The Research Studies on Quality of Life in South America

Abstract

Concentrating on South America, we may assert that this region has been both object and producer of studies on quality of life, on the basis of research papers made both by individual authors and research teams, which were focused on the situations and sensitive contexts daily undergone by South Americans (conceived as a whole), and whose assessed value is determined by the perception of their own quality of life. South America may be characterized as a region of contrasts. Due to its vast ethnical diversity – with a predominance of youth age groups and large urbanized areas – the region is known for its strong political tension generated by demand of transparency in the members of the ruling class together with constant struggles on account of the significant inequalities regarding access to health, habitation, education, and other basic social services. Apart from the mixed races resulting from the Spanish and Portuguese colonization there is a great number of immigrants from different parts of Europe and Asia who have a peaceful coexistence. South America is characterized by its vast diversity of natural resources – as well as for the unfair distribution of wealth among the population (contrasting very wealthy sectors with areas of extreme poverty), while its countries´ economies are still highly dependent, both in the technological-productive as well as the financial areas. In the 1980’s, the huge foreign debt strongly deterred the development of South American countries which were facing the process of a political transition from traumatic military and dictatorial experiences (which exist to this day), thus hindering the efforts to consolidate plural and stable democratic regimes. On the basis of a methodology of bibliographical analysis applied to analyze and systematize the available literary productions, this research paper aims at producing an updated synthesis of the research corpus developed on South America, particularly regarding quality of life – while taking into consideration emblematic research devoted to well-being, life satisfaction, and happiness. Thus, this article is structured around the first item strictly devoted to the study of quality of life, followed by research studies on quality of life related to well-being, happiness, and life satisfaction, and finally offering brief conclusions.