Quality of life as a complex indicator of socio-economic development of regions
In our opinion, the problems of the transition period in Russia have led to a sharp change in the priorities of the quality of life. If in the Soviet period the differences were largely determined by living conditions (availability and provision of basic services, favorable living conditions in the region), then in the transition period the problems of living standards (low incomes and increased inequality), employment (unemployment), poor health of the population came to the fore. At the same time, the existing level of income in the regions is becoming not only the most polarizing component, but also increasingly affects other characteristics of the quality of life - health, longevity, availability of basic services. When choosing priority components for Russia, it is necessary to take into account not only the methodology and experience of assessing the quality of life in foreign and domestic studies, most of which are aimed at the fullest possible reflection of all components of the quality of life, but also the specific conditions of our country. The substantiation of priorities does not remove the unsolvable problem of the subjectivity of choice, therefore, the paper suggests a multivariate approach to a comprehensive assessment of the quality of life: the choice of both priority components for Russia and a wider range of components used in international comparisons. The given examples of quantitative analysis of the social development of regions using systematized databases and complex indexes are only one of the methods of assessment that allows an unlimited number of options. Its adequacy is relative, as well as any quantitative measurement of social processes. To avoid the "crooked mirror" effect, we need a logically sound system of estimates, maximum reliability of statistics and strict selection of indicators, which has been discussed so much in this chapter. But even with these conditions, the analysis of regional statistical indicators does not allow us to see many important trends.