Satisfaction with services following voluntary and involuntary admission

Abstract

Background: Service user perspectives are essential for the evaluation and development of mental health services. Service users expressing less satisfaction with services subsequently have poorer treatment outcomes.

Aims: To measure satisfaction with services following psychiatric admission, and to explore its relationship with a number of clinical and service factors.

Methods: A multi-centre observational study was conducted across three mental health services in Ireland. Service users were interviewed and provided with self-report questionnaires. The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) was used to measure treatment satisfaction.

Results: The overall level of satisfaction with services was good (CSQ-8 mean score 24.5). Service users who were admitted involuntarily, who experienced physical coercion and lower levels of procedural justice were less satisfied. A better therapeutic relationship, improved insight and better functioning were associated with higher levels of treatment satisfaction.

Conclusion: Mental health services should implement strategies to ameliorate the effects of factors associated with lower levels of treatment satisfaction.

• Involuntary admission
• perceived coercion
• physical coercion
• recovery style
• service user perceptions
• therapeutic relationship
• treatment satisfaction

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Karen Cobbe for her administrative work on the study, and Veronica Ranieri and Stephen Shannon for conducting a number of the interviews.