[Personal satisfaction as a component of adult's quality of life in Medellin].

OBJECTIVE Determining personal satisfaction as the main component of the quality of life of men and women aged 20 to 64 in Medellin during 2005. METHODS This was a cross/sectional descriptive population study. Its primary source of information consisted of two samples (659 men and 683 women) representing 523,705 and 651,704 people respectively, according to population expansion factors, selected via probabilistic complex sampling, stratified by socioeconomic level, clustering, city blocks, houses and people. RESULTS The quality of life for adults in Medellin is mainly represented by personal and economic aspects, their housing's physical environment and social security. The aspects analysed in this study were evaluated above 75%; personal abilities and capability produced the greatest satisfaction, whilst the economic situation and social security produced least satisfaction. There were no significant differences according to gender regarding personal satisfaction concerning various aspects of life. CONCLUSIONS This study's contribution to knowledge lies in making evident the need to integrate each person's subjectivity, opinions and individual perception of his/her own life, since these are the main components in evaluating an individual's quality of life.