Does satisfaction reflect the technical quality of mental health care?
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the relationship between satisfaction and technical quality of care for common mental disorders.


METHODS
A nationally representative telephone survey of 9,585 individuals conducted in 1997-1998.


METHODS
Using multinomial logistic regression techniques we investigated the association between a five-level measure of satisfaction with the mental health care available for personal or emotional problems and two quality indicators. The first measure, appropriate technical quality, was defined as use of either appropriate counseling or psychotropic medications during the prior year for a probable depressive or anxiety disorder. The second, active treatment, indicated whether the respondent had received treatment for a psychiatric disorder in the past year. Covariates included measures of physical and mental health and sociodemographic indicators.


RESULTS
Appropriate technical quality of care was significantly associated with higher levels of satisfaction. The strength of the association was moderate.


CONCLUSIONS
Satisfaction is associated with technical quality of care. However, profiling quality of care with satisfaction will likely require large samples and case-mix adjustment, which may be more difficult for plans or provider groups to implement than measuring technical indicators. More importantly, satisfaction is not the same as technical quality, and our results suggest that at this time they cannot be made to approach each other closely enough to eliminate either.
Edlund
Mark J
MJ
Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas Medical School, USA.
Young
Alexander S
AS
Kung
Fuan Yue
FY
Sherbourne
Cathy D
CD
Wells
Kenneth B
KB
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States