Assessment of health care by children and adolescents depends on when they respond to the questionnaire

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the assessments and priorities by children and adolescents of health care in a paediatric outpatient clinic, to examine the influence of the time factor on the assessments and priorities by children and adolescents of health care, and to determine their preferred method of evaluation. DESIGN: A quasi-randomized follow-up study in which children and adolescents either completed a questionnaire at an outpatient clinic and again 3-6 weeks after the visit, or only 3-6 weeks after the visit. SETTING: A Danish paediatric outpatient clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Children and adolescents from the outpatient clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison between assessments given at the clinic and assessments given 3-6 weeks after the visit. RESULTS: Three hundred forty-six children and adolescents completed at least one questionnaire. Children and adolescents were generally satisfied with the consultation at the paediatric outpatient clinic, but the visit was assessed less positive 3-6 weeks post-visit compared with assessments given immediately after the visit. Assessments and priorities of more general matters were not influenced by the time factor. Electronic surveys via touch screen computers were preferred to paper questionnaires by children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: When comparing user satisfaction from different studies and when planning a survey of user satisfaction, the interval between the rendering of the health-care service and the assessment should be taken into consideration.