Life Satisfaction Among Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries

Journal of Rehabilitation, July-Sept, 2000 by Brent W. Chase, Thomas A. Cornille, R. William English

Discussion

The findings from this study especially apply to persons with a spinal cord injury and their families. Others who might benefit from this information are health care providers, rehabilitation professionals, law makers, and educators. Understanding the components that are important to life satisfaction of persons with a spinal cord injury is the first step in making it a reality.

Persons with a spinal cord injury who took sole responsibility for instructing or directing their personal assistance services were found to perceive more control over their lives. They reported greater satisfaction with personal assistance services and greater life satisfaction. They also reported better physical health. Furthermore, the respondents were found to encounter fewer social handicaps.

Because most persons with a spinal cord injury need assistance in a variety of important tasks for independent living, it is critical that more attention be given to teaching them the skills to direct the services of personal assistants. It is important to note that persons with a spinal cord injury were significantly more satisfied with personal assistance from family members than home health agencies. Moreover, persons with spinal cord injuries who had not been hospitalized during the past year were more satisfied with their personal assistance and reported better physical health. Given these findings, policy makers and health care providers may need to rethink their philosophy on service delivery and allow the consumer more control in service provision. The need for allowing persons with a spinal cord injury to assume more control over personal assistance services is an essential component to a much needed transformation of the national health care system (English, 1994).

The positive influence of employment on life satisfaction has been previously reported (Crewe & Krause, 1990; Krause, 1990; Mehnert et al., 1990). Similarly, this study found that persons employed at least part time were found to perceive more control, experience less handicap, and perceive more satisfaction with life. Economically, the availability of more disposable income, as compared to nonworkers, provides the financial resources to reduce or remove barriers. Psychologically, work well done and relationships with co-workers are validating and contribute to self-esteem. It is important for law makers to take this information into account when deciding what benefits are available to persons with disabilities. Employment incentives, such as tax deductions, would allow these persons, who may earn little above the poverty line, to return to school. Higher education provides greater employment opportunities. Persons in this study with a higher level of education perceived greater control and encountered fewer handicaps.

Better social skills fit closely with greater social opportunities, more effective personal assistance management practices, and closer relationships including marriage. Participants in this study who were married had claimed to have greater communication skills and higher life satisfaction. Married persons with a spinal cord injury reported greater life satisfaction than did unmarried persons. Married persons also reported being more effective verbal communicators and experienced fewer obstacles than did unmarried persons. Because effective communication and social skills are important in the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships, persons with a spinal cord injury should be offered skill training in communication and human relations. Future research seems appropriate as culture continues to place greater emphasis on personal satisfaction with everyday life. Such research should emphasize all major life activities, including leisure, and all main life domains (physical, mental, psycho-social, and spiritual).