Tag: I31

WELL-BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE: DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES IN RURAL AND PERI-URBAN AREAS IN THE NORTH OF PORTUGAL

Teresa SEQUEIRA

Assistant Professor, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) & CETRAD

tsequeir@utad.pt

Herminia GONÇALVES

Assistant Professor, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) & CETRAD

hgoncalves@utad.pt

Bruno SANTOS FRANCISCO

Federal University of São Carlos and Ruralidade Verde, Lda

brunofrancisco@estudante.ufscar.br

António PIRRA

Assistant Professor, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD)

apirra@utad.pt

Veronika JOUKES

Assistant Professor, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD) & CETRAD

veronika@utad.pt

Abstract

Quality of life is a multidimensional concept that has been gaining prominence in works intending to study the level of development of a territory, mainly based on secondary data treated statistically. Other approaches have emerged based on primary data, which is the case of this work.

This study captures the perception of residents in Vila Marim, a small parish in Portugal, about their quality of life by a survey technique based on the WHOQOL-BREF instrument.

The results obtained point to different weightings in the several domains of quality of life. In particular, we would like to point out that peri-urban areas have better indexes in the domains of general quality of life, social relations and the physical domain, while rural areas have better ones in the psychological and environment domains.

Additionally, it was added one open question to the original survey, which made possible to understand that issues related to income and physical security are common to all age groups. Health concerns increase with age as well as governance and basic rights are issues with improved importance. 

These results show different sensitivities about how quality of life is experienced and, therefore, the importance of the methodology and territorial scale used.

This work was done in partnership with local government agents, and its results may serve as a basis for a more direct and immediate action, providing greater effectiveness and efficiency of policies to support the quality of life of residents in Vila Marim, Portugal and in other rural and peri-urban areas.

Keywords: Quality of Life, Low density territories, WHOQOL-BREF methodology, Regional sustainable development, Cohesion policies

JEL classification: I31, O18, R10

 pp. 13-28

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EFFECTS OF LEISURE ACTIVITIES ON HAPPINESS IN THE CASE OF JAPAN

Kenichi SHIMAMOTO

KS Sustainability Research, Japan

ken_japan51@hotmail.com

Abstract

With the increase interest in adopting a form of happiness to policy goals, a wide range of studies on subjective well-being (SWB) have become available. Leisure is a key component of our daily life which can affect SWB. Leisure activities is said to reduce stress and promote health. It can be a social activity that provides a sense of belonging or the time can be used for self-development. There is a wide range of leisure activities such as sports, hobbies, volunteer participation and socializing. This paper examines the underlying characteristics of leisure activities by conducting a principal component analysis across leisure related variables by using cross section data for 47 prefectures in Japan. The main results find that regions with greater active/external type tend to have higher levels of SWB, and regions with greater self-development type tend to have lower levels of SWB.

Keywords: Subjective well-being, leisure, Japan

JEL classification: I31, Z00

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DOES QUALITY OF LIFE MATTER FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN INDONESIA?

Ery JAYANTI

Ph.D. Scholar in Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Senior Lecturer, Universitas Jabal Ghafur, Sigli, Aceh, Indonesia

ery_jayanti@yahoo.com

Said MUHAMMAD

Professor, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia

said@unsyiah.ac.id

B.S NAZAMUDDIN

Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia

abdjamal@unsyiah.ac.id nazamuddin@unsyiah.ac.id

T. ZULHAM

Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia

teukuzulham@unsyiah.ac.id

M. Shabri Abd. MAJID*

Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia

mshabri@unsyiah.ac.id

*Corresponding author

Abstract

To ensure its sustainable development, although it is not legally binding, Indonesia have strongly committed to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that have been initiated by the General Assembly of the United Nations since 2015 with the main targets to end poverty, safeguard the planet, and guarantee the peaceful and prosperous lives of all citizens on the globe in 2030. Amidst the strong commitment of the Indonesian government to include the SDGs’ framework in its development agenda, this study empirically examines the extent to which the quality of life has contributed towards achieving the SDGs in Indonesia. Specifically, this study attempts to explore the effect of quality of life on the reduction of poverty and hunger and the increase of access to clean water of the Indonesian across 33 provinces in the country over the period 2010-2017. Using the panel multiple regression approach, the study documented significant positive effects of the income level, tertiary education level, and formal employment status on the reduction on the poverty and hunger index. Additionally, both the tertiary level of education and income positively contributed to the increase in clean water access. These findings shed some lights for the policy-makers to design proper policies for achieving the SDGs agenda through enhancing the citizens’ quality of life so that the target of realizing “Zero Goals” where all Indonesian living without poverty and having sufficient access to clean water could be materialized.

Keywords: Sustainable development goals, Poverty, Hunger index, Clean water access.

JEL classification: I31, I39, O18

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