Quality-of-life indicators at different scales: Theoretical background

The article is presenting the general analysis of the systems approach and model approaches for the development of QoL indicators and indices. In our study we propose the method of response function as a method of the construction of purposeful, credible integrated models from data and prior knowledge or information. The method of response function implies credible models in the sense that they are identifiable, and, hopefully, explains system output behaviour satisfactorily. Using response function method for the development of QoL models, we are able to obtain QoL indices as the direct output of the models. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.