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A Gender Lens on Quality of Life: The Role of Sense of Community, Perceived Social Support, Self-Reported Health and Income

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  • Chiara Rollero
  • Silvia Gattino
  • Norma De Piccoli

Abstract

Quality of life (QoL) refers to a subjective evaluation that is embedded in a cultural, social and environmental context. It is a multidimensional concept and its assessment covers four domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. Although many studies report on QoL, literature rarely addressed the question of the QoL predictors from a gender perspective. Present study aimed at investigating gender differences in the determinants of QoL. Specifically, gender was considered as a moderator in the relationship between predictors of QoL (i.e. socio-demographic characteristics, perceived health, income, social support and sense of community) and each dimension of QoL. 654 Italian adults participated in the study. Results show that men outscore women on the physical, the psychological and the environmental domains of QoL. Considering determinants of QoL, sense of community and self-reported health operate in a similar fashion for both genders. On the contrary, social support is more predictive for women’s QoL, whereas the income level is more significant for men’s QoL. Implications are discussed. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Chiara Rollero & Silvia Gattino & Norma De Piccoli, 2014. "A Gender Lens on Quality of Life: The Role of Sense of Community, Perceived Social Support, Self-Reported Health and Income," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(3), pages 887-898, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:116:y:2014:i:3:p:887-898
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-013-0316-9
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    1. Mohammad Mazharul Islam & Mohammad Muzahidul Islam & Haitham Khoj, 2022. "Coping Mechanisms and Quality of Life of Low-Income Households during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-24, December.
    2. Gabriele Prati & Elvira Cicognani & Cinzia Albanesi, 2018. "The Impact of Sense of Community in the School, Social Skills, and Exposure to Aggression and Victimization on Students’ Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 140(2), pages 637-651, November.
    3. Gabriele Prati & Cinzia Albanesi & Luca Pietrantoni, 2016. "The Reciprocal Relationship between Sense of Community and Social Well-Being: A Cross-Lagged Panel Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(3), pages 1321-1332, July.
    4. Terri Mannarini & Cosimo Talò & Evangelia Ntzani & Maria Kritikou & Lluis Serra Majem & Sergio Salvatore & Lisa Marie Warner & Maria Luisa Brandi, 2018. "Sense of Community and the Perception of the Socio-Physical Environment: A Comparison Between Urban Centers of Different Sizes Across Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(3), pages 965-977, June.
    5. Antonella D’Agostino & Caterina Giusti & Antoanneta Potsi, 2018. "Gender and Children’s Wellbeing: Four Mediterranean Countries in Perspective," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(5), pages 1649-1676, October.

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