The Determinants of a Quality of Life Indicator for Farm Operator Households: Application of Zero-Inflated Count-Data Models.
Authors:
El-Osta, H.S. USDA, ERS
Source:
Applied research in quality of life. 2007 Sept., v. 2, no. 3, p. 145-163.
NALT Subjects:
rural families farms farm families farm operator households farm operators quality of life rural sociology Agricultural Resource Management Study United States
Other Subjects:
Agricultura Resource Management Survey
Issue Date:
Sep-2007
Abstract:
The assessment of the determinants of quality of life in the USA has long been a focus of many researchers. This paper contributes towards that effort by focusing on the quality of life attributes of a segment of the population; namely, farm operator households. To assist in this effort, a quality of life indicator is constructed based on data from the 2004 Agricultural Resource Management Survey along with some auxiliary databases. The determinants of this indicator have been assessed by means of count-data models with special emphasis being given to the role of the preponderance of zeros in the constructed index. Based on the findings, some policy recommendations on how to improve the quality of life in the rural communities are provided.
