Patient satisfaction survey of a self-paid physical checkup program for cancer screening.
BACKGROUND
Early disease detection is an effective way to control diseases. Government sponsored health screening programs show their health value by increasing numbers of participants each year. Self-paid physical checkup programs may complement these programs. The purpose of this study was to examine participants' satisfaction with a self-paid physical checkup program for cancer screening.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study consisted of two surveys with qualitative and quantitative questionnaires. A random sample of 1000 participants was collected from those who attended the self-paid physical checkup program in two periods. Their needs and expectations with the program with five point scores were analyzed.


RESULTS
Data were collected during the period of January to June, 2001 and again in 2011. The response rates were 93.8% and 59%, and the effective rates were 94% and 71.4%, respectively. The results indicated that participants' items needed and items wished to cancel were similar in both surveys. The self-paid physical checkup program met the needs of participants concerning gastrointestinal, colorectal and abdomen examinations. In contrast, dental, eye and physical examinations, and HIV screening were viewed as less interesting by participants, because of the lack of immediate post-checkup cares or they were not at high risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-paid physical checkup programs add value to free cancer screening for health maintenance and help provide good physician-patient relationships, health education and post-checkup cares.
Departments of Medical Research and Family Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Jui-Hsuan
JH
Lu
Bruno M H
BM
Cheung
Shan
S
Hsia
Hung-Huan
HH
Chou
Jaw-Ji
JJ
Tsai
Pi-Haw
PH
Liu
Kee-Ching
KC
Jeng
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult