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Parallels Between Objective Indicators and Subjective Perceptions of Quality of Life: A Study of Metropolitan and County Areas in Taiwan

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Abstract

This study explores the consistency between objective indicators and subjective perceptions of quality of life in a ranking of survey data for cities and counties in Taiwan. Data used for analysis included the Statistical Yearbook of Hsiens and Municipalities and the Survey on Living Conditions of Citizens in Taiwan, both given for the year 2000. The Quality of life was examined in seven domains: medical services, domestic finances, work, education, leisure, public safety, and environmental quality. Subjective and objective rankings for each domain of quality of life for 23 areas (some areas are cities and some are counties) are compared. Analysis by means of nonparametric correlation coefficients indicates that there is no significant correlation between objective indicators and subjective perceptions, except in Education and Environmental Quality. Objective indicators of Environmental Quality (air pollution and garbage) are positively correlated with subjective satisfaction with residential environment. But inexplicably, higher levels of literacy and educational achievement are negatively correlated with satisfaction with the educational system. It may be considered that disparity in either average objective conditions or in average subjective perceptions may not adequately depict quality of life differences.

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Notes

  1. In this study, objective variables at the individual level, such as education and income (Cummins 2000), are not included.

  2. Since the objective indicators of Kinmen and Lienchian (Matsu island) counties are not available, the following analyses are based on the remaining 23 cities and counties.

  3. For example, water quality and noise were important indicators for Environmental Quality. However, there are no data available for three or more counties/cities in 2000. These indicators were, therefore, not selected for analysis.

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Acknowledgment

This study is sponsored by the National Science Council, Taiwan (NSC 93-2412-H-001- 025). Please direct all correspondence to the author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Survey Research, Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences, Academia Sinica, 128 Sec. 2, Academia Road, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan

    Pei-shan Liao

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Correspondence to Pei-shan Liao.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Area and population of cities and counties in Taiwan, year 2000

 

Total area (km2)

Plain regiona (%)

Hilly regionb (%)

Population (person)

Population density (per km2)

A. Taipei County

2052.57

11.26

54.48

3567896

1738.26

B. Yilan County

2143.63

18.27

15.55

465186

217.01

C. Taoyuan County

1220.95

53.81

26.25

1732617

1419.07

D. Hsinchu County

1427.59

13.37

45.91

439713

308.01

E. Miaoli County

1820.31

12.47

47.73

559703

307.48

F. Taichung County

2051.47

25.17

24.94

1494308

728.41

G. Changhua County

1074.4

87.71

9.33

1310531

1219.78

H. Nantou County

4106.44

4.98

31.13

541537

131.88

I. Yunlin County

1290.84

89.36

6.31

743368

575.88

J. Chiayi County

1901.67

42.4

22.58

562305

295.69

K. Tainan County

2016.01

59.28

25.1

1107687

549.45

L. Kaohsiung County

2792.66

22.48

22.1

1234707

442.13

M. Pingtung County

2775.6

34.46

32.55

907590

326.99

N. Taitung County

3515.25

6.32

27.76

245312

69.79

O. Hualien County

4628.57

10.88

16.6

353630

76.4

P. Penghu County

126.86

100

–

89496

705.45

Q. Keelung City

132.76

5.78

78.34

388425

2925.79

R. Hsinchu City

104.1

54.84

44.21

368439

3539.4

S. Taichung City

163.43

62.46

33.35

965790

5909.66

T. Chiayi City

60.03

85.7

9.5

266183

4434.49

U. Tainan City

175.65

100

–

734650

4182.57

V. Taipei City

271.8

45.12

54.88

2646474

9736.85

W. Kaohsiung City

153.6

88.19

6.22

1490560

9703.98

X. Lienchiang County

28.8

–

–

6733

233.78

Y. Kinmen County

153.06

–

–

53832

351.71

Total

36188.05

26.67

27.32

22276672

615.58

  1. Source: (1) Total land area: Ministry of Interior, Taiwan; (2) Hilly region: Soil & Water Conservation Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Taiwan
  2. aPlain region refers to low-altitude plain areas, which mainly include plain, basin, delta, valley, and part terrace
  3. bHilly region refers to mounds with the altitude of 100, to 1,000 m., or refers to slope land in 5% degree of slope and altitude below 100 m

Appendix 2

Factor scores of objective quality of life

 

Medical Service

Domestic Finances

Work

Education

Leisure

Public Safety

Environ. Qualitya

A. Taipei County

1.0739

.5630

.1271

.6245

−.6846

−1.0733

1.5717

B. Yilan County

−.5199

−.2865

.3485

−.7942

−.0279

−.4761

−1.0790

C. Taoyuan County

.9857

.8875

−.6371

.1739

−.5044

−.6869

.5039

D. Hsinchu County

−.8912

.7844

−.4148

.3992

−.0371

−.5281

−1.1260

E. Miaoli County

−.6697

−.4991

−.3641

−.0484

−.7670

−.4594

−.8838

F. Taichung County

.1610

−.1954

.9086

−.1813

−.5318

−.5778

1.3049

G. Changhua County

−.0321

−.7153

−1.2749

−1.4201

−.6296

−.9415

.1785

H. Nantou County

−.5933

−.6924

1.0297

−.3448

−.2417

−.7310

−.9664

I. Yunlin County

−.7981

−.9894

−.2729

−1.7456

−.4036

.0180

.2558

J. Chiayi County

−.8821

−.7283

.1101

−1.5832

1.0808

−.5213

−.2017

K. Tainan County

−.2463

−.8145

.4531

−.5310

−.5044

−1.0252

−.2887

L. Kaohsiung County

.0228

−.8628

1.3484

−.7685

−.5349

−.8015

.1158

M. Pingtung County

−.1511

−.5367

−.9657

−.8335

.0393

−.8247

−.1892

N. Taitung County

−.9464

−1.2189

.5881

−.7570

1.4595

−.2426

−1.3665

O. Hualien County

−.1960

−.2791

.3443

.2222

−.8251

.4004

−.9836

P. Penghu County

−1.0276

−.9823

−3.3059

.1744

3.8327

−.2152

−1.1777

Q. Keelung City

−.7300

.2995

.8831

−.0210

−.0279

.0229

−.2994

R. Hsinchu City

−.6774

1.8166

.5337

.7907

−.0371

1.4568

1.3073

S. Taichung City

1.2943

.5867

.3697

1.6946

.0668

1.5648

−.4345

T. Chiayi City

.3050

.0247

−.6096

.9031

−.4433

2.3352

−.3484

U. Tainan City

.1284

.1219

1.1888

.8889

−.3791

1.8049

.4768

V. Taipei City

3.2157

2.9831

−.4612

2.1944

−.2844

1.2913

1.8837

W. Kaohsiung City

1.1738

.7329

.0731

.9627

.3844

.2102

1.7463

  1. aHigher scores in Environmental Quality indicated a lower quality in these domains

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Liao, Ps. Parallels Between Objective Indicators and Subjective Perceptions of Quality of Life: A Study of Metropolitan and County Areas in Taiwan. Soc Indic Res 91, 99–114 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9327-3

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