Mental health and satisfaction with primary health care in female patients

Purpose and objectives

Patient satisfaction is an important outcome in patient care and is increasingly being used as an indicator of quality of care within large health systems. This study examined whether consideration of specific mental health factors, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can improve our understanding of patient satisfaction in primary care settings.

Methods

Questionnaires were mailed to all women who used the VA San Diego Healthcare System primary care clinic in 1998. Two hundred twenty-one (56%) women who were invited to participate in this study completed questionnaires. Participants provided information about physical and mental health and satisfaction with their primary medical care.

Results

Age and general mental health were negatively associated and PTSD was positively associated with overall satisfaction with care and satisfaction with the provider. General mental health was significantly related to satisfaction with the clinic.

Conclusions

These findings support the importance of specific mental health symptoms, and trauma-related symptoms in specific, in determining satisfaction.