Life satisfaction of adolescents and adults with cystic fibrosis: Impact of partnership and gender

Background: This is the first study to assess the impact of gender and partnership on life satisfaction in adolescents and adults with CF, using a model combining subjective importance and satisfaction ratings. Methods: Life satisfaction of 243 CF patients (16-58 years, M=29.6, SD=7.4, 46.9% male) was assessed with the Questions on Life Satisfaction (FLZ(M)). The effects of gender and partnership on life satisfaction were calculated. 2 Results: Significantly less males than females reported living with a partner (chi(2)=16.5, p<001). Gender only had a significant effect on health-related life satisfaction, with females reporting worse life satisfaction. Partnership had small to large effects on general, health-related and CF-specific life satisfaction (eta(2)=.049-.144). Participants with partners always reported higher life satisfaction than those without partner. However, no significant interaction effect of partnership and gender could be shown. Conclusions: Having a partner is associated with higher life satisfaction, regardless of the patient's gender and might have beneficial effects on medical outcomes. (C) 2008 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.