the same idea. This overlap in terminology has contributed to ongoing ambiguity about what QOL truly encompasses.

In health contexts, QOL is commonly understood to consist of four core domains: physical health, mental health, social health, and functional health. Physical health includes aspects such as symptoms, pain, energy levels, and mobility. Mental health refers to emotional wellbeing, psychological state, and cognitive functioning. Social health involves relationships, social roles, and support networks, while functional health relates to an individual’s ability to perform daily activities and participate in meaningful life roles. These domains interact with one another, reinforcing the idea that quality of life cannot be reduced to a single dimension.

One of the most widely used definitions of quality of life is provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO, quality of life is “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.” This definition highlights the multidimensional and subjective nature of QOL and acknowledges the influence of physical health, psychological state, personal beliefs, social relationships, and environmental factors. It also aligns with the WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), which emphasizes wellbeing and functioning rather than disease alone.

Beyond healthcare, quality of life refers to the general wellbeing of individuals and societies. It includes both positive and negative aspects of life and reflects how closely life circumstances align with personal or societal expectations of a good life. Quality of life encompasses a wide range of factors, including physical and mental health, family life, education, employment, income, safety, freedom, religious beliefs, and the environment. These elements are shaped by cultural values, goals, and social context and serve as reference points against which individuals assess their own lives.

Closely related to quality of life is the concept of life satisfaction, which describes the degree to which an individual feels satisfied with different domains of life. Life satisfaction contributes to subjective wellbeing and further illustrates the personal nature of QOL. For example, a person with a disability may report a high quality of life, while a physically healthy person facing unemployment or social isolation may report a low quality of life.

Within healthcare, quality of life is viewed as a multidimensional construct encompassing emotional, physical, social, and material wellbeing. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) specifically examines how health status and medical conditions affect overall quality of life. Importantly, quality of life should not be confused with standard of living, which is largely based on income. While material resources are relevant, QOL also includes non-material aspects such as social belonging, leisure, education, and environmental quality.

Overall, quality of life describes the extent to which an individual is healthy, comfortable, and able to participate in and enjoy life. Its inherent ambiguity reflects the complexity of human experience, making QOL a challenging but essential concept in healthcare, research, and social policy.