Quality Of Life And The Perception Of The Community: Case Study In Genuk, Semarang

Abstract

Population growth and urbanization in the city of Semarang has generated environmental and poverty related problems which have endangered the sustainability of the city. The phenomenon is marked by the degradation of the quality of the environment in the downtown and coastal areas. The worsening water and air pollution has caused residential flight from Semarang’s downtown (and especially the old town) to the urban periphery, especially to the south regions (such as Tembalang district, etc). Diseases such as respiratory diseases and diarrhea have also become a serious problem in Semarang and have been on the rise since 2000 up to 2004. The increase is especially noticeable in the coastal and downtown areas. The condition indication supports the environment to downhill human being. However assessing carrying capacity is difficult because the environmental impacts of individuals differ. Thus, the carrying capacity of population depends on the life style. In meaning that is more specific, that energy support the environment will influence the quality of life. If the carrying capacity of environmental improves, the quality of life would also be better. Identifying the quality of life is an important matter. Intrinsically, the quality of life represents the core goal of town planning and development. Quality of life is influenced by social, economic, and environment factors. The quality of life is a barometer of development efficacy. This research aims to see the correlation between environment condition and the quality of life. The method used at this research is quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative method is used to measure the quality of life; the information needed was collected by spreading questioners’ base on the variable used. The variables used were indicators of sustainable development. The qualitative method was used to explain the quality of life conditions and their sustainability. Objective measures comprise tangible, while subjective measures comprise measures of feelings about life. The advantage of objective indicators is that they are based on quantitative statistics rather than on subjective people’s perceptions of the environment. People’s sense of well-being is an experience that is more complex than is assumed by objective indicators based on the circumstances of the environment. In order to understand the well-being of an individual, it is necessary to directly measure the people’s cognitive and affective reactions to their whole life, as well as the specific domains of life (Abbey and Andrews in Yuan, 1999). Using person-environment perspectives and building on perception and behavior studies, the research framework developed to measure the quality of life in the formal settlement in Genuk, Semarang downtown.