Determinants of adolescents' satisfaction with health care providers and intentions to keep follow-up appointments.
OBJECTIVE
To better understand the determinants of adolescents' satisfaction with their health care providers and to examine the relationship among satisfaction, intention to return for follow-up, and appointment-keeping behavior.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-four adolescent patients attending a university-based general adolescent medicine clinic were surveyed prior to the visit about their attitudes regarding provider behavior. After the visit, subjects completed a questionnaire on provider behavior during the visit, satisfaction with the visit, and intention to keep their follow-up appointment.


RESULTS
Multivariate regression analysis revealed that pre-visit attitudes about providers' style of behavior predicted satisfaction (beta = 0.252; p < 0.01). After controlling for pre-visit attitudes, perceptions about providers' style of behavior proved to be a strong predictor of visit satisfaction (beta = 0.512; p < 0.01). Visit satisfaction was associated with intention to keep scheduled follow-up appointments (r = 0.327; p < 0.01). However, subjects with greater intention to return were not more likely to keep their follow-up appointments.


CONCLUSIONS
Provider behavior is an important determinant of adolescents' satisfaction with their health care.
Freed
L H
LH
Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Ellen
J M
JM
Irwin
C E
CE
Millstein
S G
SG
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D000328:Adult; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction