Satisfaction of outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis and related factors

Abstract

［Object］The Leeds satisfaction questionnaire（LSQ）was developed by J. Hill et al. in 1992 as a satisfaction rating scale of patients with rheumatoid arthritis（RA）. But there have been no studies that use the LSQ in Japan. This study was designed to examine the satisfaction in Japanese RA patients using the LSQ, which was translated into Japanese, and to examine the factors related to that satisfaction. ［Methods］A questionnaire was mailed to the home of 401 RA outpatients of Toyama University hospital. The questionnaire was composed of three parts: personal data, the Japanese LSQ itself, and disease activity（using the MDHAQ-RAPID3 index）. ［Results］Of the 401 questionnaires sent out, 190 patients returned a valid survey. In all six LSQ categories—general satisfaction, giving of information, empathy with the patient, technical quality and competence, attitude toward the patient, and access and continuity—the patient responses averaged over three points out of a possible five. The highest score was for technical quality and competence, while the lowest scores were for empathy and then attitude. Using a multiple regression analysis, it showed that the Patient’s Global Assessment of Disease Activity（PtGA）had the greatest influence on satisfaction in four out of the six categories. ［Conclusions］1）The satisfaction of RA outpatients is high at our hospital, but we need to improve empathy and attitude toward the patient. 2）The lower the PtGA, the more satisfied the patient was.