Veronica L. Ford
The measurement of patient satisfaction is a concept that is becoming more and more critical in the exploration of health outcomes. Currently, there is very little research available that examines how pregnant women with substance use disorders (SUDs) rate their pre/postnatal healthcare experiences. This correlative investigation measured the extent to which new mothers diagnosed with SUDs patient satisfaction levels differed from nonsubstance using new mothers. Data collected from a total of 106 new mothers with and without SUDs responses to the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short-Form (PSQ-18) were analyzed. The dimensions of patient satisfaction that were measured included general satisfaction, technical quality, interpersonal manner, communication, and time spent with doctor. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and descriptive statistics concluded that diagnostic status significantly influenced patient satisfaction ratings in new mothers with SUDs. This population reported lower patient satisfaction ratings in each of the five patient satisfaction dimensions explored more frequently than new mothers who were not diagnosed with a SUD.
