Determinants of Quality of Life in Selected African Countries

International Journal of Economics and Management Studies

© 2018 by SSRG - IJEMS Journal

Volume 5 Issue 3

Year of Publication : 2018

Authors : Sani Muhammad & Abubakar Sabo

10.14445/23939125/IJEMS-V5I3P103

How to Cite?

Sani Muhammad & Abubakar Sabo, "Determinants of Quality of Life in Selected African Countries," SSRG International Journal of Economics and Management Studies, vol. 5,  no. 3, pp. 14-21, 2018. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23939125/IJEMS-V5I3P103

Abstract:

This paper sets out to establish whether the determinants of quality of life identified in the literature on developed countries are valid for developing countries like Africa. The study used a panel sample of twenty three (23) countries for the period of 2008 – 2014 on the basis of availability of data in the region.Thus, fixed effects and random effects model were used to estimate the variables under investigation. The Hausman specification test of 1978 was applied to select the appropriate and better model for the estimation where fixed effects estimation was chosen over random effects estimation. The findings revealed that education, material wellbeing and access to safe drinking water had positive and statistically significant impact on quality of life while mortality rate proxied for health had negative and statistically significant impact on quality of life. However, the leading determinants that highly influenced quality of life are material wellbeing and access to safe drinking water. Consequent upon the major findings, the following recommendations are given; the need for the countries to intensify provision of health care facilities in order to reduce mortality rate; there is also need to boost infrastructural facilities with respect to construction of more schools, provision of more boreholes, more pipe water and other improved water sources; similarly, provision of required facilities and machineries to make best utilization of electricity with a view to improving quality of life.

Keywords:

 Quality of life, education, health, access to safe drinking water, Africa

References:

[1]Bahadur, J. S. (2014) “Access to Infrastructure and Human Development: Cross- Country Evidence” Japan International Cooperation Agency Research Institute (JICA-RI), No. 70, March 
[2]Berenger, V. and A. Verdier – Chouchane (2007) “Multidimensional Measures of Wellbeing: Standard of Living and Quality of Life across Countries” World Development, Vol. 35, No. 7, pp. 1259 – 1276 
[3]Bognar, G. (2005) “The Concept of Quality of Life” Social Theory and Practice, Vol. 31, No.4, Pp. 561-580 
[4]Costanza, R., B. Fisher, S. Ali, C. Beer, R. Boumans, N. L. Danigelis, J. Dickinson, L. Bond, C. Elliott, J. Farley, D. E. Gayer, L.M. Glenn, T. Hudspeth, D. Mahoney, L. McCahill, B. Reed, B. McIntosh, S.A.T. Rizvi, D.M. Rizzo, T. Simpatico, R. Snapp (2007) “Quality of life: An approach integrating opportunities, human needs, and subjective well- being” Ecological Economics Elsevier, No. 61, March (2007) pp. 267– 276, Institute for Ecological Economics, The University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA 
[5]Deb, S. (2015) “Gap between GDP and human development index: Are the Rich Country Experiences Different from the Poor?” IARIW-OECD Special Conference, Paris, April 16-17, 2015 
[6]Easterly, W. (1999) “Life During Growth” Journal of Economic Growth, Volume 4, No. 3, September, pp. 239-276
[7]Fajemilehin, B.R. and A.I. Odebiyi (2011) “Predictors of Elderly Persons’ Quality of Life and Health Practices in Nigeria” International Journal of Sociology and Anthropology, volume 3, No. 7, pp. 245 - 252 
[8]Keung, Y.C., C.A.K. Chiu and T.D.S. Lei (2005) “Quality of Life in Hong Kong: The Chuhk Hong Kong Quality of Life Index”Social Indicators Research 71, 259– 289, August 
[9]Khodabakhshi, A. (2010) “Relationship between GDP and Human Development Indices in India” Social Science Research Network, http://ssrn.com/abstract=1867887 
[10]Mart, D. M. and B.W. Ebenhack (2008) “Understanding the Role of Energy Consumption in Human Development Through the Use of Saturation Phenomena” Energy Policy 36, 1430–1435. 
[11]Mohamad, N. A. R. and D. S. Padmini (2015) “Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Relationship with Human Development Index (HDI) and Poverty Rate inMalaysia” Persidangan Kebangsaan Ekonomi Malaysia ke-10 (PERKEM 10), 211 – 217. Morote, E. (2010) “The Impact of Human Development on the Gross Domestic Product in Latin American Emerging Markets” El Portal Educativo de las Américas www.educoea.org/portal/laeducacion. 
[12]Nayak, S.D. (2016) “Analysis of Socioeconomics Factors a Study in Uttar Kannada District Karnataka State” International Journal of Economics and Management Studies (SSRG-IJEMS) 3(5). 
[13]Samson-Akpan P.E., I.N. Ojong, R. Ella and O.B. Edet (2013) “Quality of Life of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Cross – River, Nigeria” International Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research, Volume 2, No. 3, pp. 207 – 212, September – December. 
[14]Subramanian, P. (2013) “Economic Growth and Physical Quality of Life in India” Indian Journal of Applied Research, Vol. 3, No. 11, pp. 81 – 82. 
[15]The Economist Intelligence Unit (2005) “quality of life index” The World in 2005. 
[16]Theofilou, P (2013) “Quality of Life: Definition and Measurement” Europe's Journal of Psychology Volume 9, No. 1, February, PP. 150–162. 
[17]Venhooven, R. (1996) “Happy Life Expectancy: A Comprehensive Measure of Quality of Life in Nations” Social Indicators Research, Vol. 39, pp. 1 – 58. 
[18]World Bank, World Development Indicators; World Bank database (2015). 
[19]Zahran, H.S., R. Koban, D.G. Moriarty, M.Z. Zack, J. Holt and R. Donehoo (2005). Health Related Quality of Life Surveillance – United States” CDS publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.