Development and Measurement of Reliability and Validity of a Greek Satisfaction Questionnaire for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease undergoing Haemodialysis

Introduction: In recent years there has been a rapid increase in the population with chronic kidney disease (CKD). According to the World Health Organization, the number of people requiring dialysis increases by 7% annually. Aim: To develop and examine the psychometric properties of a new questionnaire for measuring the satisfaction of patients with CKD in Greece undergoing renal replacement therapy by the haemodialysis method. Method: The Greek questionnaire is based on the Dialysis Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (SDIALOR). It consists of seven sections and includes both open-ended questions and Likert-type items. The pilot study was conducted in the Dialysis Unit of the Sparta General Hospital. Results: The percentage of patients who reported satisfaction with all the parameters that constitute their treatment was above average. A relatively high percentage of patients indicated complete dissatisfaction with the emotional support provided by all health professionals (16.7%) and with the medical care professionals (16.7%), with the frequency of medical rounds (15.8%) and with the sense of security felt during treatment (15.8%). The reliability of the questionnaire was tested via Cronbach’s α coefficient and its validity by calculating the correlation coefficient and by factor analysis. The statistical analysis revealed that the reliability of the entire questionnaire was high, and that its subscales had high internal consistency (α ≥0.733). The convergent validity of the questionnaire was quite high (Spearman’s rho ≥0.522), as was the structural validity. Conclusions: The new Greek questionnaire for measuring the satisfaction of patients on dialysis is reliable and valid. The majority of patients were satisfied with the parameters related to their treatment, but less satisfied with the provision of emotional support.