Age Distribution of Multidimensional Quality of Life for Population with and without Disabilities

Izabela Grabowska , Warsaw School of Economics
Radoslaw Antczak, SGH Warsaw School of Economics

The basic aim of this article is to identify the age profiles of the overall (multidimensional) life quality, as well as of its particular dimensions for two types of population: with and without disabilities and compare it. First, we establish overall QoL variable, as well as domain QoL variables. The measurement of multidimensional life quality is based on the guidelines of the European Statistical System (Eurostat, 2011, 2016). We apply MIMIC model to construct multidimensional, latent indicator of quality of life (overall and its dimensions). Then we create age profiles of multidimensional life quality and its domains, separately for population with and without disabilities and compare them. The analysis is done for Poland, using data from the EU-SILC 2015. The results confirmed lower quality of life of persons with disabilities as compared to population without disabilities. This difference is valid across the life course (i.e. comparing two populations in the same age groups). This difference has a flattened U-shape, which suggests, that the disadvantage of the population with disabilities is magnified by factors shaping life in productive period (30-60 years of age), whereas before entering economic activity age, the quality of life of persons with disabilities is closer to the quality of life of persons without disabilities. Dimension-specific analysis point out to those life domains, where the disadvantage of population with disabilities is the smallest or even took opposite direction – is education and basic rights young people with disabilities enjoy higher quality of life than persons without disabilities.

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 Presented in Session P2. Poster Session Ageing, Health and Mortality