Risser patient satisfaction scale: a validation study in Greek cancer patients

Andreas Charalambous,Theodoula Adamakidou

doi:10.1186/1472-6955-11-27

Abstract

BackgroundThe current healthcare climate is characterized by a constant battle for the provision of quality care with limited resources and with patient satisfaction receiving increased attention, there is a need for reliable and valid assessment measures. This study describes the adaptation, testing and validation of the Risser Patient satisfaction Scale in an oncology care setting in Greece. The rationale for this study lies in the scarcity of such measures in the Greek language.MethodsThis is a test retest validation study in Greece. Data were collected from 298 hospitalized cancer patients. The validation methodology included the assessment of the item internal consistency, using the Cronbach alpha coefficient. The test-retest reliability was tested by the Kappa correlation coefficient.ResultsThe scale demonstrated very good psychometric properties. The internal consistency of the instrument was good, Cronbach’s alpha was found to be 0.78 (p<0.001) and Kappa coefficient for reproducibility was found to be K=0.89 (95% CI: 0.83-0.91 p<0.0001).ConclusionThe findings demonstrated strong agreement of the scale, suggesting that the Greek version offers substantial reliability. This study provides a valid and reliable tool to assess patient satisfaction in oncology settings. Means to monitor patient satisfaction, a key aspect of the policy agenda for quality care remain important for nurse leaders to develop better care in oncology settings.

Highlights

In the health care sector, patient satisfaction has emerged as an important component of the quality of care, and has been used as a means to attain, maintain and monitor it
Gastrointestinal cancer was the most common diagnosis (23.2%), 158 (53%) of the patients were hospitalised for 2–10 days and for the 208 (69.8%) participants this was their first hospitalization
This study has provided further validation of the Risser Patient Satisfaction Scale, a popular scale that received extensive attention world-wide

Summary

Introduction

In the health care sector, patient satisfaction has emerged as an important component of the quality of care, and has been used as a means to attain, maintain and monitor it. Satisfaction with the hospital experience is a complex and multifactor phenomenon which incorporates (but it is not limited to) relationships with medical personnel, physical surroundings and/or the healthcare organization itself [4,5], requiring a distinction between patient satisfaction with nursing care and other domains of satisfaction [6]. This aspect becomes important when researchers face the dilemma of which questionnaire is more appropriate for measuring an explicit aspect of patient’s satisfaction. It is of crucial importance that all health care professionals co-operate to improve care quality, in collaboration with the care-receivers [4,13]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion