Table 1. Patient characteristics among non-participants and participants in the 2005 patient satisfaction survey at the University Hospitals of Geneva.
| Variables | Non-participants(cases, N = 197) | Participants(controls, N = 205) | p-value |
| Mean age in years (±SD) | 53.1 (±20.9) | 51.9 (±19.2) | 0.56 |
| Gender (women), n (%) | 123 (62.4) | 114 (55.6) | 0.16 |
| Nationality, n (%) | 0.64 | ||
| Swiss | 112 (56.9) | 126 (61.5) | |
| Other French-spoken countries | 14 (7.1) | 13 (6.3) | |
| Other | 71 (36.0) | 66 (32.2) | |
| Mean duration of hospital stay in days (±SD) | 13.1 (±20.4) | 8.9 (±17.1) | 0.031 |
| Unit care of hospitalization, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| Internal medicine | 33 (16.8) | 45 (21.9) | |
| Geriatrics | 14 (7.1) | 1 (0.5) | |
| Surgery | 48 (24.4) | 76 (37.1) | |
| Psychiatry | 41 (20.8) | 13 (6.3) | |
| Neurosciences | 25 (12.7) | 25 (12.2) | |
| Gynecology-Obstetrics | 36 (18.3) | 45 (21.9) | |
| Patient outcome, n (%) | 0.02 | ||
| Discharged at home | 165 (83.8) | 188 (91.7) | |
| Other | 32 (16.2) | 17 (8.3) | |
| First spoken language, n (%) | 0.06 | ||
| French | 104 (52.8) | 127 (61.9) | |
| Other language | 93 (47.2) | 78 (38.1) | |
| Illiteracy, n (%) | 0.492 | ||
| Yes | 2 (1.0) | 1 (0.5) | |
| Possible | 4 (2.0) | 2 (1.0) | |
| No | 191 (97.0) | 202 (98.5) | |
| French understanding, n (%) | 0.003 | ||
| Minor to major difficulties | 23 (11.7) | 8 (3.9) | |
| No difficulty | 174 (88.3) | 197 (96.1) | |
| Communication in French, n (%) | 0.02 | ||
| Minor to major difficulties | 24 (12.2) | 11 (5.4) | |
| No difficulty | 173 (87.8) | 194 (94.6) | |
| Interpreter services during hospital stay, n (%) | 0.69 | ||
| Yes | 5 (2.5) | 4 (2.0) | |
| No | 192 (97.5) | 201 (98.0) | |
| Cognitive limitations, n (%) | <0.0012 | ||
| Yes | 28 (14.2) | 9 (4.4) | |
| Possible | 4 (2.0) | 0 (0) | |
| No | 165 (83.8) | 196 (95.6) | |
| Dementia/CNS deficiency, n (%) | 0.0062 | ||
| Yes | 31 (15.7) | 19 (9.3) | |
| Possible | 5 (2.5) | 0 (0) | |
| No | 161 (81.7) | 186 (90.7) | |
| Alcohol dependence, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| Yes | 30 (15.2) | 7 (3.4) | |
| Possible | 8 (4.1) | 6 (2.9) | |
| No | 159 (80.7) | 192 (93.7) | |
| Drug dependence, n (%) | 0.0012 | ||
| Yes | 17 (8.6) | 3 (1.5) | |
| Possible | 2 (1.0) | 1 (0.5) | |
| No | 178 (90.4) | 201 (98.1) | |
| Psychiatric history, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| Yes | 63 (32.0) | 38 (18.5) | |
| Possible | 17 (8.6) | 5 (2.4) | |
| No | 117 (59.4) | 162 (79.0) | |
| Sight deficiency, n (%) | 0.06 | ||
| Yes | 12 (6.1) | 8 (3.9) | |
| Possible | 15 (7.6) | 6 (2.9) | |
| No | 170 (86.3) | 191 (93.2) | |
| Communication deficiency (aphasia/autism), n (%) | 0.172 | ||
| Yes | 2 (1.0) | 0 (0) | |
| Possible | 1 (0.5) | 4 (1.9) | |
| No | 194 (98.5) | 201 (98.1) | |
| Difficulties in writing, n (%) | 0.77 | ||
| Yes | 7 (3.6) | 10 (4.9) | |
| Possible | 10 (5.1) | 9 (4.4) | |
| No | 180 (91.4) | 186 (90.7) |
1
Mann-Whitney nonparametric test;
2
Fisher exact test.