DEFINING AND APPLYING THE CONCEPT OF QUALITY-OF-LIFE

Quality of life has been increasingly used as a scientific concept in literature embracing a wide range of target groups and populations as a whole. Conceptualizations vary, but there is much common ground conc erning the domain content embraced by the term. Commentators are also clear that account needs to be taken of both objective life conditions and subjective personal appraisals,and the fact that what is importan t to each person varies. A synthesis of these perspectives provides a model of quality of life which integrates objective and subjective ind icators and individual values across a broad range of life domains. Li fe domain issues may be categorized within six areas: physical, materi al, social, productive, emotional and civic well-being. Whatever its p recise specification, the model is put forward as a framework for orga nizing measurement relevant to the quality of life concept rather than as a blueprint for deriving the ultimate single instrument. There is still a need for methodological flexibility. The pre-eminent aim is to relate the fine grain of the experience of individuals with disabilit y to that of the wider world.