Health education and patient satisfaction.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this research was to determine whether patients who reported that their physician or other health care professional had discussed health education topics with them were more satisfied with their physician than were patients who reported they had not.


METHODS
Data were from the 1994 Health Plan Value Check conducted by the Pacific Business Group on Health (52% response rate). The study sample included 5066 employees ranging in age from 19 to 64 years and representing four large corporations and 21 health plans. This population was randomly sampled by company and health plan. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the relationship between level of patient satisfaction with physician and reported discussion of health education topics with a physician or other health professional in the last 3 years.


RESULTS
Patients who reported that their physician or other health care professional discussed at least one health education topic with them in the last 3 years were more likely to be satisfied with their physician (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.79 to 2.25) compared with patients who did not. In the multivariate model, the relationship remained positive and statistically significant (adjusted OR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.32 to 1.68). This relationship was observed for patients enrolled in all types of HMOs and managed care plans, as well as those with indemnity or fee-for-service insurance.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients who reported that their physician or other health care professional had discussed one or more health education topics with them in the last 3 years were more likely to be very satisfied with their physician than were patients who reported they had not.
Division of Health Policy and Administration, University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health, San Francisco, USA.
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Schauffler
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Rodriguez
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Milstein
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008329:Managed Care Programs; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011243:Preferred Provider Organizations; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors