Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2001

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences

Department

Physical Education Teacher Education

Committee Chair

Edward F. Etzel.

Abstract

Patient satisfaction is an important measure for quality of care and has been observed for several decades (DiPalo, 1997; Merkouris, Ifantopoulos, Lanara, & Lemonidou, 1999; Wolf, Putnam, James, & Stiles, 1978; Zyzanski, Hulka, & Cassel, 1974). Based on theory, patient satisfaction has been suggested to be a means for patient attendance and quality of effort during rehabilitation, which would then impact the recovery rate (DiPalo, 1997; Press, 1994). Recently, patient satisfaction athletes received from their sports medicine professional (i.e., athletic trainer, physiotherapist) in the athletic training rooms and clinics have also been explored (Albohm & Wilkerson, 1999; Taylor & May, 1995; Unruh, 1998). However, the sample selection, instrumentation, and methodology used were questionable. The primary focus of this study was to investigate the sociodemographic variables associated with patient satisfaction. A secondary focus was to investigate concurrent and prospective relationships between patient satisfaction and rehabilitation adherence (attendance) and compliance (quality of effort). Prior to any patient satisfaction analyses, alpha and test-retest reliabilities and concurrent and construct validities were completed which demonstrated acceptable psychometric levels for the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale for Athletic Trainers (MISSAT). Thirty-seven acutely injured high school and college athletes completed the MISSAT for the respective athletic trainer one-week and one-month post injury. Each respective athletic trainer completed the Sport Injury Rehabilitation Adherence Scale (SIRAS) for each injured athlete one-week and one-month post injury. In general, injured athletes reported relatively high patient satisfaction ratings. Patient satisfaction ratings remained relatively stable over time. Two way (gender x injury severity) ANOVA revealed female injured athletes were significantly more satisfied with their athletic trainer than their male counterparts regardless of injury severity. Chi square analysis indicated that female injured athletes were more likely to be treated by female athletic trainers (gender concordant). Multiple regression analyses indicated greater patient satisfaction scores one-week post injury did predict greater patient compliance, but not patient adherence scores one-month post injury. Further, after controlling for injury severity, regression analyses indicated that the affective subscale and the behavior subscale scores one-week post injury were related to rehabilitation compliance one-month post injury, which accounted for 33% and 47%, respectively.

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