Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Life satisfaction in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and its predictors

  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To determine the life satisfaction of patients with chronic non-malignant musculoskeletal pain (CMP) compared to the general population (GP) and to identify predictors of life satisfaction.

Methods

Subjects were patients with CMP (n = 1,082) admitted to multidisciplinary rehabilitation and a general population sample (n = 506). Lisat-9 measures satisfaction with life as a whole and eight life domains. Physical, emotional and social functioning and pain intensity were assessed using the SF-36. Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyse differences between patients with CMP and the GP, and predictors of life satisfaction in patients with CMP.

Results

Compared to the general population, patients with CMP reported lower satisfaction with ‘life as a whole’, and with six life domains: self-care, leisure, vocational and financial situation, sex life and contacts with friends. In the CMP group, pain was associated with satisfaction with self-care, vocational situation, partnership, family life and contacts with friends. Marital status, age and mental health were associated with most satisfaction scores.

Conclusions

Compared to the general population, patients with CMP reported lower satisfaction with ‘life as a whole’ and most life domains. The most consistent predictors of life satisfaction were marital status, mental health, vitality and pain.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

95% CI:

95% confidence interval

AIC:

Akaike information criterion

Be:

Benefit

CI:

Confidence interval

CMP:

Chronic non-malignant musculoskeletal pain

Ed:

Education

Ge:

Gender

GP:

General population

HRQOL:

Health-related quality of life

Lp:

Living with partner

Mh:

Mental health

Ms:

Marital status

OR:

Odds ratio

Pr:

Physical role

SD:

Standard deviation

SF-36:

Short form (36) health survey

St:

Student

Vit:

Vitality

References

  1. Diener, E. (1984). Subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 95, 542–575.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Fugl-Meyer, A. R., Melin, R., & Fugl-Meyer, K. S. (2002). Life satisfaction in 18- to 64-year-old Swedes: in relation to gender, age, partner and immigrant status. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 34, 239–246.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bergés, I. M., Ottenbacher, K. J., Kuo, Y. F., Smith, P. M., Smith, D., & Ostir, G. V. (2007). Satisfaction with quality of life poststroke: effect of sex differences in pain response. Arch Phys Med Rehab, 88, 413–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Post, M. W., & Noreau, L. (2005). Quality of life after spinal cord injury. Journal of Neurological Physical Therapy, 29, 139–146.

    Google Scholar 

  5. World Health Organization. (1958). The first ten years of the World Health Organization. Geneva (annex 1), http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/a38153.pdf.

  6. World Health Organization. (1997). Programme of mental health; measuring quality of life. Geneva, http://www.who.int/mental_health/media/68.pdf.

  7. Tennant, A., & McKenna, S. P. (1995). Conceptualizing and defining outcome. British Journal of Rheumatology, 34, 899–900.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Zigmund, A., & Snaith, P. (1983). The hospital anxiety and depression questionnaire. Acta Scand Psychiat, 67, 361–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Post, M., Gerritsen, J., van Dijk, A., van Asbeck, F., & Schrijvers, A. (1996). SIP68 of RAND36; een vergelijking bij dwarslaesiepatienten van twee generieke vragenlijsten voor het meten van de gezondheidstoestand. Tijdsch Soc Gezondheidsz, 74, 204–212.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fugl-Meyer, A. R., Bränholm, I.-B., & Fugl-Meyer, K. S. (1991). Happiness and domain-specific life satisfaction in adult northern Swedes. Clinical Rehabilitation, 5, 25–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Petrie, K., Chamberlain, K., & Azariah, R. (1994). The psychologic impact of hip arthroplasty. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery, 64, 115–117.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Post, M. W., Van Dijk, A. J., Van Asbeck, F. W., & Schrijvers, A. J. (1998). Life satisfaction of persons with spinal cord injury compared to a population group. Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 30, 23–30.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Post, M. W., de Witte, L. P., van Asbeck, F. W., van Dijk, A. J., & Schrijvers, A. J. (1998). Predictors of health status and life satisfaction in spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 79, 395–401.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hicken, B. L., Putzke, J. D., Novack, T., Sherer, M., & Richards, S. (2002). Life satisfaction following spinal cord and traumatic brain injury: a comparative study. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 39, 359–366.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Putzke, J. D., Richards, J. S., Hicken, B. L., & DeVivo, M. J. (2002). Predictors of life satisfaction: a spinal cord injury cohort study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 83, 555–561.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Stålnacke, B. M., Björnstig, U., Karlsson, K., & Sojka, P. (2005). One-year follow-up of mild traumatic brain injury: post-concussion symptoms, disabilities and life satisfaction in relation to serum levels of S-100B and neurone-specific enolase in acute phase. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 37, 300–305.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Anke, A. G. W., & Fugl-Meyer, A. R. (2003). Life satisfaction several years after severe multiple trauma—a retrospective investigation. Clinical Rehabilitation, 17, 431–442.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lund, M. L., Nordlund, A., Bernspång, B., & Lexell, J. (2007). Perceived participation and problems in participation are determinants of life satisfaction in people with spinal cord injury. Disability and Rehabilitation, 29, 1417–1422.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Tonack, M., Hitzig, S. L., Craven, B. C., Campbell, K. A., Boschen, K. A., & McGillivray, C. F. (2008). Predicting life satisfaction after spinal cord injury in a Canadian sample. Spinal Cord, 46, 380–385.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Chen, Y., Anderson, C. J., Vogel, L. C., Chlan, K. M., Betz, R. R., & McDonald, C. M. (2008). Change in life satisfaction of adults with pediatric-onset spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 89, 2285–2291.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Brox, J. I., Storheim, K., Holm, I., Friis, A., & Reikerås, O. (2005). Disability, pain, psychological factors and physical performance in healthy controls, patients with sub-acute and chronic low-back pain: a case-control study. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 37, 95–99.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Heikkilä, H., Heikkilä, E., & Eisemann, M. (1998). Predictive factors for the outcome of a multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation programme on sick-leave and life satisfaction in patients with whiplash trauma and other myofascial pain: a follow-up study. Clinical Rehabilitation, 12, 487–496.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Silvemark, A. J., Källmén, H., Portala, K., & Molander, C. (2008). Life satisfaction in patients with long-term non-malignant pain-relation to demographic factors and pain intensity. Disability and Rehabilitation, 30, 1929–1937.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Breivik, H., Collett, B., Ventafridda, V., Cohen, R., & Gallacher, D. (2006). Survey of chronic pain in Europe: prevalence, impact on daily life, and treatment. European Journal of Pain, 10, 287–333.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Boonstra, A. M., Reneman, M. F., Posthumus, J. B., Stewart, R. E., & Schiphorst Preuper, H. R. (2008). Reliability of the life satisfaction questionnaire to assess patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 31(2), 181–183.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Ware, J. E. (2000). SF-36 health survey update. Spine, 25, 3130–3139.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Budh, C. N., & Österåker, A.-L. (2007). Life satisfaction in individuals with a spinal cord injury and pain. Clinical Rehabilitation, 21, 89–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Leonard, M. T., Cano, A., & Johansen, A. B. (2006). Chronic pain in a couples context: a review and integration of theoretical models and empirical evidence. J Pain, 7, 377–390.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Cummins, R. A. (1998) The second approximation to an international standard for life satisfaction. Social Indicators Research 43:307–334.

    Google Scholar 

  30. van Koppenhagen, C. F., Post, M. W., van der Woude, L. H., de Witte, L. P., van Asbeck, F. W., de Groot, S., et al. (2008). Changes and determinants of life satisfaction after spinal cord injury: a cohort study in the Netherlands. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 89, 1733–1740.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. http://www2.eur.nl/fsw/research/veenhoven/Pub2010s/2011a-full.pdf.

  32. Near, J. P., & Rechner, P. L. (1993). Cross-cultural variations in predictors of life satisfaction: an historical view of differences among West European countries. Social Indicators Research, 29, 109–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Veenhoven, R. World Database of Happiness, Distributional findings in nations, Erasmus University Rotterdam. Available at: http://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl.

Download references

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ‘Revalidatie Friesland’, Center for Rehabilitation, PO Box 2, 9244 ZN, Beetsterzwaag, The Netherlands

    Anne M. Boonstra

  2. Department of Rehabilitation, Center for Rehabilitation, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Michiel F. Reneman & Henrica R. Schiphorst Preuper

  3. Department of Health Sciences, Community & Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Roy E. Stewart

  4. Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience and Center of Excellence in Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht and De Hoogstraat, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Marcel W. Post

Authors
  1. Anne M. Boonstra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michiel F. Reneman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Roy E. Stewart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Marcel W. Post
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Henrica R. Schiphorst Preuper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne M. Boonstra.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Boonstra, A.M., Reneman, M.F., Stewart, R.E. et al. Life satisfaction in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and its predictors. Qual Life Res 22, 93–101 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-012-0132-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-012-0132-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation