Patient satisfaction and design of treatment: Results from a study of two different ways of treating hypertension

Objective - To compare patients' experiences of two different treatments of hypertension (non-pharmacological and pharmacological) and study to what extent seven specified factors of treatment differ between the two groups and the impact of these factors on patient satisfaction. Design - Postal questionnaire with structured and open questions concerning the treatment Setting - Ten health centres in mid-Sweden.Participants - The 165 patients in the non-pharmacological group participated in a two year-long study called Non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension (NPTH) at eight health centres. The 85 patients in the control group were recruited from two health centres providing traditional, pharmacological treatment of hypertension.Main outcome measure - Statistical comparisons between (the questionnaires from) the two groups.Results - The results show that the patients in the NPTH-group considered that six out of seven factors had a more positive influence on them than the C-group. The six factors are doctor continuity, patient-doctor relation, patient participation, responsibility, control, and knowledge. The seventh factor is accessibility.Conclusions - The NPTH-group to a greater extent than the C-group had positive experience of all but one of seven factors of treatment studied. The factors studied are assumed to be an important part of patient satisfaction in outpatient health care.