MAMMOGRAPHY - INFLUENCE OF DEPARTMENTAL PRACTICE AND WOMENS CHARACTERISTICS ON PATIENT SATISFACTION - COMPARISON OF 6 DEPARTMENTS IN NORWAY

Objective-To investigate how departmental practice and women's charact eristics are related to low patient satisfaction with mammography. Des ign-Survey of patients by means of self administered questionnaires be fore 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, psy chological distress, staff punctuality and technical skills, informati on provided, and physical surroundings. Results-Satisfaction varied by department on the scales for pain, punctuality, information, and surr oundings. After adjustment for women's characteristics an attributable risk of negative outcome by department was identified on the scales f or pain, distress, punctuality, information, and surroundings. Adjuste d 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 diss atisfaction 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 c ompression, information, punctuality, and facilities and were associat ed with a low level of satisfaction irrespective of patient characteri stics. Women's lack of knowledge about mammography and distrust in the procedure were confirmed as risk factors for dissatisfaction. All the se factors might be helped by training the staff, improving facilities , and informing the women.