Patient satisfaction with the information provided at a psychiatric emergency unit

Objective: Evaluation of patient satisfaction with information at a psychiatric emergency unit. Design: Patient survey. Setting: Psychiatric patients assessed information provided by staff on illness, symptoms, treatment alternatives, treatment design, medication, time schedule for treatment and the expected therapeutic response. Participants: The sample included 100 subjects (63% response rate). Outcome measure: Patient satisfaction. Results: 59% were women. Mean age was 43 years. 87% were Swedish. 30% had psychotic, 35% bipolar and 35% anxiety disorders. 87% were admitted voluntarily. Almost 80% were satisfied with the patient-staff relationship. Questions on information, except medication, scored low. Patients with non-psychotic disorder were more satisfied with information on symptoms, treatment alternatives and treatment design, and voluntary patients with information about medication. Patients born in Sweden and voluntary patients awarded influence on treatment planning higher scores. Conclusions: Psychiatric patients requiring emergency care did understand information. The staff provided satisfactory information only when knowledgeable. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.