Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Personal and Neighbourhood Indicators of Quality of Urban Life: A Case Study of Hong Kong

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of findings from a recent survey of quality of urban life (QOUL) in Hong Kong which focuses on: (a) individuals’ subjective assessment of their overall quality of life (QOL) and of a set of QOL life domains, and (b) their level of satisfaction for three levels of QOUL living domains: their housing, their neighbourhood, and Hong Kong as a whole. Differences between demographic and socio-economic groups are discussed. The paper also reports on preliminary results of multivariate modelling to identify factors that might explain variations in individual levels of satisfaction with their overall QOL and with the three levels of QOUL living domains. The Hong Kong survey of QOUL is compared to those of Brisbane and of the greater Detroit region to highlight differences between urban regions in the east and west. The results show that Hong Kong is still lagging far behind the two western regions in most aspects of the QOL life domains and the three QOUL living domains. The comparisons have implied that the differences between these urban regions are beyond east-west influence in the perception of quality of life and more attributable to disparities in urban environments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Source: adapted from Marans and Rodgers (1975) and Campbell et al. (1976a)

Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Note that both the Brisbane and the greater Detroit studies found that there were within region variations in the levels of people’s assessment of their overall QOL and in their levels of satisfaction on the three levels of QOUL living domains. These variations need to be borne in mind as the overall findings from the QOUL surveys for the three cities in this paper were compared at the aggregate city regions.

References

  • Bruin, M. J., & Cook, C. C. (1997). Understanding constraints and residential satisfaction among low-income single-parent families. Environment and Behavior, 29(4), 532–553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A., Converse, P. E., & Rodgers, W. L. (1976a). The quality of American life: Perceptions, evaluations and satisfactions. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A., Converse, P., Rodgers, W., & Marans, R. W. (1976b). The residential environment. In A. Campbell, P. Converse, & W. Rodgers (Eds.), The quality of American life: Perceptions, evaluations and satisfactions (pp. 217–266). New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan, Y. K., Kwan, C. C. A., & Shek, T. L. D. (2005). The CHHK quality of life index. Social Indicators Research, 71, 259–289.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, S. (2015). Measuring environmental quality of life: A GIS approach to deriving objective measures using Hong Kong as a case study, PhD Thesis, The University of Hong Kong.

  • Chou, Y.-L., & Chi, I. (2010). Determinants of life satisfaction in Hong Kong Chinese elderly: A longitudinal study. Aging and Mental Health, 3(4), 328–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahmann, D. C. (1985). Assessments of neighborhood quality in metropolitan America. Urban Affairs Quarterly, 20(4), 511–535.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2008). Happiness: Unlocking the mysteries of psychological wealth. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., & Suh, E. M. (Eds.). (2000). Culture and subjective well-being. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dissart, J.-C., & Deller, S. C. (2000). Quality of life in the planning literature. Journal of Planning Literature, 1, 36–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eid, M. (2007). The science of subjective wellbeing. New York: Guilford Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaeser, E., Kolko, J. & Saiz, A. (2000). Consumer city, working paper 7790. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.

  • Golledge, R. G., & Stimson, R. J. (1987). Analytical behavioural geography. London: Croom Helm.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D., Deiner, D., & Schwartz, N. (Eds.). (1999). Well-being: The foundations of hedonic psychology. Russell Sage Foundation: New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeble, D. (1990). Small firms, new firms, and uneven regional development in the United Kingdom. Area, 22, 234–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambiri, D., Biagi, B., & Rpyuela, V. (2007). Quality of life in the economic and urban economic literature. Social Indicators Research, 84, 1–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lau, A., Chi, I., & McKenna, K. (2006). Self-perceived quality of life of Chinese elderly people in Hong Kong. Occupational Therapy International, 5(2), 118–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lau, A. L. D., Cummins, R. A., & McPherson, W. (2005). An investigation into the cross-cultural equivalence of the Personal Wellbeing Index. Social Indicators Research, 72, 403–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ley, D. (1996). The new middle class and the remaking of the central city. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liao, T.-S., Fu, Y.-C., & Yi, C.-C. (2005). Perceived quality of life in Taiwan and Hong Kong: An intra-culture comparison. Journal of Happiness Studies, 6, 43–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liaw, K. L., Frey, W. H., & Lin, J. P. (2002). Location of adult children as an attraction for black and white elderly primary migrants in the United States. Environment and Planning A, 34(2), 191–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, M. (1999). Determinants of residential satisfaction: Ordered logit vs. regression models. Growth and Change, 30(2), 264–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). The how of happiness: A scientific approach to getting the life you want. New York: The Penguin Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marans, R. W. (2008). Quality of urban life research: Travel findings from the Detroit area study. IAPS bulletin of people-environment studies, 33, Spring-Summer, pp. 299–352.

  • Marans, R. & Kweon, B-S. (2011). The quality of life in metro Detroit at the beginning of the millennium. In R.W. Marans & R.J. Stimson (Eds.), Investigating quality of urban life: Theory, methods and empirical research. Social Indicators Research Series, volume 45, Springer, Dordrecht, p. 456.

  • Marans, R. W., & Rodgers, W. (1975). Toward an understanding of community satisfaction. In A. Hawley & V. Rock (Eds.), Metropolitan America in contemporary perspective (pp. 299–352). New York: Halsted Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marans, R.W. & Stimson, R.J. (Eds.) (2011). Investigating quality of urban life: Theory, methods and empirical research. Social Indicators Research Series, volume 45, Springer, Dordrecht.

  • McCrea, R., Marans, R.W., Stimson, R. & Western, J. (2011). Subjective measurement of quality of life using primary data collection and the analysis of survey data. In R.W. Marans & R. J. Stimson (Eds.), Investigating quality of urban life: Theory, methods and empirical research. Social Indicators Research Series, volume 45, Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 55–74.

  • McCrea, R., Shyy, T. K., & Stimson, R. (2006). What is the strength of the link between objective and subjective indicators of urban quality of life? Applied Research in Quality of Life, 1, 79–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCrea, R., Stimson, R., & Western, J. (2005). Testing a moderated model of satisfaction with urban living using data for Brisbane-South East Queensland, Australia. Social Indicators Research, 72, 121–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulligan, G., Carruthers, J., & Cahill, M. (2004). Urban quality of life and public policy: a survey. In R. Capello & P. Nijkamp (Eds.), Advances in urban economics (pp. 729–802). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkes, A., Kearns, A., & Atkinson, R. (2002). What makes people dissatisfied with their neighbourhoods?. Urban Studies, 39(13), 2413–2438.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L. (2010). Introduction: Quality of life of Chinese people in a changing world. Social Indicators Research, 95, 357–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shek, D. T. L., & Lee, M. (2007). A comprehensive review of quality of life (QOL) research in Hong Kong. The Scientific WorldJOURNAL: TWS Holistic Health and Medicine, 7, 1222–1229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sirgy, M. J., & Cornwell, T. (2002). How neighborhood features affect quality of life. Social Indicators Research, 59(1), 79–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stimson, R., McCrea, R. & Western, J. (2011). The Brisbane-South East Queensland region, Australia: Subjective assessment of quality of urban life and changes over time. In R.W. Marans & R. J. Stimson (Eds.), Investigating quality of urban life: Theory, methods and empirical research. Social Indicators Research Series, volume 45, Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 185–208.

  • Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. (2008). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. New haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Praag, B.M., & Ferrer-i-Carbonell, A. (2004). Happiness quantified: A satisfaction calculus approach. Oxford University Press.

  • von Wirth, T., Gret-Regamey, A., & Stauffacher, M. (2015). Mediating effects between objective and subjective indicators of urban quality of life: Testing specific models for safety and access. Social Indicators Research, 122(1), 189–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, E. (2008). The geography of bliss. New York: Twelve (Hatchett Book Group).

    Google Scholar 

  • Western, J., McCrea, R., & Stimson, R. J. (2007). Quality of life and social inclusion. International Review of Sociology, 17(3), 523–537.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, N. P. (Ed.). (2006). A brief history of happiness. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zehner, R. (1997). Indicators of quality of life in new communities. Cambridge: MA, Ballinger Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on research financed through Grant #746412 from the Hong Kong Research Grants Council. The authors thank staff of the Public Opinion Programme of the University of Hong Kong for their assistance with the questionnaire survey.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

    Chien-Tat Low, Si Chen, Paulina Pui-Yun Wong & Poh-Chin Lai

  2. School of Geography, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia

    Robert Stimson

  3. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland, Brisbane St Lucia, QLD, Australia

    Robert Stimson

  4. Institute for Health and Ageing, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Ester Cerin

Authors
  1. Chien-Tat Low
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert Stimson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Si Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ester Cerin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Paulina Pui-Yun Wong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Poh-Chin Lai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Poh-Chin Lai.

Electronic Supplementary Material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 32 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Low, CT., Stimson, R., Chen, S. et al. Personal and Neighbourhood Indicators of Quality of Urban Life: A Case Study of Hong Kong. Soc Indic Res 136, 751–773 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-017-1579-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-017-1579-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation