抄録
In this study, we investigated the sense of purpose in life of patients with vague oral complaints using the “Purpose in Life Test-Part A”(PIL-A).
The subjects consisted of 61 patients: 14 males aged 52.1±18.1 and 47 females aged 56.8±14.0, of whom 23 had oral paresthesias, 22 glossodynias, 13 taste abnormalities, 10 saliva abnormalities and 14 other complaints.
The results were as follows:(1) Over one third of the subjects had a low purpose in life score.(2) Male patients and those with multiple complaints tended to have a low purpose in life score.(3) Such patients selected such items as “distress about the monotony of daily life”, “death anxiety” and “history of suicidal thoughts” more frequently than other items.
The findings of this study suggest that patients with a low purpose in life score should be given support to find some purpose in life and relieve their death anxiety.
