Abstract

• This descriptive-correlational study was undertaken in order to examine if there were relationships between family support, compliance and life satisfaction in chronic arthritis patients. The sampling method was a non-probability, purposive samplinig technique. The participants of this study were 92 volunteer adults. 1) who have been diagnosed as having chronic arthritis and 2) who were at the medical out patient clinic of one university hospital in Seoul between April 27th to May 12th 1987. The instruments used for this study were the Family Support Scale developed by Kang Hyun Sook, a Compliance Scale developed by the researcher and the Life-Satisfaction Index-Z developed by Wood et. al. Analysis of data was done using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Stepwise Multiple Regression Analysis. The results of study were as follows; Hypothesis I; "The higher the family support, the higher the compliance" was accepted. (r=. 2604, P<.01) Hypothesis II; "The higher the compliance, the higher the life satisfaction," was rejected. (r=. 1663, p>0.5) Hypothesis III; "The higher the family support, the higher the life satisfaction" was accepted. (r= .3914, p<.01) In addition, by using Stepwise Multiple Regrees-sion Analysis it was determined that the main influencing factors on the life satisfaction were family support, the number of inflammatory joints, compliance and pain level. These 4 main variables made it possible to explain 30.8% of the variance in life satisfaction. In conclusion, this study revealed that family support is an important factor that can improve compliance and life satisfaction in chronic arthritis patients.

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