Determinants of life satisfaction in Hong Kong Chinese elderly: a longitudinal study

The objective of the current study was to identify the predictive variables of life satisfaction in Chinese elderly people. Data came from a longitudi nal study da representative community sample of the elderly Chinese populat ion in Hong Kong. Life satisfaction three years later is associated with a number of variables variables including gender, age, marital status, years of education, chronic illness, functional impairment, self-rated health som atic complaints, vision, hearing, social network, social support from famil y members, quality of social support and financial strain. Using multiple r egression models, the authors found that younger elderly persons with less financial strain, better social support, fewer somatic complaints and more education reported a higher level of life satisfaction three years later. T hese findings were consistent with previous Western studies.