The level of life satisfaction and self-efficacy in the group of patients hospitalized in the surgical ward

Introduction
To determine the sense of life satisfaction and the level of self-efficacy in the group of patients hospitalized in the surgical ward.

Material and methods
The study involved 112 adult patients, in the perioperative period, after bowel resection procedures, and a 100-person control group. The study consisted in completing a self-questionnaire, the Standardized Life Satisfaction Scale (SWLS), and the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES).

Results
Among the surveyed patients, women constituted 51% and men 49%. The age of the respondents varied, ranging from 19 to 92 years. The youngest group were patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, with a mean age of 38.976 ±14.4 years. The median in the groups differed significantly (p = 0.000). The degree of life satisfaction is determined by age and education. In the authors’ own research, age had a key influence on satisfaction. The older the respondent, the lower their satisfaction with life (p < 0.001). As a result of the GSES analysis, it turned out that 123 (56%) of the respondents showed a high level of self-efficacy, an average level was reached by 25 (12%), and a low level by 65 (32%).

Conclusions
The degree of satisfaction with life was determined by age and education. The higher the level of education, the greater the life satisfaction of the respondents. The older the respondent, the lower their satisfaction with life. The professionally active respondents with higher education were characterized by their own high effectiveness. Low self-efficacy most often coexisted in the pensioner/retiree group.