Hope and Wellbeing among Belizeans

Purpose:

The purpose of most medical mission trips is to instill hope among the hopeless and foster physical, emotional and spiritual wellness among the population served. This  objective is difficult to achieve during short-term missions. However, instilling hope in  those who are hopeless is possible when there are others willing to intervene during the  time period between medical mission team visits.  By obtaining a better understanding of the subjective wellbeing of the population served, providers can further explore the nature of the satisfaction or  dissatisfaction that is informing the subjective wellbeing of the population served. The specific aims of this research study were to describe the level of hope and subjective well among adults seeking care at a  health clinic in Belize, Central America.   

Methods:

This study used a descriptive, correlational design. The sample consisted of 66 adults (males and females). Hope was measured using The Trait Hope Scale and subjective wellbeing was measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale.  Both instruments were completed with the participant waited to see a health care provider. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the levels of hope and subjective wellbeing for the sample. 

Results: Overall, the sample reported being slightly below average on the Satisfaction with Life Scale (M=15.95). Participants also reported having high levels of Hope (M=46.27).  

Conclusion: Low levels of satisfaction with life may indicate dissatisfaction with one or more areas of life domains. Higher levels of hope can provide motivation to improve areas of dissatisfaction. Health care providers must nurture a positive, hopeful outlook, encourage better connections with family, or friends in order to instill hope and improve the subjective wellbeing of the population served.