CUHK
News Centre

The CUHK Hong Kong Quality of Life Index, compiled by the Centre for Quality of Life of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, shows that the quality of life in Hong Kong has improved continuously in the last five years. The overall score of 2007 is slightly higher than that of 2006. The social and environmental sub-indices improved last year while there was a slight drop in the economic sub-index.

According to the CUHK Hong Kong Quality of Life Index released this year, the score of the 2007 Index is 109.19. It is higher than those of 2006 (108.90), 2005 (108.34), 2004 (105.78), 2003 (104.20) and 2002 (100.00), indicating that the quality of life in Hong Kong has improved steadily over the last five years.

As compared with the previous year, 13 out of the 21 indicators improved in 2007 (Appendix 1). Hong Kong people were more satisfied with the performance of the HKSAR Government. In general, the local economy improved continuously in 2007, the unemployment rate dropped considerably and the index of current economic conditions (i.e. the public’s attitude towards economic conditions in Hong Kong) went up. With regard to the environment, water quality, noise pollution and the recycle rate of municipal solid waste had improved over the previous year.

However, 6 indicators worsened in 2007 (Appendix 2). The notification rate of notifiable infectious diseases rose continuously in 2007. While the local economy continued to grow, the findings showed that housing was less affordable and rental went up significantly in 2007. There was a noticeable drop in the housing affordability ratio and the real rental index. With regard to the environment, there was a slight drop in the air index.

In summary, as compared with 2006, 13 indicators were better and 6 were worse in 2007, while the standardized mortality rate and the life expectancy remained unchanged.

In 2003, the Faculty of Social Science designed the CUHK Hong Kong Quality of Life Index. It is the intention of the Faculty to use this composite index to measure and keep track of the Hong Kong quality of life in the 21st century, and to provide policy makers and the community with a useful reference tool. It also aims at enhancing the quality of life in Hong Kong by drawing the public’s attention to this issue. Starting from the year of 2003, the Index has been released annually. For this reason, the Centre for Quality of Life has been set up to conduct on-going quality of life research.

The CUHK Hong Kong Quality of Life Index consists of 21 indicators that are grouped into three sub-indices (Appendix 3). The indicators are selected according to the coverage, measurability, representativeness, and importance to the quality of life in Hong Kong.

2002 was the base year of the study, the CUHK Hong Kong Quality of Life Index for that year was set at 100. If the Index of a subsequent year is above 100, it means that the quality of life in Hong Kong in that year is better than that of 2002. If the index is below 100, it reveals that the quality of life in Hong Kong in that year is worse than that of 2002. If the Index is 100, it indicates that the Hong Kong quality of life in that year is the same as that of 2002.

For more information on the CUHK Hong Kong Quality of Life Index, please visit the Centre for Quality of Life website: www2.cuhk.edu.hk/ssc/qol.