QUALITY-OF-LIFE ISSUES AMONG WOMEN WITH PHYSICAL-DISABILITIES OR BREAST-CANCER

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess quality of life (QO L) and life satisfaction among women with physical disabilities or bre ast cancer, and to identify factors predictive of QOL and life satisfa ction for women and men. QOL and life satisfaction differences were ex amined between women and men with physical disabilities and cancer, an d between women with traumatic and chronic physical conditions. Design : A cross-sectional design employing several QOL and life satisfaction measures was used. Sample: Two hundred sixteen outpatient subjects (9 9 women, 117 men) with physical disabilities or cancer were studied. I nstruments: The Health Status Questionnaire-Short-Form 36 (SF-36), Fun ctional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT), Functional Living Index-C ancer (FLIC), and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). Results: Wo men with traumatic conditions (amputation, spinal cord injury) reporte d poorer physical functioning and wellbeing, whereas women in the chro nic (postpolio, breast cancer) group reported poorer health status. No significant gender differences were found with respect to QOL or life satisfaction. Whereas functional and emotional well-being were the st rongest predictors of overall QOL for both men and women, self-perceiv ed general health significantly predicted QOL for women (p < .05) and social well-being significantly predicted QOL for men (p < .01). Among men, life satisfaction was best predicted by marital status (p < .05) , general health (p < .05), and social well-being (p < .01). The resul ting QOL models had adjusted R-2 values of .77 and .76 for women and m en, respectively. Among women with traumatic conditions, functional we ll-being best predicted QOL (p < .01). Life satisfaction for women wit h chronic conditions was best predicted by age, education, and spiritu al well-being. Conclusion: QOL as measured by the impact of illness on an individual is best predicted by physical and functional wellbeing. Satisfaction with one's life was best predicted by functional ability . Although functional and physical ability were the best predictors fo r both QOL and life satisfaction, social functioning made significant and substantive contributions to these constructs. Spinal cord injury had the most impact on physical functioning, whereas prostate cancer h ad the least. Psychosocial functioning was most affected by amputation and least affected by prostate cancer. (C) 1997 by the American Congr ess of Rehabilitation Medicine.