Patient satisfaction and perception of treatment in a student-led osteopathy teaching clinic: Evaluating questionnaire dimensionality and internal structure, and outcomes

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate patient satisfaction with, and perception of their, osteopathy treatment. A secondary aim was to evaluate the measurement properties of a short patient satisfaction questionnaire in an osteopathy patient population. Design: Questionnaire study. Patients completed a brief demographic questionnaire, patient satisfaction questionnaire and perception of treatment questionnaire at the conclusion of their osteopathy consultation. Setting: Osteopathy student-led teaching clinic (Melbourne, Australia). Main outcome measures: Two questionnaires: 1) Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction (SAPS); and, 2) the Patient Perception Measure – Osteopathy (PPM-O). Results: Complete data were available for 68 patients. Mean age was 36 years and over half were female. Participants' median satisfaction with life (SWL) was 4 on a 0–5 scale. The SAPS did not satisfy the requirements of a Mokken scale nor was it unidimensional in this population. The reliability estimations for the PPM-O subscales were acceptable (>0.80). Both age and SWL were positively correlated with effect of treatment as measured on the SAPS. Age, gender and previous osteopathy treatment did not relate to SAPS responses. The PPM-O Education and Effectiveness subscale was positively correlated with the SAPS items related to treatment effect, appointment duration and overall satisfaction with care. Conclusions: Patients in the present study were largely satisfied with treatment and positive about their perception of the osteopathy treatment provided. Further testing of the SAPS to evaluate if it is suitable for use as a measure of satisfaction with osteopathy care or testing of an alternative measure is required.