What is quality of life and how can its different aspects be measured appropriately? This question can be answered by a new online publication on Quality of life indicators released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union on the occasion of the International Day of Happiness established by the United Nations and celebrated throughout the world on 20 March. These quality of life measures complement the one indicator, GDP, traditionally used for measuring economic, and often social, development. Two examples from health and education, which are important determinants of the quality of life of individuals, are presented below.
Life expectancy
The overall health level of a society is related to its GDP, but the correlation becomes weaker after a certain level of economic development is reached. Based on the relation between the two, EU Member States can be broadly divided into three groups. Those in the central and eastern EU have relatively lower life expectancy and relatively lower GDP per capita. Those in the southern EU, have a higher GDP per capita and a life expectancy which reaches the highest values, while those in the western and northern EU have the highest GDP per capita, but life expectancy at around the same level as in some of the southern Member States, or even slightly lower.
See full Press Release, in pdf format: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/3-19032014-CP/EN/3-19032014-CP-EN.PDF
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