Quality of Life Research and Practice

Revision with unchanged content. The research uses Family Systems Theory to predict perception of quality of life in three domains. Results from the individual perspective showed that being currently married, ownership of residence, education, and young age were positive contri­butions to perceptions of quality of life. There were no gender or race differences in perceived quality of life. From a family perspective, perception of quality of life was influenced by household income and health situation. From the community human services perspective, neighborhood safety was an important contributor to perception of quality of life. As for financial assistance, turning to family or friends, banks, utility companies, Community Action Council or Department of Community-based Services, and Medicare were more common uses of services than churches or clergy, food banks, the Salvation Army, social/survivor income, and other persons or agencies. This study also investigated gender, income, and age differences in the association of perception of quality of life with the presence of urgent needs for basic living by use of community-based human services. The findings provided insight into residents' perceptions of quality of life based on their individual, family, and community human services as components contributing to perceptions of quality of life.