Does religion influence patient satisfaction?
OBJECTIVE
To determine if patient satisfaction varies by level of individual religiosity.


METHODS
Data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States, were used to assess the relationship between religious salience (importance) and patients' satisfaction with their health care encounters.


RESULTS
Higher levels of religious salience are significantly related to being very satisfied with one's health care, even after demographic, social, and health variables are taken into account.


CONCLUSIONS
Researchers, practitioners, and administrators should be aware that religion may significantly influence how patients rate their health care experiences.
Benjamins
Maureen R
MR
Sinai Urban Health Institute, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Chicago, IL 60608, USA. benmau@sinai.org
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States