title: The patient satisfaction questionnaire of EUprimecare project: measurement properties.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The measurement of patient satisfaction is considered an essential outcome indicator to evaluate health care quality. Patient satisfaction is considered a multi-dimensional construct, which would include a variety of domains. Although a large number of studies have proposed scales to measure patient satisfaction, there is a lack of psychometric information on them. This study aims to describe the psychometric properties of the Primary Care Satisfaction Scale (PCSS) of the EUprimecare project.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of patient satisfaction with primary care was carried out by telephone interview.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary care services of Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Italy and Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3020 adult patients aged 18-65 years old attending primary care services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Classic psychometric properties were analysed and Rasch analysis was used to assess the following measurement properties: fit to the Rasch model; uni-dimensionality; reliability; differential item functioning (DIF) by gender, age, civil status, area of residency and country; local independency; adequacy of response scale; and scale targeting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To achieve good fit to the Rasch model, the original response scales of three items (1, 2 and 6) were rescored and Item 3 (waiting time in the room) was removed. The scale was uni-dimensional and Person Separation Index was 0.79, indicating a good reliability. All items were free from bias. PCSS linear measure displayed satisfactory convergent validity with overall satisfaction with primary care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCSS, as a reliable and valid scale, could be used to measure patient satisfaction in primary care in Europe.
authors.affiliation: National School of Health, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cimas
authors.affiliation: National School of Health, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayala
authors.affiliation: Agency for Health Technology Assessment, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain Red de Investigación en Servicios, Red de Servicios de Salud Orientados a Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISECC), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Agency for Health Technology Assessment, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain Red de Investigación en Servicios, Red de Servicios de Salud Orientados a Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISECC), Madrid, Spain Faculty of Medicine, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarria-Santamera
authors.affiliation: National School of Health, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain Red de Investigación en Servicios, Red de Servicios de Salud Orientados a Enfermedades Crónicas (REDISECC), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Forjaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D011594:Psychometrics; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D014850:Waiting Lists; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Rasch analysis; patient satisfaction; primary care; scale validation