[The anatomy of patient satisfaction]

To analyze how the overall satisfaction of users of the Andalusian Public Health Service varies according to their level of satisfaction with the different dimensions and specific aspects of the service.

Data stem from the Primary Care Services User Survey conducted in 2005 as part of a larger research project regarding user satisfaction with the Andalusian Public Health Service. The methodology was to establish a compound variable for Global satisfaction from three initial satisfaction measurements found in the survey and to reduce 23 indicators for partial satisfaction to three satisfaction dimensions in order to analyze the existing relationship between them.

The level of satisfaction with the dimension called the "organizational aspects of the service" best reflects the increase or decrease in the users' Global satisfaction level. Users' satisfaction with "medical services received" as well as the "state of the amenities" has less of an impact on the level of Global satisfaction.

Once a high level of satisfaction with the medical services is attained, the organization is the dimension that most determines the level of Global satisfaction with Primary Care services because this dimension contains factors that reflect the highest levels of dissatisfaction.