Objective: Determining the validity and reliability of a user satisfaction instrument applied to patients attending the emergency department and clinic who were suffering from acute febrile syndrome in Bucaramanga's Public Health Network.
Methods: A diagnostic technology assessment study was conducted between 2008 and 2009 on patients suffering from acute febrile syndrome. A telephone questionnaire was designed using 3 instruments. Content validity was assessed by experts and health professionals and face validity was assessed in a pilot study involving 30 users. Reproducibility was tested in questionnaires independently applied by two nurses to 19 patients.
Results: Data from 146 surveys was collected; 75.3 % were answered by women, 33.6 % were patients and 52.7 % were their mothers when patients were under 15. Three factors were identified from factor analysis: satisfaction with medical care, nursing and medical centre organisation. The final model included 16 of the 26 items. Cronbach's Alpha for each factor was 0.89 (0.86-0.93 95 %CI), 0.78 (0.67- 0.84 95 %CI) and 0.88 (0.85-0.91 95 %CI), respectively. The Kappa coefficient was 0.90 (0.77-0.97 95 %CI) and intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.96 (0.86-0.99 95 %CI). The average difference of the sum of all items was -1.3 (SD: 8.5) and Bland and Altman limits of agreement were -18.9 and 15.3, respectively.
Discussion: This study established the validity and reliability of a new instrument concerning user satisfaction used with patients suffering from acute febrile syndrome attending emergency health care which that could be applied in the Colombian Public Health System.