The Nordic Patient Experiences Questionnaire (NORPEQ): cross-national comparison of data quality, internal consistency and validity in four Nordic countries

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the Nordic Patient Experiences Questionnaire (NORPEQ) for data quality, reliability and validity following surveys of patients in Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands. DESIGN, METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS: The NORPEQ was mailed to 500 patients randomly selected after receiving inpatient treatment in Finland, Norway and Sweden. The NORPEQ was also included in a national survey in Norway and in the Faroe Islands. Dimensionality was assessed using principal component analysis and internal consistency by item-total correlation and Cronbach's α. Construct validity was assessed by correlating NORPEQ scores with variables known to be related to patient experiences. SETTING: Somatic hospitals in Finland, Faroe Islands, Norway and Sweden. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Item missing, internal consistency reliability and construct validity. RESULTS: Response rates ranged from 45.8% in Norway to 84% for Sweden. Levels of missing data were low for all items across the surveys. Principal component analysis identified one component with six experiences items. Mean NORPEQ scores ranged from 74 to 79 on the 0–100 scale, where 100 represents the best possible experiences. Cronbach's α ranged from 0.84 in Finland to 0.88 in Sweden. CONCLUSIONS: The NORPEQ is a brief measure of patient experiences that covers important aspects of the healthcare encounter. It shows good evidence of reliability and validity. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The NORPEQ instrument is recommended for cross-national comparisons of healthcare experiences for the four Nordic countries.