Low Quality of Life

Low quality of life means to decrease living standard in the absence of basic needs as well as social, cultural, emotional and spiritual needs. Low quality of life means poor living standard of life.

The fulfillment of basic as well as additional needs in order to have a life full of happiness and satisfaction is called quality of life. Quality of life is a degree of happiness or satisfaction that is achieved by the fulfillment of various needs in one’s life.

In a quality of life every sorts of demands of an individual needs to be fulfilled. If a person receives different types of physical facilities but not a secure life then that is not the quality of life. So a quality of life includes all essential services and facilities for the happiness and satisfaction of human being.

Advantage of quality of life are as follows:

• Fulfillment of basic needs
• Attainment of quality education
• Management of health service, facilities and sanitation
• Facilities for maternal and child welfare
• Opportunity for income generating activities and employment
• Women empowerment

Effects of low quality of life are:

• Lack of fulfillment of basic needs
• Problem of health and sanitation
• Problem of education
• Shortage of employment
• Low income and poverty
• Conflict within the family members
• High maternal and infant mortality rate

Other effects are:

High maternal and infant mortality rates in the family with low quality of life:

Low quality of life is resulted whenever there is no any sort of happiness and satisfaction in the life. Low quality of life is also resulted when there is no fulfillment of basic as well as additional needs. High maternal and child death rate has also resulted the low quality of life. When the mother and child lose their life because of lack of provision of good health facilities and services then also the low quality of life is resulted. Therefore the child death rate and maternal death rate must be reduced in order have a good quality of life.

Low quality of life and low income:

In such low quality of life, it becomes difficult to get employment opportunity; Unemployment means low or no income coming to the family. It promotes the low quality of life due to various reasons. Low income degrades the quality of life. Low income of the family leads to poverty. Since the family income is not adequate to meet the family needs, it results in dissatisfaction. Hence low income makes low quality of life.

Problem of sanitation in low quality of life:

Sanitation is a very important element of quality of life. If we keep our surrounding such as house, courtyard, waste material pit, public well, tap, path road, ponds, lake, etc. then our life style improves. Consequently, quality of life can be achieved. But lack of education in low quality of life creates sanitation problems.

Low quality of life and high maternal child death rate:

Low quality of life is resulted whenever there is no any sort of happiness and satisfaction in the life. Low quality of life is also resulted when there is no fulfillment of basic as well as additional needs. High maternal and child death rate has also result the low quality of life. When the mother and child lose their life because of lack of provision of good health facilities and services then also the low quality of life is resulted. Therefore the child death rate and maternal death rate must be reduced in order have a good quality of life.

Efforts to achieve quality of life

1. Family size

   The size of the family directly affects the quality life and family life. It determines the need and necessities of family members. Quality of life is only possible when the needs and necessities of each family member are fulfilled. If the means and resources are according to the size of the family, it will not be difficult to fulfill the basic as well as additional needs.

2. Quality education

   It is one of the important elements to maintain quality of life. The parents should make great effort to give timely, qualitative and applied education to their children. It helps to raise the standard of the family by long-term achievement. The skilled person with the quality education can translate the contemporary knowledge, skill and competency in his behavioral life appropriately. As a result, person can upgrade the living standard by involving in quick and easy income-generating activities.

3. Appropriate age at marriage

   The appropriate age of marriage is after 20 years. Due to the delayed marriage, first child birth will also be delayed. Few and desired number of children will born and the health of mother and child will be better. It also helps to select suitable life partner for marriage due to maturity in age before marriage. As a result, family life becomes happy and quality of life is formed.

4. Appropriate age first pregnancy

   The first child delivery should take place after 20 years of age. Then, on the one hand, the mother’s health remains unharmed and, on the other hand, the couples have adequate time to enjoy conjugal life as they become well matured. The couple becomes able to think, analyze and decide about family size. Therefore, it helps to maintain the quality of life of the family.

5. Birth spacing

   A couple should adopt appropriate birth spacing. There should be an interval of at least 4 or 5 years between 2 consecutive births which helps to maintain the size of the family and also the health of the mother. So, birth spacing helps to raise the level of quality of life.

6. Health and sanitation

   Family health plays significant role for economic and social development of a family. Nutritious foods and balanced diet, basic health services and facilities, etc. are necessary for a person to be healthy. Another aspect to be healthy is personal and community sanitation. If we keep our house, courtyard, street, and public places neat and clean, our surrounding environment stays fresh, clean and green. As a result, family members becomes healthy and active, Then, quality of life is achieved.

7. Nutritious food

   Nutritious food is necessary for all family members of the family. It helps for the physical, mental and intellectual development. The lack of nutritious food leads towards malnutrition. Therefore, every member of the family should regularly have balanced diet and nutritious foods.

8. Gender equality

   Gender equality has its own separate position for quality of life. Because of gender inequality in our society, gender bias for son and daughters till the son is born. This wrong tendency has increased the size of the family. Therefore, every conscious person should develop same attitude of gender equity. The concept of gender equity makes the family life happy and makes domestic environment peace, beautiful and cordial. Then the quality of life is further improved. Therefore, each and every couple should believe the gender equality for the quality of life.

9. Responsibilities of parents

   If parents understand and bear their responsibilities to children, the quality of life is built in the family. These responsibilities consist of rearing, caressing and educating children. They have to keep children healthy and treat them well. If parents bear their responsibilities sincerely, the children grow as the good and capable members of the family and the quality of life is made.
10. Maintain saving

    Saving is also an effort to build the quality of life of the family. Everyone should pay something from his or her income. Money, thus, gathered should be invested in some income-generating activities. This will increase the income of the family. Then, there will be no shortage of money for fulfilling basic needs and other aspirations in the need. In this way, saving plays a significant role in creating quality of life.

Basis of quality of life:

Basic Needs Oriented Approach

Fulfillment of basic needs is one the indicators of measuring the quality life of human being. The fulfillment of basic needs has been taken as an indicator of economic development and quality life in 1970. Economic and social status increase through economic development and improve the quality life that one can fulfill his basic needs. Thus, basic needs are regarded as one of the bases of quality life. The fulfillment of basic needs was aimed in the sixth five yearly plan (1980- 85 AD) in Nepal for the first time.

The following needs must be ensured to fulfill under the basic need oriented approach:

• Food
• House
• Clothes
• Health
• Education
• Safe drinking
• Water and environmental sanitation

Physical Quality Life Index (PQLI)

Physical quality life index (PQLI) is considered as an indicator or measure quality life. It is passed on the aspect of human welfare and social service rather than per capital income of an individual.

The major basis to measure the physical quality life indexes are as follows:

• Mortality rate of children aged less than five years
• Life expectancy at birth
• Literacy Rate

These are jointly used to find out the status of nations on the basis of 0 to 100 points. The large number indicates better quality life.

Human Development Index (HDI)

Human development report has been published on the basis of Human Development Index (HDI) since 1990. In these days the quality life in measured with the help of human development index.

It is based on the following three dimensions:

• Life expectancy at birth
• Education (literacy rate)
• Income (per capita income)

Quality of life and employment

Employment is an important element of quality of life. It directly affects the other elements of quality of life. If the employment then more amount of money should be spent even to fulfill the basic needs of life. In such condition, the needs of the members of small family can easily be fulfilled. They will get an opportunity of quality food, clothes, housing, etc according to the seasons, quality education, health, and recreation. Therefore, to rear children well to provide opportunity of good and quality education, Due to employment parents can easily undertake their responsibilities towards their children. In this way, employment helps to improve the quality of life.

Delayed and appropriate age for marriage for quality life

Much harm will be done to the health of women if she conceives the child by marriage at an early age. The effect will be adverse on the health of both mother and child if the child is born at an early age due to early marriage So, proper care of health of both mother and child cannot be made as a result child become mentally physically and intellectually weak. Delayed and appropriate age for marriage helps to make the selection of proper life partner and to be responsible parents. Due to this family life become happy and gives quality of life.

Family size and quality of life

Family size is also an important element of quality of life. It directly affects the other elements of quality of life. If the family size is large then more amount of money should be spent even to fulfill the basic needs of life. In such condition, it becomes difficult to get employment opportunity, provision of security, transport, communication, recreation, human rights, freedom, etc. As a result quality of life in a large family size cannot be easily maintained. The needs of the members of small family can easily be fulfilled. They will get an opportunity of quality food, clothes, housing, etc according to the seasons, quality education, health, employment and recreation. Therefore, to rear children well to provide opportunity of good and quality education, to keep them healthy and strong, and to manage the family expenditure, the family size should be smaller. In small sized family, parents can easily undertake their responsibilities towards their children. In this way, small family size helps to improve the quality of life.

Basic needs:

The thing that is very essential for the survival of an individual is called basic needs. Food is the most essential thing required in one’s life. Without food man cannot survive for a single week. Food provides energy to do work and other activities. Similarly clothes are another essential thing required for people to protect themselves from external things. It is also the basic need of people. Also the thing that is of prime necessary to all the living beings is shelter. A good shelter protects the man from heat, rain and other kinds of external things. Such basic needs should be fulfilled in order to live a simple life. Without the basic needs life is not possible.
 

Quality of life and saving:

The degree of happiness or satisfaction in one’s life which is received by the fulfillment of basic as well as additional needs is called quality of life. For a quality of life saving is very important. Many difficulties might arise in one’s life. In such difficulties the most important thing is money. Money is the most important thing in today’s world because without money very small thing is also impossible. So saving should be done in order to make the future better in any sorts of difficulties.
 

Family size:

Family size is also an important element of quality of life. It directly affects the other elements of quality of life. If the family size is large then more amount of money should be spent even to fulfill the basic needs of life. In such condition, it becomes difficult to get employment opportunity, provision of security, transport, communication, recreation, human rights, freedom, etc. As a result quality of life in a large family size cannot be easily maintained. The needs of the members of small family can easily be fulfilled. They will get an opportunity of quality food, clothes, housing, etc according to the seasons, quality education, health, employment and recreation. Therefore, to rear children well to provide opportunity of good and quality education, to keep them healthy and strong, and to manage the family expenditure, the family size should be smaller. In small sized family, parents can easily undertake their responsibilities towards their children. In this way, small family size helps to improve the quality of life.
 

Role of education in quality of life:

Education is the light of knowledge. It raises awareness. A person can improve his/her family members’ quality of life through the proper knowledge, attitude and skills attained by education. Therefore, education is regarded as an important element of quality of life. Educated people do not have any problems in getting job and earning money. The educated family members are capable to achieve or fulfill their basic and extra needs easily. Likewise, education enables people to use modern services and facilities in a easier way, helping them to improve the quality of life.