Life satisfaction in individuals with a spinal cord injury and pain.

OBJECTIVE: To assess and describe life satisfaction in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) with regard to pain.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study of self-reported life satisfaction in individuals with SCI, with and without pain.

SETTING: Spinal outpatient clinic.

SUBJECTS: Two hundred and thirty patients with SCI were mailed a questionnaire.

INTERVENTIONS: Mailed survey.

MAIN MEASURES: Ratings of pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, mood, and life satisfaction (LiSat-9).

RESULTS: In total 191 (83%) of the questionnaires were returned and analysed. Patients with pain experienced lower life satisfaction compared with individuals who were pain free. Continuous pain interfered to a greater extent than did intermittent pain. In logistic regression analysis the univariate relationship between pain and low life satisfaction was removed. Predictive for lower scores of life satisfaction were higher ratings of mood disorders.

CONCLUSION: Life satisfaction is negatively affected in patients with SCI and pain compared to patients with SCI but without pain. Higher levels of anxiety and depression seem to be predictive for this decreased life satisfaction.