A questionnaire on treatment satisfaction and disease specific knowledge among patients with acute coronary syndrome. I: Are treatment satisfaction and disease specific knowledge continuous latent traits?

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
To assess psychometric properties of a questionnaire covering treatment satisfaction and disease-specific knowledge among patients discharged after treatment for acute coronary syndrome.
METHODS:
Comparative scaling of the questionnaire using latent class analysis (LCA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in a consecutive sample of 2015 patients.
RESULTS:
LCA revealed four qualitatively differing patterns of patients' knowledge and five distinct patterns of treatment satisfaction. EFA for patients' knowledge identified four uncorrelated "dimensions". Patient satisfaction was scored in a two-factor solution despite proven heterogeneity of persons.
CONCLUSIONS:
LCA was helpful to identify classes of patients that cannot be scaled according to a latent trait model.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS:
Specific patterns of insufficient disease-specific knowledge and satisfaction requiring specific interventions became visible.