A study on patient satisfaction with psychiatric services.
BACKGROUND
Patient satisfaction with psychiatric services is an important construct, which influences multiple areas including treatment adherance and outcome. There is paucity of studies from India in this area.


OBJECTIVE
To measure satisfaction of psychiatric outpatients of Mental Health Institute, Cuttack, and to assess the relationship between demographic and clinical variables with different domains of patient satisfaction.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study, patients of age 18-60 years receiving treatment for at least six months from outpatient department of Mental Health Institute, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, were assessed.


METHODS
Participants (n=60) were selected randomly. Satisfaction was assessed by Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 (PSQ-18) and the diagnoses were based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV-TR. Severity of psychiatric disorder was measured using Clinical Global Impression-severity scale. The functioning level was assessed by Global Assessment of Functioning.


METHODS
Continuous variables compared using independent t-test or analysis of variance.


RESULTS
Diagnostic break-up of the patients included anxiety disorder (36.6%), major depressive disorder (30.0%), bipolar disorder (16.6%), and schizophrenia (16.6%). Greatest level of satisfaction was noted in interpersonal aspects (71.4%) and time spent with doctors (62.4%). General satisfaction level was a little over 50% (57%). Differences between composite scores of PSQ-18 in the diagnostic categories were statistically significant; patients with depression had the highest score followed by those with anxiety disorder, bipolar, and the least was with schizophrenia patients. There was variability among the demographic and clinical groups regarding the various subscale score of PSQ-18.


CONCLUSIONS
Satisfaction of psychiatric outpatients was observed to be different in various clinical and demographic groups and across many domains of satisfaction.
Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India.
Prabhakar C
PC
Holikatti
Nilamadhab
N
Kar
Ajaya
A
Mishra
Rajnikant
R
Shukla
Sarada P
SP
Swain
Samrat
S
Kar
India; out-patient; patient satisfaction; psychiatry