Perceived doctor-patient relationship and satisfaction with general practitioner care in older persons in residential homes

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of the participants (n = 653).

	n
Sociodemographic characteristics
Female	653	453 (69.4%)
Age (years)	653	87 (83–91)
Educational level (primary school or less)	652	315 (48.2%)
Income (basic government allowance only)	640	155 (24.2%)
Duration of stay in residential home (years)	639	2.4 (1–5)
Functional and clinical characteristics
Cognitive function (MMSE)	651	27 (23–29)
Care dependency (CDS)	644	69 (61–74)
Psychological wellbeing (RAND36/MDS)	622	76 (60–88)
Quality of life: Visual analogue scale (VAS)	628	70 (60–70)
Number of chronic diseases and ailments	653	5 (4–7)
Number of contacts with GP in last 12 months:	653
1–4 times		423 (64.8%)
5–9 times		135 (20.7%)
≥ 10 times		95 (14.5%)
Perceived doctor-patient relationship (points)	653	65 (63–65)
Patient satisfaction (range 0–10)	653	8.0 (7.5–9.0)

Numerical data: median (interquartile range, IQR), Categorical data: n (%)

Table 2. Characteristics of the participants (n = 653) based on their scores on perceived doctor-patient relationship.

	Perceived doctor-patient relationship*
	Low (n = 50)	Medium (n = 170)	Optimal (n = 433)	p-value**
Patient satisfaction (report mark, 0–10)	6.0 (5.4–7.0)	8.0 (7.0–8.0)	8.0 (8.0–9.0)	<0.001
Sociodemographic characteristics
Female	40 (80%)	119 (70%)	294 (68%)	0.115
Age (years)	85.0 (81–90)	87.0 (83–90)	87.2 (83–91)	0.153
Educational level (primary school or less)	22 (44%)	79 (47%)	214 (49%)	0.354
Income (basic government allowance only)	11 (22%)	31 (18%)	113 (26%)	0.122
Duration of stay in residential home (years)	2.6 (0.8–4.5)	2.3 (1.1–4.8)	2.5 (1.2–5.1)	0.456
Functional and clinical characteristics
Cognitive function (MMSE)	27 (24–29)	27 (24–29)	27 (23–29)	0.759
Care dependency (CDS)	67 (59–73)	69 (62–73)	70 (60–74)	0.742
Psychological wellbeing (RAND36/MDS)	60 (42–72)	72 (60–88)	76 (64–88)	<0.001
Quality of life: Visual analogue scale (VAS)	60 (50–70)	70 (60–70)	70 (60–75)	0.002
Number of diseases and ailments	7 (5–8)	6 (4–7)	5 (3–7)	<0.001
Number of contacts with GP in last 12 months:				0.258
1–4 times	39 (78%)	106 (62%)	278 (64%)
5–9 times	5 (10%)	41 (24%)	89 (21%)
≥ 10 times	6 (12%)	23 (14%)	66 (15%)

* Perceived doctor-patient relationship: low level = 13–51 points; medium = 52–64 points; optimal = 65 points.

** Numerical data: median (interquartile range, IQR), Jonckheere Terpstra p for trend test.

Categorical data: n (%), Chi-square test, linear-by-linear.

Table 3. Score for the individual items of the perceived doctor-patient relationship, from the 50 participants with a low perceived doctor-patient relationship.

Item on perceived doctor-patient relationship (adapted LPPSq)	Score: sufficient or good (%)
Did the GP show understanding for your personal situation?	12
Did the GP pay attention to you as an individual?	22
Did you have confidence in the GP?	24
Did the GP pay attention to your questions?	28
Did the GP pay attention to your complaints?	28
Had the GP an open attitude?	30
Did you find the GP professional?	38
Did the GP take into account your personal preferences?	40
Was the GP respectful?	44
Did you find the GP knowledgeable?	50
Did the GP take into account your privacy?	64
Were you treated kindly by the GP?	78
Was the GP polite?	94

LPPSq: Leiden Perioperative Patient Satisfaction questionnaire (score 1–5); GP: general practitioner.

Table

–  Did the GP take into account your privacy?

–  Did you have confidence in the GP?

–  Had the GP an open attitude?

–  Was the GP respectful?

–  Did the GP show understanding for your situation?

–  Was the GP polite?

–  Did you find the GP professional?

–  Did the GP pay attention to your questions?

–  Did the GP pay attention to your complaints?

–  Did the GP take into account your personal preferences?

–  Did you find the GP knowledgeable?

–  Did the GP pay attention to you as an individual?

–  Were you treated kindly by the GP?

Participants were asked to score each question on a five-point Likert scale: total scores range from 13 (worst) to 65 (best).

GP: general practitioner.

Table

			Perceived doctor-patient relationship
			Low (n = 50)	Medium (n = 170)	Optimal (n = 433)	p-value^a
Sociodemographic characteristics
Gender	Male	n = 200	6 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001^b
	Female	n = 453	6 (6–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001^b
Age (years)	<87	n = 322	6 (6–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
	≥87	n = 331	6 (5–8)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
Educational level (low = primary school or less)	Low	n = 315	6 (6–7)	8 (7–8)	9 (8–9)	<.001^b
	High	n = 337	6 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001^b
Income (low = basic government allowance only)	Low	n = 155	7 (5–8)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001^b
	High	n = 485	6 (6–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001^b
Duration of stay in residential home (years)	<2.4	n = 313	6 (6–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
	≥2.4	n = 326	6 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
Functional and clinical characteristics
Cognitive function (MMSE)	<26 pts	n = 255	6 (6–7)	8 (7–8)	9 (8–9)	<.001
(range 0–30)	≥26 pts	n = 396	6 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
Care dependency (CDS)	<69 pts	n = 294	7 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
(range 15–75)	≥69 pts	n = 350	6 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
Psychological well‐being (RAND36/MDS)	<76 pts	n = 301	6 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
(range 0–100)	≥76 pts	n = 321	7 (6–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
Quality of life: Visual analogue scale (VAS)	<70 pts	n = 301	6 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
(range 0–100)	≥70 pts	n = 327	7 (6–8)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
Number of diseases and ailments	<5	n = 253	6 (6–7)	8 (8–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
	≥5	n = 400	6 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001
Number of contacts with GP in last 12 months	1–4 times	n = 423	6 (5–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001^b
	≥5 times	n = 230	7 (7–7)	8 (7–8)	8 (8–9)	<.001^b

GP: general practitioner; pts: points.

Median patient satisfaction and interquartile range.

^a Numerical data: Jonckheere Terpstra p for trend test.

^b Categorical data: Chi-square test linear-by-linear.