| Promotion of quality of life is often cited as a goal in the treatment of those with chronic illnesses and disabilities, including stroke, a leading cause of long term disability. Rehabilitation of stroke survivors focuses on deficits in physical and cognitive functions. Recovery of function is expected to equate with improved quality of life. However, clinical research on quality of life in disabled persons has failed to link patients' perceptions of quality of life with functional ability.; A descriptive, correlational study was designed with the purpose of advancing the understanding of the concept of quality of life of stroke survivors. The relationships of quality of life, meaningful function, functional ability and selected other variables were explored using Day and Jankey's Model of the Evaluation Process of Quality of Life. Seventy community-dwelling stroke survivors who were 3 to 60 months post-stroke were recruited from the north-central Florida area. Data were collected using the Quality of Life Survey (QOLS), the Barthal Index (BI), the mini-mental status exam (MMSE), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Perceived Social Support From Family and Friends (PSS/FA and PSS/FR), a demographic questionnaire, Cantril's Self-Anchoring Striving Scale for Meaningful Function (SASS/MF), and Cantril's Self-Anchoring Striving Scale for Quality of Life (SASS/QOL). Data were subjected to correlational and simultaneous multiple regression analysis. Descriptive interview data were analyzed using a word analysis technique.; Data analysis found a strong relationship between quality of life and meaningful function. The SASS/MF and the SASS/QOL have a strong positive correlation (r=.82, p=<.0001). This conclusion is supported by the moderate correlation (r=.73, p=<.0001) between the SASS/MF and the QOLS. Multiple regression analysis found that the 75.32% of the variance in quality of life was explained in the model containing meaningful function, functional ability, depression, social support, months since stroke, and age. Study findings support the concepts of meaningful function and functional ability being different concepts. Support is also provided for the relationships of function, meaningful function, and quality of life described by the Day and Jankey's Model of the Evaluation Process of Quality of Life. |
