A new measure of patient satisfaction with mammography. Validation by factor analytic technique.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The success of national breast screening programmes hinges on women's adherence. By monitoring patients' perceptions, potential barriers to attendance may be detected, measured and possibly alleviated. Consequently a new questionnaire MGQ, measuring patients' experience of and satisfaction with mammography, has been developed. As discomfort is a predictor of non-attendance, a dimension measuring physical and psychological discomfort was included.

METHODS

The internal structure of observed variables was tested using factor analysis as part of the validation process. The study was conducted in six radiological departments in Norway including 550 patients presenting for mammography. The analysis suggested eight factors explaining 56.7% of the variance.

RESULTS

Construct validity was supported since the factor scales covered all hypothesized dimensions and all but one subdimension. The factors were internally consistent and externally independent, indicating that distinct aspects of patients' experience with mammography may be assessed and thus possibly improved.

CONCLUSIONS

A relationship between pain and re-attendance was suggested as pain and worries about the next mammography belonged to the same factor. This underlines the importance of including a discomfort dimension when monitoring patient satisfaction with mammography.