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. 2023 Dec 11;11(24):3139.
doi: 10.3390/healthcare11243139.

Patients' Expectations and Satisfaction with the Patient-Doctor Relationship in Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Julia Ewa Rymaszewska  1 , Maciej Karczewski  2 , Piotr K Krajewski  1 , Łukasz Matusiak  1 , Joanna Maj  1 , Jacek C Szepietowski  1
Affiliations

Patients' Expectations and Satisfaction with the Patient-Doctor Relationship in Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Julia Ewa Rymaszewska et al. Healthcare (Basel). .

Abstract

Introduction: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis with a vast psychosocial burden. We analyzed the actual and ideal patient-doctor relationship and patients' satisfaction with the patient-doctor relationship in relation to their satisfaction with life (SWL), HS-related quality of life, and psychopathological symptoms.

Methods: 105 HS patients (53% females; mean age 37.64 ± 14.01 years) were enrolled. Severity of the disease was measured using Hurley staging and the International HS Score System (IHS4). Instruments utilized: Patient Expectation Test; Satisfaction with Life Scale; HS Quality of Life; Patient Health Questionnaire-9; Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7; General Health Questionnaire.

Results: Patients with Hurley I and mild IHS4 had the lowest satisfaction with the patient-doctor relationship. There were significant correlations between the actual patient-doctor relationship and the patients' SWL (r = 0.30; p = 0.002), depressive (r = -0.36; p < 0.01), anxiety (r = 0.37; p < 0.01) and psychopathological symptoms (r = -0.47; p < 0.0001) and between the satisfaction with the patient-doctor relationship and their SWL (r = -0.32; p = 0.00098). Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant influence of the following factors: Hurley II + III, psychopathological symptoms, and severe anxiety about the actual patient-doctor relationship and the satisfaction with the patient-doctor relationship.

Conclusions: Assessment of relations between patients and doctors is related to the patients' mental health and SWL. The usage of the Patient Expectation Test in clinical practice can improve the patient-doctor relationship and the general quality of care for and compliance by HS patients.

Keywords: acne inversa; hidradenitis suppurativa; patient–doctor relationship; psychopathological symptoms; satisfaction with life.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Differences between the actual (a) and satisfaction with (b) the patient–doctor relationship among groups with low, intermediate, and high SWL. *—statistically significant difference.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Differences between the actual (a) and satisfaction with (b) the patient–doctor relationship among groups with no, mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe depressive symptoms. *—statistically significant difference.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Differences between the actual (a) and satisfaction with (b) the patient–doctor relationship among groups with no, mild, moderate, and severe anxiety symptoms. *, **—statistically significant difference.
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