Degree and Scope of the Fulfillment of Needs as Indicators of Living Standard and Life Quality

Abstract The aim of the paper was to review and analyze the theory and definition of human needs, as well as the direction of work on the selection of a set of indicators characterizing the standard of living and the quality of live of the population. The study used the method of back-up data analysis (desk research). The descriptive method and the technique of examining documents and describing their content were also applied. The basic empirical material was statistical data, mainly the results of household budget surveys. The study period was 2010–2020. The study indicated that work on sets of indicators characterizing the standard of living and the quality of life, their modification and improvement depending on the changing socio-economic situation are necessary for an effective cohesion policy. There is still no single universal definition of the concept and method of measuring the standard of living and the quality of life due to difficulties in defining indicators and variables. A set of indicators was also developed by Statistics Poland. It is an open set, which can be modified and improved depending on the changing socio-economic situation. The domains which were taken into account refer to the solutions adopted within the European Statistical System, however, they are not identical. Recently, research on the standard of living and the quality of life lays greater emphasis on subjective rather than objective indicators. The standard of living and the quality of life of the population should be monitored regularly, as this will help to adopt the sets of indicators comparable at different territorial levels.