Depression influences the comprehension of patients in the emergency department

Summary Objective Comprehension is critical for patients’ satisfaction and quality of care assessment especially in the setting of emergency medicine. Our aim was to evaluate these items in patients who required admission in the emergency departments (ED) for investigations or treatment. Methods We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the comprehension of 20 patients admitted in each of the nine participating EDs, and to determine factors associated with misunderstanding. Patients answered questionnaires about comprehension, satisfaction (Critical Care Family Need Inventory [CCFNI]), and anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]). Results Thirty patients (19%) understood diagnosis, severity, and treatment. Median CCFNI was 18, suggesting a good level of satisfaction. Patients were partially satisfied with information and did not completely trust the care they received. Intensity of depression significantly altered patients’ comprehension (three [0–14] in those who understood vs. six [0–21] in those who did not non understand). Conclusions Depression should be considered in patients admitted in the emergency room as it affects their comprehension and consequently global quality of care.