Which patients respond to a mental health consumer survey

Characteristics of patients at the Los Angeles County - University of Southern California Medical Center, Adult Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic who responded to a Los Angeles County voluntary "Client Satisfaction Survey" were compared with those who did not. Three significant differences consistently emerged. If an individual was a member of a minority group (black of Spanish surname), had less than a high school education, and was taking antispsychotic medication, his chance of returning a questionnaire to a waiting-room collection box was 79% as compared to the 30% chance of returning if he had none of these three characteristics. Younger patients had "Anglos" more often used the U.S. mail than the collection box to return the questionnaires. It is important that both methods be used to minimize bias. Most of the many patient-characteristics studied did not influence return rate. These findings are discussed in relation to the return method, ethnicity, medication, chronic mental illness, diminished freedom, and consumer voice in voluntary questionnaires.