Quality in Health Care, Vol 7, 136-141
Mammography: influence of departmental practice and women's characteristics on patient satisfaction: comparison of six departments in Norway
K Loken, S Steine and E Laerum
Department of General Practice and Community Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate how departmental practice and women's
characteristics are related to low patient satisfaction with mammography.
DESIGN: Survey of patients by means of self administered questionnaires
before and after mammography. PATIENTS: 488 women (89% of those invited),
aged 23-86 years, at six departments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Low level of
satisfaction measured on psychometric scales of physical pain,
psychological distress, staff punctuality and technical skills, information
provided, and physical surroundings. RESULTS: Satisfaction varied by
department on the scales for pain, punctuality, information, and
surroundings. After adjustment for women's characteristics an attributable
risk of negative outcome by department was identified on the scales for
pain, distress, punctuality, information, and surroundings. Adjusted odds
ratio (ORs) ranged from 0.3 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.2 to 6.0)
on the pain scale, to 6.0 (2.9 to 12.3) on the punctuality scale. After
adjustment for confounding variables, higher risk of dissatisfaction was
associated with age < 50, nervousness about mammography, expected pain,
lack of knowledge about mammography, and distrust in mammography (adjusted
OR (95% CI) ranged from 1.6 (1.0 to 2.7) to 3.7 (2.0 to 7.3)). CONCLUSION:
Departmental practices differed for breast compression, information,
punctuality, and facilities and were associated with a low level of
satisfaction irrespective of patient characteristics. Women's lack of
knowledge about mammography and distrust in the procedure were confirmed as
risk factors for dissatisfaction. All these factors might be helped by
training the staff, improving facilities, and informing the women.
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