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Vol. 39 (# 11) Year 2018. Page 9

Satisfaction with the Quality of Life as an Indicator of Social security

Satisfacción con la calidad de vida como indicador de Seguridad Social

Marina LIGA 1; Irina SHCHETKINA 2; Elena ZAKHAROVA 3

Received: 14/11/2017 • Approved: 11/12/2017


Content

1. Introduction

2. Methods

3. Data, Analysis, and Results

4. Discussions

5. Conclusions

Acknowledgements

Bibliographic references


ABSTRACT:

The Russian Federation (RF) social policy is focused on a prevention of social risks. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the quality of life and social security. The sociological survey was conducted. Itfounded that high quality of life depends on the state of social security, conditions for human potential development. Satisfaction with the quality of life is an indicator of social security. The dynamics of the living standards in the Trans-Baikal Krai were found to be positive.
Keywords: social security, quality of life (QOL), social indicators, satisfaction with the quality of life

RESUMEN:

La política social de la Federación de Rusia se centra en la prevención de los riesgos sociales. El propósito de este estudio es determinar la relación entre la calidad de vida y la seguridad social. Se realizó la encuesta sociológica. Itfounded que la alta calidad de vida depende del estado de la seguridad social, las condiciones para el desarrollo potencial humano. La satisfacción con la calidad de vida es un indicador de la seguridad social. La dinámica de los niveles de vida en la Krai trans-Baikal se encontró positiva.
Palabras clave: seguridad social, calidad de vida (CDV), indicadores sociales, satisfacción con la calidad de vida

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1. Introduction

In recent years, problems of ensuring social security are becoming more urgent due to the aggravated global problems (ecological, demographic, economic), new social risks and threats (poverty, social stratification, spiritual decline, alcoholism, drug addiction, unemployment, etc.), the increasing role of human potential and new postmaterialist values. According to Ulrich Beck, "the entry into risk society occurs at the moment when the hazards which are now decided and consequently produced by society undermine and/or cancel the established safety systems". Thus, he believed that ensuring social security is one of the most important tasks of modern society (Beck, 2000).

The term "social security" is relatively new. The analysis of existing developments made in this direction makes it possible to find a number of approaches to its understanding and to the identification of social security assessment indicators. The first one is associated with how the very concept of "social security" was formed. Secondly, social security is considered in the context of risks and threats. Thirdly, social security becomes the subject of independent study. In terms of the fourth approach, social security is studied in conjunction with social tension (Beck, 2000).

In this article, social security is considered as a state of society where an individual, society and state are all-round protected from risks, threats, dangers and challenges arising from natural, social, technological realities (Liga, Pavlova, Shchetkina, 2012). The desire to ensure the social security necessitates the identification of social indicators for its assessment. Currently, there are used various indicators: socio-demographic, socio-economic, socio-cultural and integrative. A. Sukhov (2002) believes that the level of social tension is the main indicator of social security assessment. In his opinion, social tension either decreases or increases the level of social security. He names three levels of social tension: low, which does not really affect social security; medium that has a certain impact on social security; high level, disorganizing the functioning of social institutions and communities. The latter one leads to a situation of arising danger (Sukhov, 2002, p. 44). According to scientists, criteria of social security assessment involve: demographic situation and health protection; work and employment, occupation, competence level; educational background and social adaptation; housing and communal services; access to information and cultural values; motherhood and childhood protection; social security and services; environmental protection; personal security and integrity (Kovalev, 2003). A number of researchers believe that the social security net can and should be assessed according to the following criteria:

a) prevention of a social fallout;

b) prevention of social structure degradation (leveling, polarization, marginalization and lumpenization);

c) ensuring stability of the social structure with normal vertical and horizontal social mobility;

d) maintaining an adequate system of value orientations and a culture of social, political and economic behavior (Chmykhalo, 2007, p. 51).

It seems to us that the quality of life (QOL) is the main criterion of social security assessment. The choice of QOL as an indicator of social security assessment was determined by the following points. Firstly, the RF social policy is focused on creating conditions that will ensure a decent quality of life and free personality development, contributing to a sustainable functioning of the social sphere, satisfied needs and interests of an individual and to the prevention of social risks and threats. Secondly, decent QOL depends on the social security, as well as on the state-created conditions for human potential development. Thirdly, there is a dialectical interaction between the QOL and social security. Stable social security as a "zone of social well-being" is a social environment where a decent QOL is ensured (Kovalev, 2003). Fourthly, stable social security allows maintaining a certain balance between the negative impact of natural (social) environment and the human ability to overcome threats, risks, hazards, determined by his/her quality of life.

In science, there are various definitions of QOL. In the concept of a post-industrial society, QOL is considered, basically, as a combination of material and spiritual benefits provided to citizens. R. Aron (1972) understands the term as "the increase in individual income and proportional expenditures on consumer goods, luxury (or close to luxury) and even on such intangible things as household services, culture and leisure". According to D. Bell (1980), QOL is a difference between social benefits and social costs. A. Toffler (1999) linked the QOL with the transition of society from the stage of satisfying material needs to the stage of satisfying the spiritual ones.

U. Beck’s (2000) concept of risk society and the A. Giddens’s (2003) one draw attention to the relationship between the QOL and the level of riskogenics.

Supporters of the concept of alternative civilization (Bestuzhev-Lada, 1978, Diligensky, 2003) argue that a decent quality of life can be achieved only in a society that does not focus on quantitative (instead of qualitative) growth. This requires the change in life standards, principles and purposes.

The concept of an individualized society (Bauman, 2002) presents the term in connection with personal desires, interests, needs, aspiration for a good life when one can smell the roses.

The main purpose of most studies, related to the QOL, is to develop a generalized QOL indicator. Thus, E. Allard (1996) made an attempt to develop a system for QOL assessment, based on the combination of objective and subjective indicators. He believes that the level of satisfaction with material needs has to be assessed by measuring the cognitive component of subjective quality, and the level of satisfaction with social and self-expression ones – by measuring the affective component.

QOL indicators and the methods of their assessment are developed on various bases (Barcaccia, 2016). The subjective aspect of the QOL was considered by Allard through the satisfaction of three basic human needs: "to have", "to love" and "to "be" (Allard, 1996). A. Campbell (1981) draws attention to the growing throughout life level of people's satisfaction with all aspects of their QOL, except health.

In measuring the QOL by means of subjective indicators, it is important to take into account the negative impact of stress on the QOL. A group of foreign researchers has developed a system of subjective indicators that includes such indicators of stress as the unclear role functions, negative life situations, social conflict, etc. (Dohrenved, Dohrenved, 1978).

E. Eppler highlights the subjective QOL indicators expanding their number with social confidence in future; participation in decision-making; availability of medical care; environmental protection; city rehabilitation (Popov, 1977).

D. Pringle has another attitude, as he uses a system of QOL indicators, based on statistical assessments that characterize the level of employment, the health status of the population, the crime figures, etc. At the same time, he points out that many constituent elements of the QOL are quantitatively unchangeable – for example, satisfaction (Pringl, 1982). He actually draws attention to the existence of only objective QOL indicators.

The Diener QOL Index provides a new approach to the QOL assessment. It is represented by two groups of indices: basic and advanced. Both can be used for cross-country comparisons. The Basic QOL Index is based just on objective variables and is used to analyze the QOL mainly in developing countries; the Advanced QOL Index – on both types of variables. It is designed primarily to compare the QOL in developed countries. The basic indicator allows assessing the satisfaction with elementary requirements. The Advanced QOL Index includes variables obtained in a survey of attitudes toward such values as self-discipline, social justice, life enjoyment, success and environmental protection. Indicators are recorded in ordinal scales (Michalos, 2014).

At present, official statistics are losing the role of a source of timely and objective data on social practices (Kharchenko, 2011). Objective information is being gained by means of sociological research, which purpose is to supplement and expand the available statistical data. In this case, subjective indicators fill gaps the in data, but also correct the statistics, orienting it on the social effect, assessed by the person himself.

Thus, the problem of QOL-to-social security ratio has not been solved yet.

This article contributes to the world science by expanding the modern social knowledge and non-classical sociology (quality of life sociology, social qualitology, sociology of safety, sociology of social work) through the disclosed interdependence of QOL and social security.

The purpose of the study is to identify the dialectical relationship between the quality of life and social security.

2. Methods

We have used the system and structural-functional approaches; fundamental philosophical principles of universal communication and development, historicism and systematicity; general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, comparison and explanation.

The empirical method involved a survey in the form of questions on the topic "Satisfaction with the Quality of Life as an Indicator of Social security". The questionnaire included 21 questions. They were related to the assessment of material wealth and satisfaction with services provided by various spheres of life. They allowed monitoring the satisfaction with the QOL as an indicator of social security.

We have used a random sampling technique that allows achieving desired accuracy and reliability of information when it comes to mass surveys. The experimental part of the study was conducted in March-April, 2016. We have interviewed 4700 residents of the Trans-Baikal region in accordance with the sampling procedure (confidence probability – 95%, confidence interval – ± 5%).

The sociological questionnaires were analyzed with the SPSS software package. The results of the sociological survey are presented in the form of linear and paired arrangements, characterizing the satisfaction with the QOL as an indicator of social security.

3. Data, Analysis, and Results

The sociological survey "Satisfaction with the Quality of Life as an Indicator of Social security" was conducted by the Sociological Laboratory "Quality of Life Sociology" (Transbaikal State University) in March-April, 2016.

3.1. Socio-demographic status of respondents. Sample characteristics

Sex distribution: women – 52.3%; men – 47.7%.

Age distribution: 45-59 years – 27.9%; 25-34 years – 22.4%; 18-24 years – 17.2%, 35-44 years – 16.9%; 60-69 years – 8%; over 70 – 7.6%.

Distribution by educational background: higher professional education – 28.6%; secondary vocational – 28.2%; secondary compulsory – 17.2%; incomplete higher education – 9.2%; primary professional – 6.7%; incomplete secondary education – 5.9%; no answer – 1.7%; first level – 1.6%; Doctorate o PhD – 0.5%; Illiterate – 0.4%.

Distribution by occupation: retired people – 12.6%; unemployed people – 9.4%; public servants – 9.1%; service workers – 9.1%; workers in manufacturing, transport and communications industries – 9.1%; students – 9.1%; public and municipal officials – 8.2%; agricultural workers - 7.3%; managers in the non-budget sphere - 6.3%; entrepreneurs – 6.1%; servicemen, Ministry of Internal Affairs employees – 5.7%; engineers and technicians – 3.3%; no answer – 1.5%.

We have allocated the indicators, reflecting the satisfaction of respondents with own well-being, job and profession, life and current situation in the village/town/city, metropolitan district and region, in order to assess the QOL.

3.2. Material wealth assessment

Most respondents believe that their standard of living is medium; 4% of them assess own financial situation as extreme poverty; 20.1% – as poverty; 0.5% of respondents highly appreciate own standard of living, and 7.1% consider it as good; 3.2% of respondents did not answer the question (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Subjective assessment of material wealth allows us to identify social groups that have a certain quality of life:

•  group with an elite quality of life (0.5%);

•  group with a sufficient quality of life (7.1%);

•  group with a normal quality of life (66.2%);

•  group with poor quality of life (20.1%);

•  group with a beggarly quality of life (4%).

Based on the correlation between the respondents’ age and their QOL assessment, we can state that young and middle-aged people give a good assessment for their well-being, while people at the age over 50 years assess own quality of life as normal or poor. This is related with the fact that the outlook of people at the age over 50 was formed during the years of Soviet power. The Soviet Union has formed the paternalistic attitudes of this group – the state is obliged to take care of its members, the person is under its protection, it is responsible for its citizens. At the same time, the majority of young people assess own standard of living as medium due to a new forming model of socialization for young people – "model of self-reliance". Characteristics of this model involve the orientation toward materialistic values, the predominance of a prefigurative culture, rejection of previous traditions and ideals, and the axiosphere individualization.

In assessing satisfaction with the QOL, one should pay attention to many factors and aspects, which are independent phenomena. Thus, the level of satisfaction with the QOL is conditioned by the satisfaction with such aspects of life as a job, housing, and relationships with close people, as well as health, social and economic situation in the settlement, district, region and country. This satisfaction depends both on the subject itself, on his/her view of life, on the axiosphere, his/her material status, and on the political decisions at the state and local levels. Assessment of satisfaction with QOL involves the allocation of such levels as low, below medium, medium, high and very high.

Personal attitude towards own job and fulfillment of labor obligations is an important indicator of satisfaction with the QOL. Satisfaction with the job can be characterized as a subjective attitude to the professional position, occupied by the individual, considering the salary level and the chance of career progression. Personal satisfaction with a job can be considered as a criterion for working conditions and the quality of professional activity. It is based on the correspondence of labor results to expectations. Satisfaction with a job depends on intellectual tasks, which the worker can manage; his/her interest in work; the level of physical fatigue; salary level; working conditions that contribute to problem solution; self-attitude of the employee; mutual relations with colleagues, who help him/her in learning the values known in the sphere of his professional activity. The sociological survey showed that 25.9% of respondents assess the level of own satisfaction with the job as high; 17.8% – as a very high. This indicates that expectations correspond to the results. Thus, almost half of the respondents are completely satisfied with their occupation and job. The medium level of satisfaction was indicated by 28.5% of survey participants; below medium – 12.4%, and low – 10.7%; 4.7% of the respondents did not answer the question. In the course of the study, we have not found any dependence of job satisfaction on the age or occupation of respondents.

Satisfaction with the QOL is largely dependent on the satisfaction with housing, since it grounds the material side of human existence and affects the satisfaction of other needs. Housing conditions seem to be one of the most important aspects of human life. At the same time, housing should be a prerequisite of social security. It is characterized as a place for privacy and personal life; this is a place where you can raise children, etc.

In the Trans-Baikal region, satisfaction of residents with housing can be characterized as follows: very high (16.2%) and high (28.9%) level of satisfaction prevail. 29.4% of respondents note the medium level of satisfaction. 14.4% indicate a below medium level, and the share of extremely negative assessments was 9.7%.

Family relationships, determining the process of raising children, the health of family members and reproductive behavior, are significant among the indicators that characterize the satisfaction with QOL. Satisfaction with family relations depends on the following factors: motivation for marriage, length of family life, number of children, their age, compatibility of partners, family income. These factors are differentiated for different reasons: objective and subjective; family and non-family; marital and pre-marital. In addition, we have determined the correlation of housing conditions and family relations, as well as the satisfaction with a job and family relations.

The empirical data indicate that the majority has assessed the level of satisfaction with family relationships as very high (42%); as high – 32.8%; as an medium – 17%. Level of satisfaction with family relations was indicated as below the medium by 4.6% of respondents, and as low – by 1.9%.

Health is an important indicator among those, describing the satisfaction of a person with the QOL. The health care system is a significant area of investment in human capital, and health is a "basic potential" that contributes to human functioning. It determined the characteristics of individual's vital activity, the realization of his/her needs and involvement in the life of society. Investments in health are especially important in modern Russia, where trends of population aging and depopulation are recorded, while the human resource is characterized as a tight one. The right of citizens to medical care involves receiving free medical care in state and municipal health care institutions. This right determines the state duties in the sphere of health protection, healthcare system development, medical insurance, physical culture and sports.

This study shows that about a half of respondents note a very high and high levels of satisfaction with their health, 33.7% consider it as an medium; 10.9% –below the medium; 4.2% – as low; 1.97% of respondents did not answer the proposed question.

These data do not determine the citizens' assessment of public health authorities’ activity. The survey results indicate a low level of satisfaction with the activity of public health authorities: only a quarter of residents assess it as "excellent" and "good". The majority of respondents have expressed dissatisfaction (Table 1).

Table 1
Activity assessment of public health authority

Assessment

2012

2016

1.

Excellent

2.9%

1.9%

2.

Good

15.2%

13.6%

3.

Satisfactory

38.9%

41.1%

4.

Unsatisfactory

37.8%

36.7%

5.

Not sure

3.5%

6.7%

Based on analyzed results, indicating the attitude of people towards their health and activity of public health authorities, we can draw a number of conclusions. High health assessments (50.2% of respondents) can be explained by no health-seeking behavior, remote location of medical institutions, disease prevention, healthy lifestyle and by a choice of paid clinics.

The survey shows that the majority of respondents positively assess own QOL in general (Table 2). Most respondents assess the level of satisfaction as very high and high. The share of unsatisfied people is one-fifth. More than one-third of the participants assess the level of satisfaction as medium.

Table 2
Satisfaction with various aspects of life

Satisfaction level

health

housing

job

Family relationships

Life in general

Low

4.2%

9.7%

12.4%

1.9%

3.7%

Below medium

10.9%

14.4%

10.7%

4.6%

8.9%

Medium

33.7%

29.4%

28.5%

17.0%

33%

High

33.3 %

28.9%

25.9%

32.8%

 35.2%

Very high

16.3 %

16.2%

17.8%

42.0%

17.1%

No answer

1.6 %

1.4%

4.7%

1.7%

2.1%

However, it should be noted that satisfaction with the QOL is determined by a combination of subjective factors:

‒  most people are psychologically predisposed to compare own living conditions with the living conditions of people, who have a higher level;

‒  most people tend to suppress own feeling of dissatisfaction under the influence of a social environment;

‒  expectations and goals are usually significantly adjusted by life circumstances;

‒  expression of dissatisfaction to a certain extent does not depend on personal life experience;

‒  in preferable environment, life has a potential to form new assessment standards and is more favorable for expressing criticism and dissatisfaction (Davydova, Davydov, 1993).

Currently, there is no doubt that the fate of mankind is determined by the intellectual potential of people. Education promotes personality development in terms of creative abilities, ensuring man’s participation in socio-economic development. Education plays an important role in technological transformations, ensuring the correspondence of knowledge of social practice development, transferring the cultural practices and improving the relationship between man and the environment.

In the framework of this study, people were asked to assess their level of satisfaction with the quality of the three main educational services: pre-school education, secondary education and extended education (Table 3).

Table 3
Satisfaction with the quality of educational services

Satisfaction

level

Secondary Education

Pre-school Education

Extended Education

Excellent

2.8

2.5

2.6

Good

22.8

22.3

17.6

Satisfactory

46.3

44.9

34.0

Unsatisfactory

15.2

16.1

21.7

Not sure

12.9

14.2

24.1

These results show that there is a certain percentage of people, who find it difficult to answer the question, especially with regard to extended education. This situation can be explained by the fact that respondents are not involved in these types of education. There is also a lack of awareness of the activity of educational institutions and a lack or underdevelopment of the extended education system.

Leisure is a part of the non-working time, which remains after fulfilling the immutable non-productive duties. The basic values of leisure involve recreation and movement, contributing to vital force restoration. In society, leisure is important primarily for stabilizing, reducing tensions, preventing social conflicts, strengthening the interaction of generations, as well as satisfying the need for entertainment, etc.

The population's assessment of satisfaction with the QOL in terms of leisure indicates the relative balance of unsatisfactory and satisfactory assessments: 35.0% of respondents are satisfied with it, 33.0% give unsatisfactory assessment.

Satisfaction with the QOL is characterized by a level of satisfaction with the current situation in the settlement, region, in Russia. In assessing satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the living space, the following levels were identified: low, below medium, medium, high and very high. The results are shown in Table 4.

Table 4
Satisfaction with the current situation and life in general

Satisfaction level

Settlement

Trans-Baikal Krai

Russia

Life in general

1.

Low

13%

15.1%

14.2%

3.7%

2.

Below medium

21.4%

24.5%

22.0%

8.9%

3.

Medium

40.2%

40.0%

42.3%

33%

4.

High

19.2%

15.4%

16.6%

35.2%

5.

Very high

4.4%

2.8%

2.8%

17.1%

6.

No answer

1.8%

2.2%

2.1%

2.1%

It should be noted that level assessments of satisfaction with various aspects of life coincides in general. The majority of respondents have noted an medium level of satisfaction with separate spheres of life, as well as with socio-economic and political situation. One-fifth of respondents have assessed the level of satisfaction with the situation as below medium. Insignificant number of respondents has chosen the options "high" and "very high". Obtained results that do not correlate with the overall assessment of satisfaction with life show that a part of population, assessing own level of satisfaction with life as high, is self-reliant and self-improving in life. At the same time, residents unsatisfied with the quality of own lives are also unsatisfied with the socio-economic situation in the settlement where they live, as well as in the Trans-Baikal region.

In Trans-Baikal Krai, analyzed results of satisfaction with various spheres of life have shown a contradictory situation: respondents with a high level of satisfaction with QOL are unsatisfied with the current situation both in the region, town/city, and in the country (Figure 2, Figure 3).

Figure 2

-----

Figure 3

Problems that worry the inhabitants of the region are one of the factors affecting their satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the QOL. The survey made it possible to identify a range of problems that concern the population of the Trans-Baikal region (Figure 4). Thus, social problems are the leading ones in the list: low wages and unemployment, commercialization and decline in healthcare and education.

In the context of this issue, we have asked the respondents what they were expecting from the authorities in the near future (Figure 4).

Figure 4

It should be noted that problems that concern the residents determine their expectations (Table 5).

Table 5
Urgent problems and expectations of the population (Trans-Baikal Krai)

Problems

Expectations

1.

Low wages, pensions, benefits, social support and poverty

Higher wages and pensions, lower prices, improved financial situation, support of the low-income population, personal responsibility of heads of government for the standard of living in the settlement/district/region

2.

Alcoholism and drug addiction

Punishment for alcoholism and drug addiction

3.

Unemployment

Job creation

4.

Anarchy, lying authority, incompetent officials, corruption, crime, bureaucracy, divorcement from people

Improving the system of local government management

5.

Economic instability, manufacturing and agriculture

Attraction of investments, agriculture development, \production growth, support of middle class

6.

Ecology

Environmental improvement

 

The research results show that problems and expectations of the population involve primarily the material aspect of life. Residents associate the solution of these problems with life improvement. In general, we should note the ambiguity of prospect assessments. The subjective assessments we got indicate that problems people are concerned about are urgent in the Trans-Baikal region.

4. Discussions

Thus, the great part of population, living in the Trans-Baikal Krai (66.2%), assesses the QOL as medium. QOL level assessment involved the assessment of satisfaction with housing (very high and high – 58.3% of respondents), health (very high and high – 49.6%) and a job (very high and high – 53.7%). Satisfaction with life in general is an important indicator of social security assessment (very high and high – 52.3%). This group of internal indicators reflects the respondent’s individual subjectivity, namely – the ability to live on individually-personal means, including the educational background, health status and psychological features (Altai sociological school, 2000).

The group of external indicators helps to put on record the satisfaction with self-realization and social subjectness. Personal social subjectness is a reproduction of personal life, its improvement by social collective means in a certain life space, which allows a person to improve own life, to built a life strategy (Grigoriev, Guslyakova, Sintsova, 2004). Life space assessment is an expression of personal satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the current socio-economic and political situation in the place of residents. Theses assessments indicate an medium level of satisfaction with the situation in the settlement, region and the country. Only one-sixth of respondents have rated own satisfaction as high and very high. Low level was noted by one-fourth of the population.

We have chosen the indicators, reflecting the satisfaction of respondents with own well-being, job and profession, life and current situation in the village/town/city, metropolitan district and region, in order to assess the QOL. Our empirical data characterize the QOL in the Trans-Baikal Krai as a medium. Research results are supported by conclusions made by other researchers. According to N.S. Pavlova’s social security assessment conducted in the Trans-Baikal Krai, social security is at the medium level in the region (Liga, Pavlova, Shchetkina, 2012). Her social security indicators (economic, socio-political, socio-cultural and social security) reflect various aspects of respondent’s life and determine the satisfaction with social security in the region.

These results can be explained by the concept of E. Eppler, who used a system of QOL indicators based on a number of subjective QOL indicators (social confidence in future; participation in decision-making; availability of medical care; environmental protection; city rehabilitation), indicating that satisfaction with the QOL subjectively characterizes the QOL (Popov, 1977).

Reliability of research results is assessed on the basis of their qualitative coincidence with known theories and applied researches of R. Aron, U. Beck, D. Bell, D. Pringle, S.I. Grigorieva, L.G. Guslyakova, N.S. Pavlova and K.V. Kharchenko. Their researches were on the QOL as one’s assessment of how personal needs were fulfilled, of satisfaction (dissatisfaction) with social and individual subjectivity, determined by the life strategy of a person and by the social policy of the state. They also covered the social security as a state of society where an individual, society and state are all-round protected from risks, threats, dangers and challenges arising from natural, social, technological realities

Results, obtained in the course of our research, are of great importance for the quality of life sociology as a middle-range theory and for the word knowledge, as they combine the theory and applied research on the local QOL in the context of dialectical relationship between the QOL and social security.

5. Conclusions

QOL assessment involves many factors and aspects, which are independent phenomena. The level of satisfaction with the QOL is conditioned by such aspects of life as a job, housing, socio-economic situation in the settlement, district, region and country. On the one hand, this satisfaction depends on personal attitudes and material status, on the other – on state policy in various branches of socio-economic spheres.

Most respondents rate own level of satisfaction as medium. About 20% of them rate it as below medium. Only a small percentage of respondents give "high" and "very high" assessment. These results show that population, assessing own level of satisfaction with life as high, is self-reliant and self-improving in life. At the same time, residents unsatisfied with the quality of own lives are also unsatisfied with the socio-economic situation in the settlement where they live, as well as in the Trans-Baikal region.

These results make it possible to say that high quality of life depends on the level of social security and on state measures, taken to improve human potential. Satisfaction with the quality of life is an important indicator of social security and should be assessed on an ongoing basis. Despite the prevalence of medium assessments, there are positive changes in the quality of Transbaikalian people’s life, as evidenced by a reduced number of very poor people in the region.

Article’s materials and conclusions can be used in further researches on the quality of Transbaikalian people’s life as the main indicator of social security, as well as in developing programs for life quality improvement in Russia.

Acknowledgements

The study was conducted within the framework of the state order No. 28.9076.2017/BC on "Socio-cultural conditions and indicators of social security efficiency in the trans-border region of modern Russia".

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1. Professor, Doctor of Sociology. Transbaikal State University. marina_liga@yahoo.com

2. Associate professor, PhD in Sociology. Transbaikal State University. irinasocio@mail.ru

3. Associate professor, Doctor of Philosophy. Transbaikal State University. aglena_72@mail.ru


Revista ESPACIOS. ISSN 0798 1015
Vol. 39 (Nº 11) Year 2018

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