Association between patients‘ satisfaction with mental health services and involvement in decision making

Abstract

Background and the aims of the current study: 1) to measure association between patients‘ satisfaction with the different aspects of mental health care and their involvement in decision making; 2) to check the influence of different socio-demographic parameters (age, gender, diagnosis, income, employment, family status, duration of treatment). Methods: Participants are 228 patients (age 18 - 65), with diagnosis of schizophrenia and depression, using local mental health inpatient and outpatient services in Riga. Instruments: Verona Service Satisfaction Scale – EU, Autonomy Preferences Index scale; socio-demographic data. Findings: Higher practical involvement in decision making is significantly associated with higher satisfaction with professionals' skills, efficacy, general satisfaction, information, types of intervention and total satisfaction (p<0.01 for all). Higher desire to participate in decision making is significantly correlate with lower satisfaction with different aspects of service (p<0.01 for all). Socio-demographic parameters influence difference aspects of patients‘ participation in decision making and satisfaction with service. Discussion: practical involvement in decision making helps to create position "we" not "me and they" and increase satisfaction with service.