Measures of satisfaction with care during labour and birth: a comparative review

Abstract

BackgroundSatisfaction is the one of the most frequently reported outcome measures for quality of care. Assessment of satisfaction with maternity services is crucial, and psychometrically sound measures are needed if this is to inform health practices. This paper comparatively reviews current measures of satisfaction with care during labour and birth.MethodsA review of the literature was conducted. Studies were located through computerised databases and hand searching references of identified articles and reviews. Inclusion criteria were that the questionnaire was a multi-item scale of satisfaction with care during labour and birth, and some form of psychometric information (either information about questionnaire construction, or reliability, or validity) had to be reported.ResultsNine questionnaires of satisfaction with care during labour and birth were identified. Instruments varied in psychometric properties and dimensions. Most described questionnaire construction and tested some form of reliability and validity. Measures were generally not based on the main theoretical models of satisfaction and varied in scope and application to different types of samples (e.g. satisfaction following caesarean section). For an in-depth measure of satisfaction with intrapartum care, the Intrapartal-Specific Quality from the Patient’s Perspective questionnaire (QPP-I) is recommended. Brief measures with good reliability and validity are provided by the Six Simple Questions (SSQ) or Perceptions of Care Adjective Checklist (PCACL-R).ConclusionsDespite the interest in measures of satisfaction there are only a small number of validated measures of satisfaction with care during labour and birth. It is important that brief, reliable and valid measures are available for use in general and specific populations in order to assist research and inform practice.

Satisfaction with childbirth services provided in public health facilities: results from a cross- sectional survey among postnatal women in Chhattisgarh, India

“…The complex and multidimensional nature of satisfaction with received health services is well established [1–3], and measuring beneficiaries’ satisfaction with health services, including childbirth services, has emerged as a universal cost-effective method of evaluating service quality [4,5]. Measuring women’s satisfaction with childbirth services not only helps in improving client-friendliness and cultural sensitivity of facility-based intrapartum and postpartum care [6]; it also has clinical significance.…”

“…Other identified factors that influenced satisfaction with childbirth services are: having clean and orderly labour rooms and women-friendly childbirth processes, such as having been prepared in advance for what to expect during the labour/postpartum/breastfeeding period; involvement in the decision-making process; having a birth plan and being able to follow it; having pain relief during labour; having a birth companion and respectful care providers; receiving help from care providers in performing self and neonate’s care; and experiencing less symptoms in the postpartum period [3–5,15,20–27]. A woman’s obstetric history, mode of childbirth, and her feelings towards recent childbirth can also affect childbirth satisfaction.…”

The reversed Birth Satisfaction Scale: translation, adaptation and validation for a Greek sample

“…Every woman's perception of birth is important, which within this study is conceptualised as 'birth satisfaction' 5,6,8,10 . It has been also validated in Scotland (UK) and has shown remarkable stability and comparability, and similarly in Greece 5,8,10,12 .…”

“…In terms of quantitative research, a woman's The reversed Birth Satisfaction Scale: Translation, adaptation and validation for a Greek sample Victoria G. Vivilaki 1 satisfaction with intrapartum care can only be considered high quality when gratification is high in relation to the care she has received 2 . A plethora of research has highlighted the wide spectrum of satisfaction with maternity care, however only a small number of validated scales has examined specifically satisfaction with intrapartum care 5,6 . Meaningful measurement of birth satisfaction can only be achieved using a rigorous, valid and reliable psychometric instrument, and 2 …”

“…3) Stress experienced during labour: (a) Distress experienced during labour 4,18 ; (b)Obstetric injuries 5,19 ; (c)Perception of having received sufficient medical care 7,21; (d)Receipt of an obstetric intervention 8,22 ; (e)Pain experienced 29,30 ; (f)Long labour 9,23 ; (g)Health of baby 6,20 . Within the context of the Greek setting, it was noted that this 'negative scoring', i.e.…”