The first section of the report describes overall changes in quality of life scores whilst the second explores which elements contribute most to changes in overall quality of life. The results indicate that satisfaction with communications with friends is a key component. The final results section then develops a series of statistical models that analyses IST related changes in satisfaction with communications with friends as a component of QoL. The report concludes with a discussion of the implications for policy with particular reference to the e-Europe agenda and potential RTD actions.
This report presents descriptive data on changes in quality of life from 2001 to 2002 in the six countries surveyed. It shows how simplistic conceptions of ISTs contributing to overall QoL are misplaced. In no country did acquiring a mobile phone, Internet access or broadband internet have any positive effect on overall quality of life. Indeed in some countries there was a negative relationship. Instead changes in environmental conditions, perceptions of free time, communications with friends and work conditions (for those in work) all played are more significant part in changing perceived quality of life. In addition there was little support for the standard macro-economic assumption that moving into employment necessarily increases quality of life. This was true in Norway and Bulgaria but the opposite was true in Italy.
We then extend the analysis to a focus on satisfaction with communications with friends and show that, again, based on these data and models at least there is not yet much evidence that ISTs can contribute to this element of quality of life in all countries. However due to limitations in the e-Living dataset these models are extremely sparse and have low explanatory power and given the recent history of ISTs in supporting interpersonal communication this report suggests that further exploration of this area is required.
Author(s) :
Ben Anderson
Original URL:
http://www.essex.ac.uk/chimera/content/pubs/wps/CWP-2004-05-Soc-Cap.pdf
Language(s) available:
EN
Number of pages (Original version):
26
Nature of documentation: Surveys