Brazilian Children’s Understanding of the Quality of Life in Their Living Environment: A Qualitative Study

Camilla Aparecida Silva de Oliveira, Andréa Maria Duarte Vargas, Fernanda de Morais Ferreira and Efigênia Ferreira e Ferreira
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Camilla Aparecida Silva de Oliveira: Department of Social and Preventive Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Andréa Maria Duarte Vargas: Department of Social and Preventive Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Fernanda de Morais Ferreira: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Efigênia Ferreira e Ferreira: Department of Social and Preventive Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-17

Abstract: (1) Objective: To understand the perception of Brazilian children about the Quality of Life (QoL) considering their living environment. (2) Methods: This is a qualitative study conducted with children aged 6–10 years, from a medium-sized Brazilian municipality, recruited from public and private schools. An adaptation of the “draw, write, and say” method was used to collect data. At first, all children ( n = 252) drew a “neighborhood with QoL”. On the same day, the researcher analyzed the graphic elements of the representations and intentionally selected the two best-detailed drawings from each class ( n = 49) and the children were invited to narrate them. The narratives were analyzed through content analysis. (3) Results: Two major themes emerged from the content analysis, namely, the physical environment and social environment. The first included the needs to live in a community, such as housing, places of leisure, essential services, and natural elements. The second was relationships with family and friends. (4) Conclusion: The children presented the meaning of an environment with QoL, pointing out essential items to have this ideal environment. The social environment and the physical environment were perceived interdependently; that is, any change in one of these aspects may affect children’s QoL.

Keywords: Quality of Life; child; qualitative research; urban population; child welfare (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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