Predictors of satisfaction with health care: a primary healthcare-based study

Objective The main aim of this study was to examine the overall satisfaction with health care among a multi-ethnic primary healthcare practice population. The second aim was to explore the relations between satisfaction/dissatisfaction and sociodemographic characteristics, health status, healthcare utilisation and medicine use in Jordbro,Haninge,Sweden. Method The study included 1055 out of 1442 consecutive adult patients visiting a Swedish healthcare centre. The relationship between satisfaction and socio-demographic characteristics, perceived health, chronic disease, complaint symptom, consultations with the general practitioner (GP) and healthcare need was assessed using final logistic regressionanalysis.Results Age, perceived health and complaint symptoms were related to patient satisfaction with health care in the univariate analysis. However, only age and healthcare need remained significantly and independently related to patient satisfaction in thelogistic regression analyses when the impact of all confounders was taken into account. Age under 65 years and healthcare need were the strongest predictors of dissatisfaction with health care. Poor perceived health and low numbers of consultationswith the GP were related to reporting that healthcare need was not met.Conclusion Age and healthcare need were significantly and independently related to patient satisfaction in the logistic regression analysis adjusted for all confounders. Poor perceived health was related to dissatisfaction and unmet healthcare need in the univariate analyses. Maintaining a continuous relationship with patients with poor perceived health is essential, and efforts should be made to improve the quality of care for these patients.