Assess your own personal quality of life

Diana Chaudhuri

The Personal Quality of Life category in the Institute's competition was won by Diana Chaudhuri's Individual Quality of Life Index; Chaudhuri lives in Lowestoft in Suffolk, and has made an imaginative and idiosyncratic attempt, as an amateur, to formulate a series of questions (giving a possible final score of 100) which rate all aspects of life including inner life, outer practical considerations like health and income, relationships with other people in the home and community, relationships with the nation and world scene, and sense of overall perspective and purpose. And Chaudhuri has tried to make her Index universally applicable by keeping in mind people from widely different cultures - from tribal hunters to Third World village dwellers, from high income Westerners to slum dwellers and beggars. The following section gives her questionnaire in full, followed by her scorings (some of which need improvements). Chaudhuri would welcome suggested adjustments or changes, and would be prepared to help conduct a trial of her index. Perhaps readers would like to score themselves (Ed: I scored 75%) and send the Institute their scores and their comments and suggested improvements.

This questionnaire is designed for self-testing or for completely confidential use by non-government bodies.

1. Inner spiritual or aesthetic values

'Do you have a personal philosophy or religion which is a source of strength and comfort to you?'

(a) Do you have a personal philosophy or religion which is a source of strength and comfort to you?

(b) If yes, does this give you a clear sense of direction and purpose for living?

(c) Does the natural pattern of the seasons and of the needs and behaviour of other creatures help to shape your lifestyle?

(d) Is the environment of your home and work well ordered and beautiful?

(e) Do you share your day with other people whose company you value and enjoy?

(f) Do you have some time each day to yourself?

(g) Do you enjoy your own company?

(h) Do you feel a sense of peace, happiness and well-being at times during the day? This may be connected with working or religion, with love and intimacy, with family and parenthood, with closeness to nature, etc.

(i) Do you have a really close friend or relative with whom you can share your most intimate thoughts and feelings, whom you can frequently meet or speak with by phone or letter?

(j) If you live with other people, is your household a happy community where individuals relate well together and care for one another in an atmosphere of peace, security, affection and laughter?

(k) Are the relationships between members of your household secure and enduring?

(l) Do children in your household or in the neighbouring area enjoy abundant adult company, encouragement, time, love and approval?

(m) If you live alone, is this by choice?

(n) Whether you live alone or with others, do you meet people each day whom you like and who like you, and with whom there is mutual assistance and companionship?

(o) If you do not meet other people often, is your isolation a cause of sadness and loneliness, or is it a peaceful self-chosen isolation?

(p) Does your day include activities which are creative, where you feel interested and involved in the activity, and gain satisfaction from it?

(q) Does your day include some physical activity which stimulates you and gives you a healthy sense of effort and tiredness?

(r) Does your day include too much strong physical activity, leaving you feeling strained and exhausted?

(s) Does your year include some variety, some periods of complete change, such as festivals, pilgrimages, holidays, weekends, etc?

'Do youngsters growing up in your household or community feel a sense of purpose and optimism as they approach adulthood?'

(t) Do youngsters growing up in your household or community feel a sense of purpose and optimism as they approach adulthood?

(u) Are relevant education, suitable housing and employment readily available for young people in your community?

(v) Do you ever feel hopeless and helpless, depressed or despairing, because of issues which face your family, household, community, nation or the world?

(w) Have you a personal philosophy or religion which can help in a practical way to overcome such feelings as in (v) above, or the setbacks which you may face due to failures of income, illness or death of those close to you?

2. Outer practical considerations

(a) Does your household have a regular source of reliable income - either in money or in the basic necessities - sufficient for everyday needs of food, shelter, basic education, health care, transport and social needs?

(b) If income is below this level, is it erratic and often insufficient to cover even the most basic needs of survival?

(d) Is your household income well above that required for the basic necessities listed in (a) above?

(e) Do you have worries and anxieties caused by surplus income, for example, concerning investment, rentings, second houses, employment of staff, etc?

(f) Do all the members of your household and close friends and relatives enjoy good health?

(g) Would ill health in (f) above create serious financial problems, as well as the worry and concern it would naturally create?

(h) Do you or your community have provision in the event of ill health or death of close members?

(i) Do health matters cause you or your immediate family or household serious worry?

(j) If any member of your family or close community has died over the last five years, do you feel that they received good medical treatment and all that could be done for them was done?

(k) Does your community have customs which embrace death, giving support to the bereaved and allowing them to grieve?

(l) Is the health care in your community comparable with the health care available in other parts of your nation?

(m1) Is the income of your community, the standard of living it enjoys and the opportunities available for the young people comparable with those enjoyed by the rest of your nation?

(m2) Is the life expectancy in your community well above average for the world? above average for your nation?

(n) Is your community fairly stable with few people moving in or out each year?

(o) Are the laws which govern your community generally regarded as just?

(p) Are grievances dealt with fairly, without corruption, high financial cost or oppression?

(q) Does the political climate seriously restrict your freedom of movement, worship, income or speech?

(r) Have any members of your community been involved in protest or confrontation with forces of 'law and order' over issues relating to the community?

(s) If so, did you feel the issue was dealt with wisely and fairly by the authorities?

(t) Have any members of your community been involved in petitioning, demonstrating or canvassing for issues of a wider nature which affect the nation or the international situation (this would include political, religious, environmental issues etc)?

(u) If so, did you feel the issues were dealt with wisely and fairly by the authorities?

(v) Do issues such as may be involved in (r) or (t) above cause you much worry or anxiety?

(w) Does the handling of protest etc in your nation cause you worry or anxiety?

(x) Do you know of individuals in your community who have suffered or are suffering at the hands of your government, because of their views or protest etc?

(y) Are you basically happy with the government of your country and the way its laws are administered?

3. More practical considerations

(a) Do you have easy access (in your home or neighbourhood - within quarter of a mile say) to an adequate, reliable supply of clean drinking water all year round?

(b) Do you have access to sufficient water to bathe in regularly?

(d) If your climate has cold seasons, do you have access to a source of heating in your home which you can afford to use as necessary?

(e) If insects are a problem in your locality, do you have effective protection, such as mosquito netting?

(f) If worms or insects are a local health problem, are there health schemes in your area which educate your community about the dangers and means of protection, and which offer good quality treatment to anyone affected?

(g) Is there a doctor, health worker, clinic or hospital open to anyone needing their services within five miles of your home?

(h) Is your diet varied and nutritious and sufficient at all times of the year to keep you and your community strong and healthy?

4. Relationships with other people, community, nation, etc

(Many points which might fall under this heading have already been considered.)

(a) Do you consider yourself to be a happy person?

'Would other members of your household or neighbourhood speak and think well of you?'

(b) Would other members of your household or neighbourhood speak and think well of you?

(d) Do you try to work hard and take your share of community responsibilities, while remaining firm and not allowing others to push you around or demand too much of you?

(e) Have you or other members of your family been in any serious trouble during the last five years, with drug taking, dishonesty, violence, divorce, etc?

'Do you join in your community with artistic events such as dancing, singing or playing together?'

(f) Do you join in your community with artistic events such as music, dancing, singing, acting or playing together - this could be in family celebrations, religious celebrations, social events like parties, discos, fetes, festivals, etc?

(g) Does your household own a source of music or entertainment, such as a radio, record player, cassette player or television?

(h) Does any member of your household own and play an instrument or sing well and often?

(i) Can you think of any events which you are really looking forward to at the moment?

(j) Are you able to relax and to enjoy certain moments each day?

(k) How does the suicide rate of your community compare with that of your nation?

(l) How does the national human rights and suicide statistics compare with other nations in the world?

(m) Is there any item which you really very much need, but have not got?

(n) If so, is there any realistic chance of you obtaining this item in the next few years?

(o) If so are you working towards it?

(p) Would acquiring this item give you enduring satisfaction, or would other desires soon take its place?

'Would you rather be somewhere else?'

(q) Do you enjoy living as you do, or would you rather be somewhere else doing something else? Or would you even rather be someone else?

Scoring

1. Inner spiritual or aesthetic values. a) Yes +2, Not really 0, Definitely not -1; (b) Yes +2, No +1; (c) A lot +2, A little +1, Not at all -1; (d) Certainly +2, Sometimes/some aspects +1, Rarely or never -1; (e) Very much +2, Some parts of the day +1, Some days 0, Now and then-1, Very rarely -2; (f) Yes +1, Somedays 0, Rarely or never -1; (g) Most of the time +1, Not much -1; (h) Yes, everyday +2, Sometimes +1, Rarely -1; (i) Yes every day +3, Yes every week +2, Yes several times a year +1, Quite close every day +2, Quite close every week +1, Quite close several times a year 0, No, not that kind of close -2; (j) if live alone go to l) Yes, nearly all the time +3, Most of the time +2, Sometimes +1, Very rarely -1, Never -3; (k) Yes +3, Some of the time +2, Erratically +1, Rarely -1, Never -2; (l) Yes +3, Sometimes +2, Rarely -1, Very rarely -2; (m) Yes (or living with others) +1, No -2; (n) Yes +3, Sometimes +2, Very rarely -1; (o) Sadness and loneliness -2, Peace and happiness +2; (p) Every day +3, Every week +2, Several times a year +1, Very rarely -1, Never -2; (q) Yes every day +2, Yes every week +1, Several times a year 0, No -2; (r) Yes every day -3, Yes every week -2, Yes several times a year -1, Never 0; (s) Yes at least once a month +3, Yes several times a year +2, Very rarely 0, Not in the last five years -2; Never -3; (t) Very strong +3, Sometimes +1, No youngsters 0, Rarely -1, Very rare -2; (u) Good provision +2, Some provision +1, Very little provision -1, No provision -2; (v) Often -3, Sometimes -2, Very rarely 0, Never +1; (w) Very strong +4, Some strength +2, None -1.

2. Outer practical considerations. a) Yes, sufficient +2, Usually sufficient +1, Rarely sufficient -2; (b) Yes very erratic -3, Yes never enough even for basic survival -4; (c) Yes, usually worried -3, Sometimes worried -3, Never worried +1; (d) Yes, well above +1, No - sufficient or less 0; (e) Yes, worried from excess -3, No worries from excess +1; (f) Good health +2, fair health +1, Some in poor health -1, (g) Yes, ill health would cause serious problems -2, No, financial problems would be few -1, There would be no financial problems from ill health +2; (h) Yes +2, Some +1, None -2; (i) Yes, we do feel worry -2, No, we never think of it 0, No, we know we would be OK +2; (j) Yes, all that could be was done +2, They did get some treatment +1, No one died 0, No treatment was available -2; (k) Yes, good support +2, Some support +1, Very little support -2; (l) Yes compares well +1, No, very poor in comparison -2; (m1) Comparable +2, Above average +1, Below average -2; (m2) Life expectancy well above world average +3, Above national average +1, About average 0, Below average -1, Well below average -3; (n) Stable +2, Quite mobile 0, Very mobile -2; (o) Most people accept them +2, Most people do not regard them as just -2; (p) Yes, grievances are dealt with quite quickly and fairly +2, Justice is there but takes a long time/costs a lot +1, There is very little justice available -2; (q) The next three as experienced by my immediate household and community:) Very restrictive -3, Some restriction -1, No restriction +1; (r) Yes +1, No 0; (s) No involvement or wisely +2, Unwisely 0, Very unjust -2; (t) Yes +1, No 0; (u) Wisely +2, Unwisely 0, Very unjustly -2; (v) Worry -2, Little worry +1, No worry -1; (w) Worry +1, No worry 0; (x) Yes -1, No 0; (y) Yes +1, Not really 0, Definitely not -1.

3. More practical considerations. a) Yes +2, No -2; (b) Yes +2, No -1; (c) No hot seasons or yes +2, Sometimes +1, None -1; (d) No cold seasons or yes +2, Sometimes +1, None -1; (e) No problem or yes +1, No -1; (f) No problem or good health schemes +2, Few or poor health schemes +1, No health schemes -2; (g) Good within 5 miles +2, Poor within 5 miles 0, None within 5 miles -2; (h) Good diet +2, Fair diet +1, Poor diet -2.

4. Relationships. a) Yes +2, Usually +1, Not really -1, No -2; (b) Yes +2, Probably +1, Not really -1, No -2; (c) Yes I try +3, Most of the time +1, Not really -1, No -3; (d) Yes +2, Most of the time +1, Not really -1, No -2; (e) Yes, serious trouble -3, Not really serious/not so recent -1, No +1; (f) Yes often +3, Sometimes +1, Now and then 0, Never -2; (g) Yes +2, No -1; (h) Yes +4, No -2; (i) Yes +2, Not really 0, No -2; (j) Yes +4, Usually +2, Rarely -2; (k) Below average +1, Average -1, Above average -3; (l) Below average +1, Average -1, Above average -3; (m) Yes -2, Not really 0, No +1; (n) Nothing needed or yes +1, Not really 0, No -1; (o) Nothing needed or yes, wholeheartedly +3, In a fashion +1, Not really -1; (p) Satisfied already or yes it would give lasting satisfaction +3, It would give some satisfaction +1, Other desires would replace it -1; (q) Enjoy being me and living as I do +3, Prefer to be in different circumstances +1, Prefer to be someone else -2.

Totals. 7 questions giving a possible total of 136 (not quite accurate as some questions are mutually exclusive, but it is close). Individual score divided by 136, with this total multiplied by 100, gives score index as a percentage.

Diana Chaudhuri, 66 Nowell Road, Barnes, London SW13 (tel 081 748 4821).

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