TY - JOUR T1 - Adults with disabilities who reported excellent or good quality of life had established a balance of body, mind, and spirit JF - Evidence Based Nursing JO - Evid Based Nurs SP - 31 LP - 31 DO - 10.1136/ebn.3.1.31 VL - 3 IS - 1 A2 - , Y1 - 2000/01/01 UR - http://ebn.bmj.com/content/3/1/31.abstract N2 - Albrecht GL, Devlieger PJ.The disability paradox: high quality of life against all odds.Soc Sci Med1999 Apr;48:977–88 QUESTION: How do adults with disabilities understand and describe their quality of life in relation to physical and social environments? Qualitative approach using semistructured interviews.Chicago, Illinois, USA.153 adults (median age 53 y, 51% women, 45% African-American, 50% single and never married, 51% high school graduates, 62% living with others) with a disability (arthritis, spinal cord injury or paralysis, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, orthopaedic conditions, head injury, HIV, AIDS, heart conditions, eye or vision problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic pain, addiction, or mental illness). The sample was generated through contacts in community based disability groups, government benefit agencies, shelters for the homeless, and acute hospitals.Adults were interviewed in English or Spanish for approximately 2.5 hours and responded to open ended … ER -