Determinants of life dissatisfaction among adults in the United States: A cross-sectional analysis of the National Health Interview Survey

The number of Americans who report dissatisfaction with their quality of life has increased over the past several decades. This study investigated social- and health-related determinants of life dissatisfaction among adults in the United States (US). We conducted a cross-sectional observational study using data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey, a nationally representative sample of adults in the US. We analyzed the association between self-reported life dissatisfaction and independent variables including demographics, family-level information, health status and conditions, functioning and disability, health insurance coverage, chronic pain, occupational variables, socioeconomic indicators, health-related behaviors, and psychological distress indicators. Survey multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association among social- and health-related determinants and life dissatisfaction. The relative importance of each variable in the final model was determined using Shapley Additive Explanations values (0–100% scale). Among the 253.2 million civilian noninstitutionalized adults, 12.2 million (4.8%) reported life dissatisfaction. Recent psychological distress, unmarried status, poor general health, lack of social/emotional support, and lower food security were independently associated with life dissatisfaction (all P < .001). The relative importance of these variables in predicting life dissatisfaction was 39.3% for recent psychological distress, 22.2% for unmarried status, 18.3% for poor general health, 13.4% for lack of social/emotional support, and 6.9% for lower food security. Additionally, racial inequities were identified in the prevalence of these factors. Life dissatisfaction among adults in the US is associated with social- and health-related factors that are more prevalent in racial minority groups. The study findings suggest that resource prioritization should be targeted towards individuals with these factors, with particular emphasis on racial minority groups. This study aligns with US health policy initiatives and the results may help policymakers address the underlying factors contributing to life dissatisfaction among the US population.