Patient's satisfaction and distress compared with expectations of the medical staff.
OBJECTIVE
Patient satisfaction is increasingly used to measure and evaluate patient treatment in hospital. The aim of this study is to assess satisfaction regarding communication, support and the degree of anxiety and depression among the patients, and to compare reports from the patients with the expectations of the staff.


METHODS
In a prospective study, 176 (93%) of the patients and 52 (80%) of the nurses completed a similar questionnaire. Degree of satisfaction was measured on a five-point scale (0-4), and degree of anxiety and depression was measured with the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HAD).


RESULTS
Satisfaction regarding communication with nurses (3.4+/-0.07) and physicians (3.0+/-0.08) was higher than expected by the staff (2.9+/-0.09 and 2.4+/-0.09, respectively) (p<0.01). The staff expected a higher degree of anxiety (2.3+/-0.10 versus 1.5+/-0.12) (p<0.01). The patients scored significantly higher on HAD anxiety compared with the population in general. The HAD score correlated negatively with the level of satisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
The patients generally showed a high degree of satisfaction with communication and support. The staff underestimated the patients' degree of satisfaction and overestimated their degree of anxiety.


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge of patients' degree of satisfaction is important for satisfactory communication with the staff, compliance with treatment and in order to reduce staff's concern for their care.
Langen
Ingrid
I
Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, University of Oslo, and Intensive Care Unit, Ulleval University Hospital, Norway.
Myhren
Hilde
H
Ekeberg
Øivind
Ø
Stokland
Olav
O
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment / Q000592:standards; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires