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Link found between patient anxiety, satisfaction in optometry examinations
Optom Vis Sci. 2009;86(3):216-221.
Results of a patient questionnaire showed a significant relationship between optometric pre-office visit anxiety and post-visit satisfaction.
The self-reported questionnaire, the Optometric Patient Anxiety Scale, was taken by 197 patients before eye examinations. Of those, 82 were men and 115 were women, with a mean age of 57.1 years. After the examination, patients underwent the Rapport subscale, taken from the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale.
Clinicians found that validity of the questionnaire and subscale was confirmed by Rasch analysis and estimation of items calculated. The significant correlation between anxiety and satisfaction (P < .01) was determined by linear regression.
"This is the first time that a relationship between pre-consultation patient anxiety and post-consultation satisfaction has been documented within optometric practice," the study authors said. "This indicates that if patient optometric anxiety can be reduced, there may be an improvement in patient satisfaction."