Quality of Life Survey

- main program of the Research Institute for the Quality of Life

Gabriela NeaguBHC International Seminar

October 1, 2010 Bacău

Research Institute for the Quality of LifeResearch themes

• Social policies and social development: design and evaluation

• Quality of Life Survey

• Living standards, incomes and consumption

• Community development

• Social and symbolic capital

Beneficiaries

• Social policy officials

• Central and local government

• International institutions (EU, World Bank, UNICEF, UNDP, ILO), social partners (unions, NGOs)

• Students, master and PhD students

International affiliations

• European Foundation for Improving Living Conditions and Working Conditions network

• European Values Study / World Values Study

• EU FP 4,5&6

Quality of Life Research in Romania – a short history

early 70s: prof. Cătălin Zamfir designed the first study in Romania

1984: first book Indicators and variation sources for the quality of life

1990: Research Institute for the Quality of Life is founded within the Romanian Academy network

1990: first Quality of Life Survey on a representative sample for the entire population of Romania

1990-1999: a survey each year

2003, 2006: a set of indicators used in european surveys is added to the survey design 2010: the latest survey

Results & dissemination:

Academic articles in the Quality of Life Journal, published by the Romanian Academy www.revistacalitateavieţii.ro

national & internaitonal conferences & workshops2010: ICCV: 20 years after (www.iccv.ro)

books: • Quality of Life in Romania (editors Ioan Mărginean, Ana Bălasa), Expert, 2002• Quality of Life in Romania (editor Ioan Mărginean), Expert, 2004

a multi-disciplinary research team:sociologist, economists, psychologists

Main subjects in the Quality of Life Survey (1)I. Household economic well-being (incomes, consumption, housing, appliances, etc.)II. Perceived quality of life• livind conditions (health, family, living conditions);• economic resources evaluation (incomes, needs);• working conditions (available jobs, quality of work, colleague relations, career)• free time• social evironment (personal security, human rights)• social services (health care, education, local and central government)• social and politcal participation (information access, quality of information, participation levels)

Main subjects in the Quality of Life Survey (2)

III. Perception of changes / quality of life expectations• view of the future compared to the present• view of the present compared to the past• decision on changes• groups favored / disfavored by changeIV. Work• schedule• activitiesV. Free time• activitiesVI. Human environment• relationships• social trustVII. Concerns and fearsVIII. Life satisfaction (overall and components)

How would you regard your income compared with your needs?

1993 1996 1999 2003 2006 2010

Not enough for basics 25.5 33.8 39.7 33.4 27.2 30,6

Enough for basics 35 36.7 36.7 39.6 34.3 33,8

Enough for a decent living 30.2 21.3 16.5 20 23.6 25,7

Enough for buying even more expensive goods

8.5 6.9 5.8 5.8 13 9,7

We have everything we need 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.8 1.6 0,5

Chance of finding a job according to aspirations and professional degree1993 1996 2003 2006 2010

Very low 27.4 30.3 35.0 28.9 39,4

Low 35.6 40.9 40.1 41.7 37

Satisfying 12.5 16.4 13.0 16.4 17,3

High 9.7 7.0 6.2 7.4 5,7

Very high 1.1 0.6 0.4 1.8 0,3

DN/NA 13.6 0.4 5.4 3.5 0,2

Human relations perception

1993 1996 1999 2003 2006 2010

Very dissatisfied 6,8 4,8 9,9 6,2 4,9 9,6

Dissatisfied 37,3 26,7 33,7 28,8 27,0 28,2

Nor satisfied, nor dissatisfied 30,5 34,2 33,1 36,4 36,6 41,7

Satisfied 23,1 31,5 21,3 24,5 28,9 19,6

Very satisfied 0,7 0,5 0,4 0,4 0,9 0,7

DN/NA 1,5 2,3 1,6 3,7 1,7 0,2

How the country is run

18,7

38,8 41

77,3

16,1

5,8

48,9

32,6

17,7

79,5

15,8

4

0

10

2030

40

50

6070

80

90

badl

y

satis

fyin

g

wel

l

badl

y

satis

fyin

g

wel

l

badl

y

satis

fyin

g

wel

l

badl

y

satis

fyin

g

wel

l

1990 1999 2006 2010

Personal and family security perception

33,536,1

28,9

34,9

39,4

24,527

32,5

38,9

22

42,3

35,3

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

low

sati

sfyi

ng

good low

sati

sfyi

ng

good low

sati

sfyi

ng

good low

sati

sfyi

ng

good

1990 1999 2006 2010

Perception of Changes in Society after 1989

29,3

46,6

22,2

54

32,6

11,6

33,2

42,3

23,9

53,7

32,8

12,6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

nega

tive

sati

sfyi

ng

posi

tive

nega

tive

sati

sfyi

ng

posi

tive

nega

tive

sati

sfyi

ng

posi

tive

nega

tive

sati

sfyi

ng

posi

tive

1995 1999 2006 2010