title: Satisfaction with VA and non-VA outpatient care among veterans.
abstract: This study examines veterans' satisfaction with outpatient care within the context of outpatient user type, race/ethnicity, and veteran identity. The sample includes 2652 veterans who participated in the VIP 2001 Survey. After controlling for enabling and need characteristics in logistic regression models, Veterans Administration (VA)-only users were 2 to 8 times more satisfied with their outpatient care than were VA nonusers on 5 out of 10 satisfaction measures. White veterans were 1.5 to 3.4 times more satisfied than nonwhite veterans on 8 out of 10 satisfaction measures. Members of veterans' organizations were less satisfied with their outpatient care than nonmembers on 5 out of 10 satisfaction measures. Factors associated with race/ethnicity and veteran identity may be incorporated into interventions to improve VA outpatient care satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, UCLA School of Medicine and UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA. nharada@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Nancy D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Valentine M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*