The Patient Experiences Questionnaire: development, validity and reliability.
OBJECTIVE
. To describe the development of the Patient Experiences Questionnaire (PEQ) and to evaluate reliability and validity of constructed summed rating scales.


METHODS
Literature review, focus groups and pilot surveys. Two national cross-sectional studies performed in 1996 and 1998.


METHODS
Two postal surveys in a national sample of 14 hospitals stratified by geographical region and hospital size. Subjects. Patients consecutively discharged from surgical wards and wards of internal medicine. The surveys included 36 845 patients and 19 578 responded (53%).


RESULTS
We constructed 10 summed rating scales based on factor analysis and theoretical considerations: Information on future complaints, Nursing services, Communication, Information examinations, Contact with next-of-kin, Doctor services, Hospital and equipment, Information medication, Organization and General satisfaction. Eight scales had a Cronbach alpha coefficient of >0.70, the remaining two were >0.60. Repeatability was >0.70 for five scales and >0.60 for the remaining scales.


CONCLUSIONS
The PEQ is a self-report instrument covering the most important subjects of interest to hospital patients. Results are presented as 10 scales with good validity and reliability. It emphasizes practicability and comprehensibility while at the same time providing sufficient information about domains applicable to most patients admitted to medical and surgical wards.
Pettersen
Kjell I
KI
National Insurance Administration, Norway, Oslo, Norway. kjell.pettersen@kunnskapssenteret.no
Veenstra
Marijke
M
Guldvog
Bjørn
B
Kolstad
Arne
A
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006739:Hospital Administration; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012107:Research Design; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires