Examining the concept of patient satisfaction in patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia: a qualitative study

AIMS AND METHOD Ten people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were interviewed. The interviews were analysed qualitatively with the aim of examining the concept of patient satisfaction in the context of a recent in-patient admission. RESULTS The analysis identified two themes that influenced the expression of patient satisfaction: external factors and internal factors. The theme of external factors contained four categories: fear of violence, communication with staff, lack of autonomy and ward routines. The theme of internal factors comprised participants' conceptions and expectations. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS This small study suggests the complexity of the concept of patient satisfaction should be respected in assessing experiences of people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.