Patient ethnicity: a key predictor of cancer care satisfaction

Introduction. Research in cancer care satisfaction itself is scarce; investigation of the role of ethnicity in care satisfaction is even rarer. Objective. The present study examined relationships between ethnicity and satisfaction with care in a sample of 759 patients diagnosed with three different types of cancer (lung, head and neck, or gynecologic) from a large tertiary cancer hospital. Method. Respondents filled out an assessment package that consisted of demographics, the Ware Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-III (PSQ-III), 17 additional items constructed by the research team to examine other specific areas of satisfaction, and the Psychological Screen for Cancer (PSSCAN) Part C, to measure anxiety and depression. Results. In a multivariate analysis, being non-White emerged as the primary predictor variable (beyond patient age, gender, marital status, education, cancer site, duration of illness, and presence or absence of metastases) of several of the PSQ-III satisfaction subscales. Conclusion. Health care systems must consider how to become more responsive to the needs of all individuals, regardless of their ethnic background and levels of acculturation.