Recent U.S. trends in the age decrement in health satisfaction: preliminary findings.

One of the most salient components of older patients' mental disposition involves satisfaction with health. Low health satisfaction has been observed to be associated with anomia, unhappiness, high body concern, poor adjustment to the environment, low activity, and depression. Yet a number of issues in the area remain under-investigated. One such issue involves change over time in the elderly populace's general level of contentment with health. The present study utilizes data from the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago to investigate this subject. The preliminary findings suggest that the extent to which the aged are highly satisfied with their health has been declining, particularly in comparison to that of their younger counterparts.