Change in Life Satisfaction of Adults With Pediatric-Onset Spinal Cord Injury
Presented in part to Shriner's Hospital for Children, Howard H. Steel Conference, Lake Buena Vista, FL, November 29, 2006 to December 2, 2006, and to the American Spinal Injury Association, Tampa Bay, FL, May 30, 2007 to June 2, 2007.
Abstract
Chen Y, Anderson CJ, Vogel LC, Chlan KM, Betz RR, McDonald CM. Change in life satisfaction of adults with pediatric-onset spinal cord injury.
Objectives
To examine the change in life satisfaction over time and potential contributing factors among adults with pediatric-onset spinal cord injury (SCI).
Design
Prospective dynamic cohort study.
Setting
Community.
Participants
Individuals who sustained a SCI before age 19 years (N=278) were initially interviewed at age 24 years or older and followed on an annual basis between 1996 and 2006.
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
A structured telephone interview was conducted to obtain the measures of Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), physical independence, participation, and psychologic functioning. The hierarchical linear modeling was performed to characterize individual person-specific time paths and estimate the average rate of change in SWLS over time.
Results
A total of 1171 interviews were conducted among 184 men and 94 women (89% white; baseline age, 27.1±3.4y; baseline years since injury, 12.8±4.9). The initial SWLS score averaged 24.2 and was estimated to increase by 0.14 a year (P=.10). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the overall life satisfaction was significantly higher for women and those who were married/living with a partner; were employed/students; did not use illicit drugs; and scored high in the FIM, the mental health component of the Short Form-12, and the social integration subscale of the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique. The rate of change in life satisfaction did not differ significantly by any personal, medical, and psychosocial characteristics under investigation.
Conclusions
The study findings suggest that people who feel unsatisfied with life initially are likely to stay unsatisfied over time if the critical determinant factors remain unchanged in their life. To minimize the risk of decreasing life satisfaction, several modifiable risk factors identified in the present study could be targeted for intervention.
Reprint requests to Yuying Chen, MD, PhD, Spain Rehabilitation Center, Room 515, 619 19th St South, Birmingham, AL 35249-7330
Supported by Shriners Hospitals for Children (grant no. 9190).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.
ABSTRACT