HEALTH-STATUS AND SATISFACTION WITH HEALTH-CARE - RESULTS FROM THE MEDICAL OUTCOMES STUDY

Relations between self-assessed health status and satisfaction with he alth care were examined using 2 waves of data obtained from participan ts in the Medical Outcomes Study. Using a multisample covariance model ing framework, separate models were examined for patients with signifi cant symptoms of depression (n = 417) and patients with chronic physic al health conditions (n = 535). The pattern of findings was essentiall y identical for both patient subgroups. General satisfaction with care was cross-sectionally associated with mental-but not physical-health status. In addition, significant cross-lagged effects were found linki ng baseline satisfaction with care to subsequent mental health and bas eline mental health to subsequent satisfaction with care. By contrast, no cross-lagged directional effects linking satisfaction with we and physical health status were identified. Finally, no evidence was found that satisfaction with specific aspects of health care contributed in dependently to either mental or physical health.