Satisfaction with treatment among patients with depressive and bipolar disorders

BACKGROUND: Patients' satisfaction with care may be an important factor in relation to adherence to treatment and continued psychiatric care. Few studies have focused on satisfaction in patients with depressive and bipolar disorders.

METHOD: A comprehensive multidimensional questionnaire scale, the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale-Affective, was mailed to a large population of patients with depressive or bipolar disorders representative of outpatients treated at their first contact to hospital settings in Denmark.

RESULTS: Among the 1,005 recipients, 49.9% responded to the letter. Overall, patients were satisfied with the help provided, but satisfaction with the professionals' contact to relatives was low. Younger patients (age below 40 years) were consistently more dissatisfied with care especially with the efficacy of treatment, professionals' skills and behaviour and the information given. There was no difference in satisfaction between genders or between patients with depressive disorder and patients with bipolar disorder.

CONCLUSION: There is a need to strengthen outpatient treatment for patients discharged from a psychiatric hospital diagnosed of having affective disorders, focusing more on information and psychoeducation for patients and relatives.