Patient satisfaction, self-rated health status, and health confidence: an assessment of the utility of single-item questions.

This study examined if known predictors of patient satisfaction would still be significant when single items are used. Approximately 5000 elderly persons were randomly sampled from 65 000 households in West Texas. Single-item questions about patient satisfaction, self-rated overall health status, self-rated mental health, and health confidence were analyzed by chi-square tests and logistic regressions. Slightly more than 12% of the participants were not satisfied or barely satisfied with health care received. Those who reported higher health confidence, lower self-rated overall health, having emotional problems, or who were men were less likely to be satisfied with health care. A simple survey tool based on single-item questions identified by the current study might be useful for monitoring patient satisfaction, self-rated health, and health confidence in primary care settings and hence might assist management in capturing the basic picture for improving health care quality.