BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Within the field of medicine, much attention is being paid to quality management, whereby patient satisfaction plays a major role. In order to measure this construct, usually rather general, bipolar rating scales are applied. However, these scales are often susceptible to social desirability biases. PATIENTS- METHODS: Coloproctological patients were asked to complete a questionnaire with ratings of satisfaction and anxiety at two different points of measurement: One group while in treatment (N = 86) and a second group approximately 1 year after their treatment (N = 328). RESULTS: Even when controlling for relevant demographic influences, a clear decrease in intensity of the evaluation ratings is shown when the survey was administered 1 year after release from hospital as compared to during the patients' stay in hospital. For generally formulated scales of patient satisfaction, social desirability constitutes a significant bias. CONCLUSION: The usual conceptualization of a bipolar continuum of patient satisfaction or dissatisfaction must be renounced. Instead, questionnaires might be constructed in three steps which investigate problem dimensions at a medium level of concreteness. Only in this way can quality management gain credibility and trust within as well as beyond the field of medicine.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Within the field of medicine, much attention is being paid to quality management, whereby patient satisfaction plays a major role. In order to measure this construct, usually rather general, bipolar rating scales are applied. However, these scales are often susceptible to social desirability biases. PATIENTS- METHODS: Coloproctological patients were asked to complete a questionnaire with ratings of satisfaction and anxiety at two different points of measurement: One group while in treatment (N = 86) and a second group approximately 1 year after their treatment (N = 328). RESULTS: Even when controlling for relevant demographic influences, a clear decrease in intensity of the evaluation ratings is shown when the survey was administered 1 year after release from hospital as compared to during the patients' stay in hospital. For generally formulated scales of patient satisfaction, social desirability constitutes a significant bias. CONCLUSION: The usual conceptualization of a bipolar continuum of patient satisfaction or dissatisfaction must be renounced. Instead, questionnaires might be constructed in three steps which investigate problem dimensions at a medium level of concreteness. Only in this way can quality management gain credibility and trust within as well as beyond the field of medicine.
Authors: Sabine Davoll; Christoph Kowalski; Kathrin Kuhr; Oliver Ommen; Nicole Ernstmann; Holger Pfaff Journal: Int J Public Health Date: 2012-09-04 Impact factor: 3.380
Authors: S Singer; H Götze; C Möbius; H Witzigmann; R-D Kortmann; A Lehmann; M Höckel; R Schwarz; J Hauss Journal: Langenbecks Arch Surg Date: 2009-03-28 Impact factor: 3.445
Authors: Lise M Verhoef; Tom H Van de Belt; Lucien J L P G Engelen; Lisette Schoonhoven; Rudolf B Kool Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2014-02-20 Impact factor: 5.428