Methods to measure treatment satisfaction in patients with pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis

Abstract

The aim of this narrative review is to provide information regarding methods to measure 'treatment satisfaction' related to anticoagulant therapy for patients with pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis (DVT). At this moment, there are two new psychometrically validated instruments to measure treatment satisfaction with anticoagulant therapy, the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale (DASS) and the Perception of Anticoagulation Treatment Questionnaire (PACT-Q). Both instruments showed good content validity by including dimensions that are considered important by patients, like satisfaction (DASS) and treatment satisfaction (PACT-Q), hassles, limitations, burdens (DASS), convenience (PACT-Q) and expectations (PACT-Q). Results of the factor analysis and the internal consistency also showed that both questionnaires performed well. There is substantial variation in the methods to measure patient satisfaction with anticoagulant treatment, while few studies report a psychometric evaluation of the instrument used. This makes it difficult to compare or grade the characteristics of the questionnaires and thus identify the most suitable instrument to measure treatment satisfaction. In order to understand the impact of expectations and other dimensions on treatment satisfaction for patients with DVT or pulmonary embolism, it is necessary that future studies administer questionnaires that have demonstrated a sound psychometric evaluation.