DETERMINANTS OF THE QUALITY-OF-LIFE OF RURAL FAMILIES

Drawing from human ecology theory the purpose of this study was to exa mine socioeconomic-demographic determinants of the quality of life of rural families. In the study, computer-aided telephone interviewing vi a random digit dialing procedures were used to collect data in the spr ing of 1996. The participants included 510 rural (both farm and nonfar m) respondents. Quality of life was measured by five subscales:finance s; home, family, and friends; household; community; and environment, T he results of the regression analyses indicated that the independent v ariables-gender; race, marital status, employment status, residence, a ge,family income, and household size, differentially affected the qual ity of life subscales. Among the independent variables, household size -not a commonly used determinant in quality of life studies -was the m ost important predictor of subjective well-being. The findings off his study lend support for the dimensional, rather than global, measureme nt of subjective well-being.