The necessity of studying methodological approaches to understanding the life quality of the population is grounded. The approaches of some experts to the determination of the life quality in a historical aspect are summarized. The basic components for determination of the quality of human life have been established: a man himself as a biological and spiritual entity of human activity, the conditions of human life. The objective and subjective approaches to assessing the life quality of the population have been investigated. The position of Russian and national experts as for the determination of the life quality are given. The approaches to measuring and evaluating the life quality of the population were examined. The components of the aggregate indicator of the human development level in a particular country were examined – the index of human development: life expectancy index, education index, the index of gross national income. Opportunities to evaluate the quality of life based on the Human Development Index (HDI) have been identified. Indicators of human development index in Ukraine, CIS countries and Europe were analyzed. Comparative data on the HDI in Ukraine and other countries are presented.

Рассмотрены подходы отдельных специалистов к определению качества жизни в историческом аспекте. Исследованы объективный и субъективный подходы к оценке качества жизни населения. Приведены позиции российских и национальных специалистов по определению качества жизни. Определены возможности оценки качества жизни на основе индекса развития человеческого потенциала (ИРЧП). Приведены сопоставительные данные по ИРЧП в Украине и других странах. Обоснован вывод о наличии значительного незадействованного потенциала повышения уровня качества жизни населения в Украине и ее регионах.