Meaning‐in‐life in nursing‐home patients: a valuable approach for enhancing psychological and physical well‐being?

Gørill Haugan

Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2014, vol. 23, issue 13-14, 1830-1844

Abstract: Aims and objectives To investigate the associations between meaning‐in‐life and physical, emotional, functional and social well‐being in a cognitively intact nursing‐home population. Background Meaning‐in‐life is understood as an influential psychological variable that promotes health and well‐being; meaning‐in‐life has been found to be a mediating variable in both psychological and physical health. Design and methods The study employed a cross‐sectional design. Data were collected in 2008 and 2009 using the purpose‐in‐life test and the FACT‐G quality‐of‐life questionnaire. A total of 250 cognitively intact nursing‐home patients who met the inclusion criteria were approached and 202 attended. The hypothesised relationships between meaning and multidimensional well‐being were tested by means of structural equation modelling. Results The structural equation modelling model fit well with the present data, showing significant direct relationships between meaning‐in‐life and emotional and functional well‐being, and a significant mediated influence of meaning on social and physical well‐being. Conclusion Meaning‐in‐life is associated with all dimensions of well‐being and likely plays an important role in both emotional and physical well‐being. Relevance to clinical practice Facilitating patients' perceived meaning‐in‐life might help ease emotional distress and physical symptoms, thus fostering well‐being in cognitively intact nursing‐home patients. Therefore, advancing staff nurses' competence in facilitating meaningful involvement, connectedness, nurse–patient interaction and symptom management is important for care quality and global well‐being in nursing homes.

Date: 2014
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https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.12402

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:jocnur:v:23:y:2014:i:13-14:p:1830-1844

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