Health status and satisfaction with health care: results from the medical outcomes study

Relations between self-assessed health status and satisfaction with health care were examined using 2 waves of data obtained from participants in the Medical Outcomes Study. Using a multisample covariance modeling framework, separate models were examined for patients with significant symptoms of depression (n = 417) and patients with chronic physical health conditions (n = 535). The pattern of findings was essentially identical for both patient subgroups. General satisfaction with care was cross-sectionally associated with mental -- but not physical -- health status. In addition, significant cross-lagged effects were found linking baseline satisfaction with care to subsequent mental health and baseline mental health to subsequent satisfaction with care. By contrast, no cross-lagged directional effects linking satisfaction with care and physical health status were identified. Finally, no evidence was found that satisfaction with specific aspects of health care contributed independently to either mental or physical health.