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Table 1 Description of the designs of the studies

From: Improvement of psychometric properties of a scale measuring inpatient satisfaction with care: a better response rate and a reduction of the ceiling effect

 

Study A

Study B

Study C

Main objective

Scale shortening: to delete items with high non applicable response rate

Replication phase: to confirm internal structure of the new version

Test of a new response choice system to improve psychometric properties

Date of study

April 2002

June 2003

October 2004

Number of participating centers

1 teaching hospital

1 teaching hospital

12 hospitals (5 teaching, 3 general and 4 private)

Inclusion criteria

- French-speaking

 
 

- Able to complete a questionnaire

 
 

- Aged 18 and over

 
 

- Hospitalized full-time for at least 24 hours

 
 

- In medicine, obstetric and surgical units Eligible patients were included consecutively

 

Exclusion criteria

- Language barrier

  
 

- Inability due to illness

  
 

- Children

  
 

- Refusal

  
 

- Outpatients

  

Number of questionnaires distributed

662

1600

2125

Too ill to participate

87(13%)

245(15%)

 

Language barrier

9(1.4%)

26(1.6%)

 

Refused to participate

23(4%)

83(6%)

 

Number of respondents (Response rate, calculated from number of questionnaires distributed)

552 (83.4%)

1246 (77.9%)

886 (41.7%)

Mode of completion of the questionnaire (Q)

- Q handed to patient by research assistant the day before discharge

- Q send by post 15 days after discharge at home with a prepaid envelope

 

- Self-completion at hospital of the Q

- Self – completion of the Q

 

- Q handed to the assistant in a sealed envelope

- Q sent back by mail using the prepaid envelope

Version of EQS-H used

26 items:

16 items:

16 items:

 

- 13 for MI1 subscale

- 9 for MI subscale

- 8 for MI subscale

 

- 13 for RS2 subscale 4 point Likert-scale*

- 7 for RS subscale 4 point Likert-scale*

- 8 for RS subscale 5 point Likert-scale**

  1. Q: questionnaire
  2. 1MI subscale: quality of medical information
  3. 2RS subscale: relationship with staff and daily routine
  4. *: Absolutely, nearly, not really, not at all.
  5. **: Excellent, very good, good, moderate, poor