Changes over six years in global and domain-specific life satisfaction among older adults aging with long-term spinal cord injury

CONTEXT: Life satisfaction (LS) is associated with health and longevity but decreases after spinal cord injury (SCI). Yet, little is known about changes in LS over time, many years after SCI. OBJECTIVES: To assess changes in LS over six years among older adults aging with long-term SCI, determine how changes in LS are associated with sex, age, injury characteristics, and with changes in secondary health conditions (SHCs), activity limitations, marital status and vocational situation. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study from the Swedish Aging with Spinal Cord Injury Study (SASCIS). SETTING: Community settings, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-eight individuals (32% women), mean age 68 years, mean time since injury 31 years, injury levels C1-L3, AIS A-D. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-11), consisting of life as a whole and ten different life domains. RESULTS: Over six years, there were no statistically significant changes in self-rated LS at the group level, but some variability at the individual level. To stop working was associated with increased LS, whereas none of the included variables were associated with decreased LS. A majority of the participants were dissatisfied with life as a whole and with five of the ten life domains, particularly with sexual life, somatic health, and self-care. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate stability in global and domain-specific LS over time in older adults aging with long-term SCI. Giving up work can be beneficial for LS in this population as they age. The low LS in several life domains calls for attention in the long-term follow-up after SCI.