LIFE SATISFACTION AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN OLDER HONG-KONG CHINESE

OBJECTIVE: To determine life satisfaction and its association with phy sical, functional, socioeconomic, psychological, and social support ch aracteristics in Hong Kong Chinese aged 70 years and older. DESIGN: Cr oss-sectional study. SETTING: Territory-wide random sample of persons aged 70 years and older. SUBJECTS: A total of 843 men and 714 women we re selected by random sampling, stratified by age and sex, from the Ol d age and Disability Allowance Register, after exclusion of subjects w ith cognitive impairment. MEASUREMENTS: Life satisfaction was assessed by the subjects' response to the question ''Are you satisfied with li fe'', using a 0 to 10-point linear scale. They were also asked to name the most important factor contributing to life satisfaction. Informat ion was also obtained regarding physical health, functional ability, d epressive symptoms, and socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: There was a we ak association between score and age. Health, adequate income to meet living expenses, and caring relatives were rated the most important fa ctors (>65%). Some of these factors were also those associated with a high life satisfaction score. Factors associated with a life satisfact ion score greater than 6 points were higher social class and education al attainment, adequate income to meet living expenses, satisfactory l iving arrangement, Christianity, good social support, participation in social activities, functional independence, good self-perceived healt h, good hearing and vision, daily exercise, absence of recurrent falls , and low depressive symptom score. Multiple logistic regression ident ified having two or more relatives and tertiary education as positive associated factors, whereas inadequate income to meet expenses, dissat isfaction with living arrangement, nonparticipation in religious group activities, and a high depressive symptom score were negative associa ted factors. CONCLUSION: In older Chinese, social factors such as the support provided by family members, as well as adequate income to meet living expenses, play a role equal to that of physical factors in con tributing to life satisfaction.