Indicators of Life Satisfaction in Persons With Life-Threatening
Diagnoses and Those With A Non-Life-Threatening Diagnosis
Ruth I. Stoll

Clinical observations suggest patients differ in outlook and adaptation to illness. Severity and/or chronically of illness with progressive pain and disability influence lifestyle, aspirations, and experience of life satisfaction. The ill person's report of his perceived level of life satisfaction expresses judgments reflective of differing values, aspirations, and achievements. Religious, social support, and functional-health values may affect life satisfaction judgments thereby influencing adaptation to living with illness.

The purpose of this study was to compare the relationship of functional-health, religious orientation, and social support to life satisfaction in persons with the diagnosis of lung cancer, those with, the diagnosis of first-time myocardial infarction, and those with the diagnosis of osteoarthritis.

A correlational, comparative research design was used. One hundred and eight adults in the following diagnostic categories comprised the study sample: 43 with lung cancer, 34 with myocardial infarction, and 31 with osteoarthritis. The sample was a purposive one and was selected from three hospitals or associated physicians offices. Four questionnaires including the Karnofsky Performance Rating Scale, the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire, the Committed/Intrinsic-Consensual/Extrinsic Religious Orientation Scale, and the Self-Anchoring Life Satisfaction Scale were utilized with a face-to-face semi-structured interview.

Illness was found to significantly decrease life satisfaction ratings for respondents with lung cancer and myocardial infarction. This was not true for the osteoarthritis group. They were found to have a significantly lower past life satisfaction rating in contrast to present rating. Perceived future ratings for all groups were significantly higher than present ratings. No significant difference in present life satisfaction ratings were found between the diagnostic groups. Differences in life satisfaction ratings were more significantly related to functional-health; integrated, personal religious orientation; and social support than to diagnosis. Functional-health demonstrated the strongest relationship to an increase in present life satisfaction ratings across groups. Intrinsic/Committed religious orientation demonstrated a stronger relationship to an increase in life satisfaction ratings, particularly future ratings, than consensual religious orientation in all groups and extrinsic religious orientation for most. Religious orientation was found to contribute the least to an increase in life satisfaction ratings for the lung cancer group. Implications for nursing were discussed, and recommendations for further study were made.

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