Reflections
within the European Statistical System (ESS) on the multidimensional
measurement of Quality of Life
The EC Communication on 'GDP
and beyond: measuring progress in a changing world', and the Report
by the Commission on Measurement of Economic Performance and Societal
Progress' (better known as the Stiglitz report), which were made public
respectively in August and in September 2009, gave a strong impetus
for an integrated view on the economic and social well-being of our
societies.
Both
documents introduce a new chapter on integrated statistics, namely on
how to capture the complexity of measuring the quality of life, of measuring
well-being of individuals and the sustainable progress and well-being
of societies.
In order to establish a common approach towards measuring progress,
well-being and sustainable development, the European Statistical System
(ESS) has gathered representatives of 16 Member States, together with
experts from OECD, other Commission services and Agencies, to form a
Sponsorship Group, which has the task to develop recommendations also
taking into account the new production method for EU statistics (vision).
One of the 4 Task Forces (TF) set up by this Sponsorship Group has worked
on a proposal for the multidimensional measurement of Quality of Life
(QoL). While recognising that measuring QoL involves the measurement
of various components/domains - such as personal and economic security,
health, employment and life satisfaction - the TF recommended not to
combine the results of the domains into one composite indicator, but
to select key indicator(s) and complementary indicators per domain.
In order to reduce complexity of the data and to allow for analysis
between dimensions, a set of synthetic level indicators for each quality
of life dimension should be developed to the extent that the variables
of interest are highly correlated. A scoreboard of uncorrelated primary
indicators should complement the picture.
In autumn 2011 the Sponsorship Group and the European Statistical System
Committee (ESSC) will decide on the acceptance/operationalisation of
the recommendations proposed.