On Life Satisfaction and Activity Preferences in Subjects with Multiple Sclerosis: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Using mailed checklists, levels of satisfaction with life as a whole and with eight different domains, and participation in non-work activity were investigated in 46 subjects with multiple sclerosis (MS). The results were compared with those found in 146 individuals from a randomly selected population. The MS group reported significantly lower levels of satisfaction with life as a whole (level of happiness), self-care ADL, sexual life, family life, vocational situation and leisure than did the reference group, but similar levels of satisfaction with partnership relations, financial situation and contacts with friends and acquaintances. The men and women in the MS group reported significantly lower participation in 15 of 41 non-work activitities, mainly within the category Home/Family activities, while they reported higher participation in three activities than did the reference group. For the MS group, twenty-two of the activities were significantly and positively correlated with one or more domains of life satisfaction. The fact that nearly 60% of the MS patients were not satisfied with life as a whole, in addition to their low levels of satisfaction in five of the eight domains, taken together with the loss of leisure activities, indicate that the majority of MS subjects have not managed to cope successfully with the consequences of their disease and its concomitant impairments.

Key Words:

• activity preferences
• coping
• life satisfaction
• occupational therapy
• rehabilitation