Patients' satisfaction with psychiatric treatment: Comparison between an open and a closed ward

• Published in: Psychiatric quarterly Vol. 73; no. 2; pp. 93 - 107
• Main Authors: MÜLLER, Matthias J, SCHLÖSSER, Ralf, KAPP-STEEN, Gisela, SCHANZ, Benno, BENKERT, Otto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer 2002; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Germany; Hospitals, Psychiatric; Hospitals, University; Humans; Institution therapy. Inpatient treatment; Male; Medical sciences; Mental Disorders - psychology; Mental Disorders - therapy; Middle Aged; Patient Care Team; Patient Satisfaction; Psychiatric Department, Hospital; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapy; Psychotropic Drugs - administration & dosage; Psychotropic Drugs - adverse effects; Quality of Health Care; Security Measures; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatments; Europe; Germany; Social environment; Human; Teaching hospital; Attitude; Psychotropic; Mental health; Satisfaction; Sex; Patient; Processing time; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Follow up study; Sociodemographic factor; Hospital ward; Mental disorder; Application method; Typology; Age; Comparative study; Public health
• ISSN: 0033-2720; 1573-6709
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1015099526445

The study compared patients' satisfaction with psychiatric inpatient treatment between an open and a closed ward. During a six-month period, all voluntarily participating patients on two wards of a psychiatric University hospital were investigated anonymously at admission and/or before discharge. A self-rating questionnaire (SATQ-98) was used to assess satisfaction with several domains of psychiatric inpatient treatment. In total, 135 questionnaires were received (retrieval rate 49%). The general level of satisfaction with treatment was high. General satisfaction, satisfaction with medication, ward equipment, visiting opportunities, and regulations for going out were significantly lower at discharge on the closed ward. Dissatisfaction with medication was related to low actual mood, and to low satisfaction with the frequency of psychotherapeutic interventions, visiting opportunities, and with the treating doctor. The results thus far strongly support the need for patients' satisfaction with treatment to be taken into account in order to improve psychiatric inpatient services, particularly on closed wards.