An overview of quality of urban life

Abstract

There is a long history of quality of life (QOL) studies based on two distinctive analytical approaches. One covers objective indicators involving the analysis of spatially aggregated secondary data whereas the other approach focuses on the analysis of subjective measures of QOL domains derived from household surveys. Aided by the use of GIS technology, efforts have been made to integrate the subjective approach with spatial objective data, especially where there is a focus on the analysis and modeling of quality of urban life (QOUL). The chapter presents an overview of the evolution of these approaches in QOL/QOUL studies and sets the stage for subsequent chapters.