The Impact of Demographics on Child and Parent Ratings of Satisfaction with Hospital Care

Mia K Waldron; Kourtney Wathen; Sasha Houston; Lael Coleman; Janice J Mason; Yunfei Wang; Pamela S Hinds

doi:10.1097/pq9.0000000000000382

The Impact of Demographics on Child and Parent Ratings of Satisfaction with Hospital Care

Pediatr Qual Saf. 2021 Feb 12;6(2):e382. doi: 10.1097/pq9.0000000000000382. eCollection 2021 Mar-Apr.

Authors

Mia K Waldron¹, Kourtney Wathen², Sasha Houston³, Lael Coleman⁴, Janice J Mason¹, Yunfei Wang⁵, Pamela S Hinds¹

Affiliations

¹ From the Department of Nursing Science Professional Practice and Quality (NSPPQ) at Children's National Hospital and the George Washington University, Department of Pediatrics in Washington, D.C.
² Department of Speech-language Pathology, Loyola University Maryland.
³ Departments of Revenue Cycle and Clinical Resource Management at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
⁴ DC Mental Health Access in Pediatrics (MAP) program in the Community Health and Advocacy Institute at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
⁵ Division of Biostatistics & Study Methodology, Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Abstract

Introduction: Patient satisfaction ratings differ between minority and nonminority respondents in studies of hospitalized adults, but little is known about such differences in pediatrics. Our goal was to determine if patient satisfaction ratings completed by hospitalized children and their parents at the point of discharge differed by race/ethnicity, language, child gender, and age.

Methods: We used a mixed-methods design. English and Spanish-speaking families from 5 inpatient units at 1 pediatric hospital completed ratings, face-to-face, before scheduled hospital discharge (T1), and again by telephone after discharge (T2). Participating children and their parents completed an 8-item satisfaction survey, and parents additionally completed 7 discharge readiness items.

Results: The refusal rate was 10.7%, with 600 families enrolled; non-white families represented 66% of both study refusals and completions. The proportion of racial/ethnic groups in our study exceeded those in our standard survey sample. There were no significant differences in satisfaction ratings between non-white and white families or by child gender, age, or language.

Conclusions: The lack of rating differences by demographic characteristics, the low refusal and attrition rates, and a more racially/ethnically representative sample of both child and parent perspectives indicate this approach to measuring satisfaction is acceptable and feasible to demographically diverse families.