Coping strategies and life satisfaction in subgrouped fibromyalgia patients

The present study describes pain- and stress-coping strategies and life satisfaction in subgroups of fibromyalgia patients. Thirty-two females with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and 21 healthy pain-free women were studied. Those with FMS were classified as thermal (both heat and cold) pain sensitive or slightly cold pain sensitive based on pain thresholds determined using a Thermotest device. Global stress-coping styles, life satisfaction, and specific pain-coping strategies were measured. Patients classified as thermal pain sensitive were affected by physical symptoms to a greater extent than were those classified as slightly cold pain sensitive. The thermal pain sensitive group used more diverting attention coping strategies than the slightly cold pain sensitive group did. Separating fibromyalgia patients into subgroups might increase the potential for improving nursing care of these patients. Through the use of effective coping strategies in dealing with stress and pain, life satisfaction may also be enhanced.     

Effects of 16-weeks of Pilates on functional autonomy and life satisfaction among elderly women

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Pilates-based mat exercises on functional autonomy and life satisfaction among elderly women. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Caxias do Sul, Brazil in 2015, in which 61 healthy older women were randomized into two groups (experimental group, EG = 31 participants with 64.25 mean years of age, SD = 0.14, and a control group, CG = 30 participants, 63.75 mean years of age; SD = 0.08). The EG participants performed the mat Pilates twice per week, 60-min per session. The same measurements were performed at baseline and after 16 weeks. No significant differences were found between groups at baseline (p > 0.05). In the EG, the following factors were increased after the 16-weeks training period: flexibility of lower limbs, flexibility of upper limbs, strength in lower and upper limbs, aerobic endurance and dynamic balance. This study revealed significant improvements on the life satisfaction scale's score for the EG when compared to the CG, after 16 weeks of intervention. No differences were found between baseline and after 16 weeks on the functional autonomy and life satisfaction scores for the CG. According to the results of this study, it was found that functional autonomy and life satisfaction for elderly women was improved after exposure to 16 weeks of the PM, suggesting this practice helps with healthy aging.     

Measuring life satisfaction in an elderly female population

The study described in this paper was undertaken as part of the pilot work for a main study, which attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of health visitor intervention on an elderly female population in Scotland. The Life Satisfaction Index A (Neugarten et al. 1961) was modified by the researcher and tested on a female Scottish population and is subsequently being used as one of three outcome measures of health visitor intervention.     

Coping, satisfaction, and the life cycle in families with mentally retarded persons.

The study focused on the variables influencing the functioning of 62 families with MR (mentally retarded) persons, living at home, in various stages of the life cycle. Results demonstrated the importance of some father characteristics to maternal coping skills in two-parent households. Although mean maternal coping scores were not statistically different between two-parent and single-parent households, single mothers' coping skills showed strong negative associations with both the number of children in the household and the age of the mother. This was not true of mothers in two-parent households. Single-parent mothers also appeared to be considerably more dissatisfied with family functioning than mothers in two-parent households. The supportive role of older fathers in mothers' coping in two-parent households also was apparent. Clinical implications of the study point to the need for greater support for mothers of young children with MR, mothers who are sole caregivers, and parents with many children. Differential support to mothers and fathers of an MR person may be required over the life cycle.     

Predictors of life satisfaction in HIV-positive Nepali women.

In a cross-sectional design, the authors examined the degree to which indicators of physical, mental, and social domains and perceived health predicted life satisfaction in 98 HIV-positive women who were former commercial sex workers in Nepal. Measures included the Quality of Life Inventory, Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Survey, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the anxiety subscale of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised. Life satisfaction was significantly associated with physical functioning (r = .32), role-physical (r = .31), bodily pain (r = .32), mental health (r = .39), anxiety (r = -.66), depression (r = -.47), social functioning (r = .47), and health transition (r = .49). Anxiety (beta = -.75), health transition, (beta = .45), role-physical (beta = -.43), physical function (beta = .24), and mental health (beta = -.23) explained 60% of the variance in life satisfaction. The authors discuss the challenges of international studies, including salience of the concept of quality of life, conceptual and cultural equivalence of instruments, identification of culturally relevant concerns, disclosure of private information, and instrument format.     

Coping with anxiety in later life

The goal of this study was to determine how older adults cope with three forms of anxiety, and potential avenues for applied interventions. Although the findings shed light on some interesting findings with potential psychosocial applications, several limitations need to be noted. First, this study was based on two assumptions. The assumption, based on earlier work (Carver et al., 1989; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984; Zeidner & Saklofske, 1996), that certain coping strategies are more effective than others, and an assumption of the direction of influence in which anxiety is a precursor of coping strategies. Because this was an exploratory study, the research questions did not directly test these assumptions. Second, this study is correlational in nature. Therefore, conclusions cannot be drawn about the causality of these associations. Third, as with any self-report data and self-selected sample, one needs to interpret the findings with caution. Similarly, for the purposes of the study, a non-clinical sample of older adults was examined using three distinct conceptualizations of anxiety. Suggestions for future research include: Replication of this study using a multidimensional measure of anxiety appropriate for clinical samples. A longitudinal replication of this study identifying patterns of coping that facilitate adjustment over time. Finally, a more general purpose of this study was to focus attention on a neglected issue in gerontology--the experience of anxietY in later life (Frazier & Waid, 1999; Gatz, 1995; Rabins, 1992; Shamoian, 1991; Sheikh, 1992; Smyer, 1995; Stanley & Beck, 1998), and, most importantly, the role of gerontological nurses in early assessment and intervention for successful treatment of anxiety in older adults.     

Effects of a health-promotion program on cardiovascular risk factors,health behaviors,and life satisfaction in institutionalized elderly women

This study applied a 3-month health-promotion program to institutionalized elderly people to examine changes in cardiovascular risk factors, health behaviors, and life satisfaction. Twenty-one elderly women with an average age of 77 years participated in the program consisting of cardiovascular risk assessments, Korean traditional dance movements (KTDMs), and health education/counseling. Paired t-tests revealed that the participants exhibited significant reductions in total risk score, improvements in health behaviors and life satisfaction at the end of the program. However, the positive effects tend to decrease at 3 months after the program ended. In conclusion, the health-promotion program using KTDM exercises was safely applicable and beneficial to institutionalized elderly women.     

Validity of the life satisfaction questions, the life satisfaction questionnaire, and the satisfaction with life scale in persons with spinal cord injury

Post MW, van Leeuwen CM, van Koppenhagen CF, de Groot S. Validity of the Life Satisfaction questions, the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Satisfaction With Life Scale in persons with spinal cord injury.ObjectiveTo assess and compare the validity of 3 life satisfaction instruments in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI).DesignCross-sectional study 5 years after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.SettingEight rehabilitation centers with specialized SCI units.ParticipantsPersons (N=225) with recently acquired SCI between 18 and 65 years of age were included in a cohort study. Data were available for 145 persons 5 years after discharge.InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresThe Life Satisfaction questions (LS Questions), the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-9), and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS).ResultsThere were no floor or ceiling effects. Cronbach α was questionable for the LS Questions (.60), satisfactory for the LiSat-9 (.75), and good for the SWLS (.83). Concurrent validity was shown by strong and significant Spearman correlations (.59–.60) between all 3 life satisfaction instruments. Correlations with measures of mental health and participation were .52 to .56 for the LS Questions, .45 to .52 for the LiSat-9, and .41 to .48 for the SWLS. Divergent validity was shown by weak and in part nonsignificant correlations between the 3 life satisfaction measures and measures of functional independence and lesion characteristics.ConclusionsOverall, the validity of all 3 life satisfaction measures was supported. Despite questionable internal consistency, the concurrent and divergent validity of the LS Questions was at least as good as the validity of the LiSat-9 and the SWLS.     

Correlates of life satisfaction and depression in middle-aged and elderly spinal cord-injured persons

Advances in health care science allow more people with spinal cord injuries to live to old age. The purpose of this study was to determine those factors that contribute to the well-being of middle-aged and elderly spinal cord-injured people. One hundred spinal cord-injured people, ranging in age from 40 to 73 years, completed an extensive structured interview. In general, respondents reported a degree of well-being on the same measures of satisfaction and depression that was slightly lower than that of similarly aged nondisabled people. Pearson correlations indicated that people experiencing high levels of well-being reported high levels of perceived control, had higher levels of social support, and judged their health status to be good. These people also viewed their disability more favorably, tended to have higher incomes and more education, were employed, and were more religious than those indicating lower levels of well-being. The severity of the spinal cord injury was not correlated highly with subjective well-being, although there was a tendency for those with greater disability to report lower levels of well-being. People who were younger, who incurred their disability at a younger age, and who blamed themselves and felt they could have avoided the injury also tended to report higher levels of well-being.     

老年脑卒中患者生活满意度与心理健康状况的相关性研究

目的了解老年脑卒中患者的生活满意度、心理健康状况及其相关性。方法采用老年人生活质量调查表(Senile Life Quality Scale,SLQS)中的生活满意度(life satisfaction,LS)及症状自评量表(Symptom Checklist90,SCL-90)对62名老年脑卒中患者(观察组)及62名老年人(对照组)进行测评,并对生活满意度与心理健康状况进行相关性分析。结果观察组LS总分、经济收入、吃穿、子女孝顺、身体健康、家庭生活及人际关系评分均低于对照组(P<0.01);而躯体化、人际关系敏感、抑郁、焦虑、敌对及恐怖评分均高于对照组(P<0.05或P<0.01)。老年脑卒中患者的生活满意度评分与抑郁、躯体化、焦虑及人际关系敏感评分均呈负相关。结论老年脑卒中患者的生活满意度及心理健康状况均低于对照组,其生活满意度与心理健康状况有关。     

Effect of guided imagery with relaxation on health-related quality of life in older women with osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of disability in older adults, which, in turn, leads to poor quality of life (QOL). Disability is caused primarily by the joint degeneration and pain associated with OA. A randomized pilot study was conducted to test the effectiveness of guided imagery with relaxation (GIR) to improve health-related QOL (HRQOL) in women with OA. A two-group (intervention versus control) longitudinal design was used to determine whether GIR leads to better HRQOL in these individuals and whether improvement in HRQOL could be attributed to intervention-associated improvements in pain and mobility. Twenty-eight women were randomized to either the GIR intervention or the control intervention group. Using GIR for 12 weeks significantly increased women's HRQOL in comparison to the women who used the control intervention, even after statistically adjusting for changes in pain and mobility. These findings suggest that the effects of GIR on HRQOL are not limited to improvements in pain and mobility. GIR may be an easy-to-use self-management intervention to improve the QOL of older adults with OA.     

入住公寓老年人心理健康状况及生活满意度的调查

中国是人口大国.老年人口的激增,会使劳动力人口的压力急剧加大,而劳动力人口中大多都是独生子女,每人需要赡养的老年人比例上升,为了减轻社会劳动者的负担,入住老年公寓的老年人也在逐年增加.     

Perceived health, life satisfaction, and cardiovascular risk factors among elderly Korean immigrants and elderly Koreans

Acknowledging that changes in sociocultural environment influence health status, the purpose of this study was to compare perceived health, life satisfaction, and cardiovascular health in elderly Korean immigrants and elderly Koreans. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 88 elderly Korean immigrants and 295 elderly Koreans 65 and older were recruited from Korean communities in the United States and Korea. Respondents' perceived health was measured by self-assessment; life satisfaction was self-assessed using a dichotomous scale of general satisfaction with life; and cardiovascular health status was surveyed by self-report of major diagnosed cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus) and body mass index measurement for obesity. Despite having better perceived health and life satisfaction, elderly Korean immigrants also had higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. The findings provide health care providers with useful information for effective health assessment of minority immigrants.