Objective: To determine the level of life satisfaction of adults with pediatric-onset spinal cord injuries (SCI) and the factors associated with life satisfaction.
Method: A structured interview including standardized measures.
Participants: Participants were individuals who sustained SCI at age 18 years or younger, were 24 years of age or olderat interview, did not have significant brain injury, and were living in the United States or Canada.
Outcome measures: A structured interview, the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART), the Short-Form 12 (SF-12), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).
Results: Two hundred sixteen individuals were interviewed. Mean age at injury was 1 4 years, mean age at interview was 29 years, and mean duration of injury was 14 years. The mean SWLS score was 23.6, and the median score was 25. There was not a significant difference between men and women, but those with tetraplegia were significantly less satisfied than were those with paraplegia. A regression model identified age at injury, community mobility (CHART), marital status, use of street drugs, perceived mental health (SF-12), and medical complications as predictors of life satisfaction. Other factors strongly associated with SWLS were employment, income, independent living, FIM total plus physical and sociocognitive domain scores, perceived physical health (SF-12), and CHART total plus the subscales of physical independence, cognitive independence, and occupation.
Conclusions: Life satisfaction in adults with pediatric-onset SCI is associated with demographic, injury-related, and functional limitation factors, as well as with health status and community integration outcomes.