Touch-screen versus paper-and-pen questionnaires: effects on patients' evaluations of quality of care.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the paper is to compare the computer administration method (touch-screen) with the original paper-and-pen approach when measuring patients' perceptions of care quality.


METHODS
The study group consisted of 199 patients who responded to touch-screen and 219 who responded to paper-and-pen questionnaires, receiving care between January and March 2003 at two out-patient clinics in one county in Sweden. The response rate was 75 per cent. A modified version of the quality from the patient's perspective questionnaire was used.


RESULTS
Two main findings emerged: first, both methods yielded almost identical results in quality of care ratings, and second, the touch-screen method was perceived to be easier to use and to take less time to complete.


CONCLUSIONS
The paper shows that both methods are acceptable, but the touch-screen method appears to be preferred by patients.
Larsson
Bodil Wilde
BW
Division for Health and Caring Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D014584:User-Computer Interface